The Great Swiss Mountain Dog - Popular Working Dog Worldwide
As a former mountain farmer's dog, the Great Swiss Mountain Dog has already shone with its versatility and robustness back then. Its love for the family is nearly limitless, which is why it is also kept as a farm and →family dog today. However, one should thoroughly inform themselves about the breed before acquiring a Swiss Mountain Dog, as its character is not suitable for everyone.
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Great Swiss Mountain Dog in Portrait
Origin: Switzerland
Size: 60-72 cm
Weight: 50-70 kg
Life Expectancy: 10-11 years
Character: alert, confident, family-oriented, willing to work
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Die große Hunderasse aus den Bergen ist heute ein beliebter Familienhund, sollte allerdings trotzdem richtig ausgelastet werden.
Character and Nature
The Great Swiss Mountain Dog particularly stands out due to its enormous robustness. Whether it's a noisy classroom, large machines, or barking dogs - the gentle giant is →not easily disturbed. However, even if it may not seem like it at times, the alert watchdog notices everything. Strangers are often loudly announced. Once it becomes clear that the people belong to the family or friend circle, the Swiss shows itself to be very friendly.
However, it saves all its love for its close ones. It also gets along well with the →children in the family. Nevertheless, children should never be left unsupervised, just like with all breeds. Additionally, the protective instinct of the Great Swiss Mountain Dog should not be underestimated - here, clear guidance from humans is important to steer behavior in the right direction.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Der große Schweizer Sennenhund kann einen richtigen Dickschädel haben. Er ist arbeitswillig, aber nur, wenn die ihm gestellte Aufgabe auch lohnenswert ist. Hier ist ein passender Anreiz, der Schlüssel zum Erfolg!
Although the Swiss Mountain Dog enjoys working with its humans, it can also be stubborn and headstrong at times. It is certainly willing to listen to its loved ones, but the "reward" must also be right. In this regard, the large breed can be particularly convinced with tasty treats.
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Training and Care
Once bred for farm life and guarding, it would be a dream for the Great Swiss to move to a home in nature with a large property that it can roam. However, with the →right stimulation, the four-legged friend can also be happy in an apartment in the city.
It is important that the breed, despite its cozy side, needs a task. A few rounds of walking are rarely enough to adequately exercise the Swiss Mountain Dog. A hobby together with its humans is particularly suitable for this. It has always been a passionate draft and pack dog and would certainly have no objections to a round of sled dog sports. Due to its →size and weight, care should be taken to work in a joint-friendly manner. Search games, where it has to use its nose, or swimming sessions are also good exercise options.
With its high willingness to learn combined with a certain stubbornness, one should approach it with a lot of patience and consistency (and many snacks). Those who show perseverance and dog understanding can also manage with a Swiss Mountain Dog as a beginner. However, a →visit to a dog school is recommended to properly establish social contact with other dogs from the very beginning and to learn more about dog communication.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Die Robustheit der Rasse merkt man direkt vom Welpenalter an. In der Erziehung sind deswegen Geduld, Konsequenz und starke Nerven gefragt!
What is the difference between Swiss Mountain Dogs and Bernese Mountain Dogs?
Swiss and Bernese are often lumped together - a mountain dog is after all a mountain dog, right? Not quite! A significant difference between the two is the coat: The large Swiss Mountain Dog has short guard hair, whereas its relative, the Bernese Mountain Dog, has long, sometimes slightly wavy fur.
Additionally, the large Swiss Mountain Dog is the largest breed among all mountain dogs and is therefore also somewhat larger than the Bernese. Character-wise, however, the two breeds are quite similar. Both are popular farm and draft dogs and stand out due to their robustness and passion for work, nature, and family.
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