The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund, or Grand Bouvier Suisse is a dog breed which was developed in the Swiss Alps. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are almost certainly the result of indigenous dogs mating with large Mastiff types brought to Switzerland by foreign settlers. At one time, the breed was believed to have been among the most popular in Switzerland. It was assumed to have almost died out by the late 19th century, since its work was being done by other breeds or machines, but was rediscovered in the early 1900s.
The breed is large and heavy-boned with incredible physical strength, but is still agile enough to perform the all-purpose farm duties it was originally used for. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is sociable, active, calm, and dignified, and loves being part of the family. It is relatively healthy for its size and tends to have far fewer problems than more popular breeds in its size range. Among the four Swiss mountain dogs, this breed is considered the oldest, and is also the largest.
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What are Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs?
The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a draft and drover breed; it is a large, heavy-boned dog with incredible physical strength. Despite being heavy-boned and well-muscled, the dog is agile enough to perform the all-purpose farm duties of the mountainous regions of its origin. There is black on top of the dog's back, ears, tail and the majority of the legs. There should be rust on the cheeks, a thumb print above the eyes, and also rust should appear on the legs between the white and black.
The double coat has a dense outer coat of about 1.25 to 2 in (3.2 to 5.1 cm) long. Textures of the topcoat can range from short, straight and fine to longer, wavier and coarser. The under coat is thick and ranges from the preferred dark gray to light gray to tawny, and must be on the neck, but can be all over the body – with such a thick coat, Sennenhund shed throughout the year and they have a major shedding once or twice a year.
Males range between 25.5 to 28.5 in (65 to 72 cm) at the shoulder and females range between 23.5 to 27 in (60 to 69 cm) at the shoulder. There is no standard for weight in the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog; males tend to range between 100 to 140 lb (45 to 64 kg) and females range between 80 to 115 lb (36 to 52 kg). Body length to height is approximately a 10 to 9 proportion; they are slightly longer than tall.
The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is happy with an enthusiastic nature and strong affinity to people and children. This breed is sociable, active, calm and dignified. They do need plenty of room to exercise. They will not be happy confined to kennel life; they want to enjoy their family. They crave attention and physical contact. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are bold, faithful and willing workers and are eager to please.
For the most part, this breed is relatively healthy for their size; Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have far fewer problems than more populous breeds in the similar size range.
Heavier dogs such as the Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs tend to have shorter lifespans than medium- and small-sized dogs; longevity is inversely related to breed size. Two websites list the life expectancy for Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs at 10 to 11 years; another lists it as 8–10 years. A survey by the US breed club shows a median lifespan of 6.75 years. Dog lifespans may vary in different countries, even in the same breed.
How big will a Swissy get?
Swissies are the largest of the four Swiss Sennenhund. The males generally weigh between 105-140 lb. and stand approximately 25-28 inches at the shoulder. Females are slightly smaller and weigh between 80-110 lb. and are 23-27 inches tall at the shoulder. Each dog is different, your breeder and veterinarian can help you decide what weight is appropriate for your individual dog. Swissies are slow to mature and usually do not reach their full size until they are 1 1/2 - 3 years old.
What is their temperament like?
Swissies are naturally confident, friendly dogs who are happiest when spending time with their families. They should be neither fearful nor aggressive. Proper socialization from an early age is very important. Most Swissy puppies are very active but as adults they are generally calm dogs who require a moderate amount of exercise.
Are Swissies easy to train?
Swissies generally respond best to firm but gentle training using positive reinforcement methods rather than physical punishment or heavy corrections. They can be stubborn at times but generally are eager to please, thriving on attention and praise. 'Clicker' training or food training usually works quite well for most Swissies.
What type of food and how much does a Swissy eat?
Generally speaking, an adult Swissy will eat about one 40lb bag of premium dog food each month. (We use Diamond premium naturals large breed $41.00) Swissies should be fed a low protein, high quality food throughout their lifetime including puppyhood. Too high a protein level can cause too rapid a growth rate thereby possibly causing some growth related problems. Swissies should never be allowed to get fat since this can cause undue strain on their joints and other will impair their health.
Do Swissies drool?
No. Swissies are considered a dry-mouthed breed and do not drool any more than Labradors or Collies.
Are they good with children?
Swissies can make wonderful family pets but as with any breed they cannot be expected to be good with children unless they have been raised that way. Likewise, children should be taught from an early age to respect your dog and treat them with kindness. Even though Swissies are usually very gentle dogs they are a large breed and must be supervised when playing with children.
Are they good with other pets/animals?
Swissies should be able to get a long well with other dogs as well as many other animals. Proper socialization to other animals is just as important as socialization to people and should begin at an early age. It is recommended that you enroll your Swissy in classes where they can meet new dogs as well as learn basic household obedience. If raised with cats or other animals most Swissies should not have a problem with them.
How much space do they require--a big yard?
Actually Swissies do not need as much outdoor space as some smaller dogs do. The typical suburban yard is adequate for most Swissies. Swissies are indoor dogs and do not like to be left outside alone for extended periods of time. They prefer to be with their families whether indoors or out. A fence is important and many breeders will require you to have one. Due to the size of an adult Swissy a four to six foot high fence is recommended. Buschy Buck Swissy Puppy at fourteen weeks A young grosser bitch
How much exercise do they need?
Normal puppy play should be enough exercise for a young Swissy. As adults Swissies do need regular exercise but it can be as simple as a walk in the evening or a game of fetch in the backyard. The important thing is to make sure that they get enough exercise without overdoing it. Because they are still growing it is inadvisable to jog with your Swissy until it is mature.
Do they chew?
All puppies chew. As adults Swissies are not generally 'chewers'. They are usually quite content with a variety of safe chew toys like large Nylabones or KONG brand toys.
Do they bark?
Each dog is different but in general Swissies are not known as bad barkers. Swissies are quick to bark at anything new and different in their environment such as a car in the driveway or a delivery truck. They can also have a 'calling' bark where they will bark in order to get people to pay attention to them.
Are they easy to housetrain?
Swissy puppies can take a long time to housetrain. It is not at all uncommon for it to take until the dog is 7-9 months old before being really house trained. Most puppies can be crate trained by 3-5 months and this will help in the overall process of house training. Swissies take a very long time to physically and mentally mature and as a result they can take longer to house train.