Speaking of Bernese Mountain, although it is big, it is actually very clingy! Since he stopped doing menial work, he has become both cute and coquettish, and has evolved into a real "whispering monster".

But they also have a low-key "flat-headed" cousin. Although the colors are the same, they always make people feel more calm, capable, strong and reliable than cute. This is the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

Basic information:

Body proportions: large dog

Motority index: energetic

Personality: strong and steady, alert and sensitive, Smart and gentle

Level of family: gentle and loving, enjoys company

Ability to be alone: ​​can be alone for a period of time after adulthood

Domestication level: strong understanding, trainable Good sex

Shedding index: Seasonal shedding

Standard height: male dogs 65-72 cm at the withers, female dogs 60-68 cm

Common Coat color: black with brown and white markings

Breed history:

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, like other Swiss mountain dogs - Bernese Mountain Dog, Appenze Cattle Dog, and En Trebuch Cattle Dogs share a common origin.

The more popular speculation is that 2,000 years ago, the Roman army brought the ancestors of these dogs to Switzerland. Later, after the dogs brought by the Romans were crossed with local dogs, Swiss Mountain Dogs with different characteristics gradually developed.

After they settled in the mountainous area, as good partners with kind nature and hard work, they helped humans build their common home.

The Swiss have long focused on livestock and dairy production, and most of the work of Swiss Mountain Dogs is related to these. The smaller Appenzee and Entrebuch cattle dogs were mainly used for herding cattle.

The larger Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and Bernese Mountain Dog are mainly used to guard herds, as guard dogs, and to pull carts to help people transport milk, cheese, and beef to the market.

With the gradual development of industrialization, these dogs have gradually lost their jobs, and fewer and fewer people are raising them. Many breeds were once rare in number and on the verge of extinction. It was not until the establishment of the Swiss Kennel Club (SKG) in 1883 that they were gradually taken seriously again.

Professor Albert Heim, who loved Swiss dogs, made a great contribution to the revival of Swiss dogs.

He was probably the most respected European dog breeder of his era, preserving documentation for many breeds and developing early breed standards.

In 1907, he founded the Bernese Mountain Dog Club. In 1908, at the International Dog Show in Langenthal, Bernese mountain breeder Franz Schertenleib exhibited two short-haired Bernese mountain dogs, which caught his attention.

He worked hard to maintain pure breeding and promote it. In January 1912, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club was established.

However, not long after the First World War broke out, the protection and breeding of this dog breed also stalled for a long time. It was not until 1921 that they received attention again.

Later, they began to be gradually introduced to other countries in Europe and the United States, and gradually became a more popular dog breed among professionals.

In 1954, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was recognized by the FCI as an independent breed in Switzerland.

Although not as famous as the Bernese Mountains, thanks to the efforts of many professional breeders and enthusiasts, these gentle and gentle dogs that once worked hard for humans have re-entered people's lives as family companion dogs. life.

Dog breed characteristics:

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is often considered the largest of the four Swiss mountain dogs, and most are slightly larger than the Bernese Mountain Dog.

Their appearance is often described as "majestic" - a word said to be invented by the Swiss. Although the coat is shorter overall, it is still double-layered and very dense, and the color scheme is classic. of black, red and white colors.

Like the Bernese Mountain Dog, as former working dogs, they are very capable, gentle and loyal, and most of them are calm and quiet as adults.

However, in terms of temperament, the Bernese Mountain Dog is often described as "alert and kind", while the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is often described as "alert and watchful".

Relatively speaking, Bernese Mountain has a more "soft" personality. Generally speaking, it likes to play coquettishly with others, and will retreat behind its owner when it encounters people it doesn't like.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may be more "serious" and more alert. Sometimes it will focus on its own work and appear a little indifferent. When something happens, it will mostly protect its owner. However, most of them are smart, have good tempers, are very patient, and are relatively easy to train.

After training, most of them can get along well with strangers, are also very tolerant of other small animals and children, are very gentle and measured, and know how to control their strength. But it is said that they may be a little "too enthusiastic" towards squirrels...

When at home, the Swiss are not clingy, but they also value their family members.

Everything needs to be “hands-on”!

Be present at all times!

Although it is not like Bern Mountain, which is always in the ear of the owner, it will also keep an eye on people - sometimes even if you are going to the toilet, a dog's head will be silently poked in... ··

In addition, because they are relatively large, they also need an amount of exercise that matches their body size - you don’t have to run a marathon, and you don’t have to run a high intensity, just an hour of ordinary exercise is about the same. This can be walking, running, playing with other dogs, agility training, etc.

Like Bernese Mountain, they are also very good at pulling cars and are willing to go hiking and outings with their owners. When some owners take them out to play, the big Swiss is responsible for hauling food, water, and strollers. He is really very capable.

Feeding Notes:

Generally speaking, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is easy to care for. Just brush it casually every day and take an occasional bath.

However, compared with other short-haired dogs, they may shed a little easily - especially when the seasons change, they are no less troublesome than their long-haired cousins, the Bernese Mountains...

Oh, it’s not a big deal, just brush it every day!

They like cool climates and like to wander around in the wild. They are not suitable for small apartments. It is best to live in a fenced house in the suburbs.

If the outdoor venue is relatively large, don’t worry too much about their lack of exercise, especially before adulthood. They can exercise moderately according to their physical condition to avoid bone and joint diseases.

In terms of personality, although they are not proactively aggressive, they are more vigilant by nature and are always used to being wary of something wrong.

If the owner is not confident enough, reliable, and a little indecisive, the dog may feel it has the obligation to "keep the house" and may show a bit of "persecution delusion". If there is any disturbance, they will start to scream at the top of their lungs - their screams are still quite loud.

Although they are qualified "watchdogs" that make people feel at ease, they are somewhat disturbing in the city...

In order to improve their social attributes, it is necessary to Get into training early. They mature relatively late and may be a little naughty and stubborn when they are young. They require constant and repeated training by their owners. Most of them need to grow to be over 2 years old before they are considered mature and stable.

But this is not because they are stupid. Big Swiss are still very smart, willing to make their owners happy, and learn commands quickly.

But they can sometimes be rather "chicken thieves", have many ideas, and especially love to eat. In order to eat more during training, they will pretend not to understand the instructions and ask the owner to compromise. If the owner cannot persist, they will always turn a deaf ear to the owner's words and just wait for food...

In general, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is an ideal companion dog. But it is best to have a big house, a big yard, and a confident and gentle owner.