Appearance

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a striking, tri-colored, large, powerful, confident dog of sturdy appearance. It is a heavy boned, well muscled dog but, never clumsy.

Height at the highest point on the shoulder is ideally in males 25.5 to 28.5 inches, and 23.5 to 27 inches in females. A typical male weights between 105 to 140 lbs and a female 85 to 110 lbs.

Body length to height is approximately a 10 to 9 proportion, thus appearing slightly longer than tall. It is a heavy boned and well muscled dog of sturdy appearance.

Temperament

GSMD are eager to work, friendly, intelligent, reliable, and protective. They are known for their sociability and obedience. Although they make good watchdogs, their barking is infrequent. As a member of a family, GSMD is gentle and calm, loving, obedient and very faithful. It will make an ideal friend for children and it gets along well with dogs and other household animals.

Brief history of the breed

The early ancestors of the Greater Swiss Moutain Dog, commonly referred to as "Butcher's" or "Fisherman's" dogs, were used by farmers, herdsmen, and merchants in central Europe as heards dogs or for pulling loads. They were large, strong, muscular dogs with characteristic three-coloured markings, although black and brown or yellow colouring was also very common.

At one time these dogs were believed to have been among the most popular in Switzerland, however by 1900 their numbers decreased severely. In 1908 two of these dogs, described as "short-haired" Bernese Moutain Dogs, were shown at jubilee dog show held by Schweizerische Kynologische Gesellschaft or Swiss Kennel Club. It was only in 1909 that these dogs were officially recognized and listed in the Swiss Stud Book as a separate breed named Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund (Greater Swiss Moutain Dog). The breed regained its popularity especially during the Second World War, when these strong but humble dogs were used by Swiss army.

Maintenance and training

GSMD is straight haired and has a thick undercoat. Occasional grooming with a rubber brush to remove dead hairs is all that is required.

This breed has a very strong character, so its handlers need to be equally strong.

Training must be consistent but not severe, allowing the dog to develop a clear understanding of what is allowed and what is not. This dog is a very diligent worker. In its native country it is used as a tracking dog. It greatly enjoys taking part in various dog sporting activities. Although it loves to get plenty of outdoor exercise, it will not misbehave if you are unable to get out with it everyday.