Greater Swiss Mountain Dog: temperament, size, care and health

About the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, often called the Swissy, is the largest of the four Swiss mountain breeds. It is a heavy-boned, muscular dog with a broad head, a strong neck and a short, dense coat in black with rust and white markings. Adults stand about 23.5 to 28.5 inches tall. Where the Bernese Mountain Dog is long-coated, the Swissy has a smooth, short coat, which helps explain its somewhat different practical needs.

The dog was used as a draft animal in the Swiss Alps, pulling carts of milk and cheese, and as a drover and farm guardian. Owners today appreciate it as a strong, hardy companion that enjoys hiking, carting and family life.

Temperament and family life

Swissies are usually friendly, eager and sociable. They enjoy human company and tend to greet visitors with enthusiasm, so they are better as alert barkers than as serious guards. Most are good with older children, though a young Swissy is bouncy and powerful, and may knock over small ones. Their loud, deep bark announces arrivals.

The breed generally does well with other dogs, but strong prey drive and high spirits can make introductions to small animals tricky. A Swissy that is bored or left alone becomes destructive, and the breed is well known for leaning, pushing and pulling. Males can be assertive with other males.

Exercise and training

Despite their bulk, Swissies need regular exercise, such as an hour of brisk walking, hiking or play each day. They excel at pulling and love draft work, which provides a natural outlet. Puppies must not be overworked, since their joints and growth plates are vulnerable, and sustained running or jumping should wait until they are mature.

Training should begin early, because a strong adult that pulls is hard to hold. The breed learns well and wants to please, but it is slow to mature and can be willful in adolescence. Use rewards, steady routines and positive socialization. Loose-lead walking, a polite greeting and recall are the main skills to prioritize.

Grooming and shedding

Grooming is simpler than for a longhaired mountain dog but not trivial. Weekly brushing with a rubber curry or slicker brush handles ordinary shedding, and daily brushing helps during the two heavy sheds each year when the thick undercoat comes out. Baths are occasional.

Check the ears, trim the nails and brush the teeth. The coat is thick enough to make the breed uncomfortable in hot weather, so provide shade and fresh water. Expect short, coarse hair on floors and clothes through most of the year.

Health

Breeders commonly evaluate hips and elbows. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is also at risk of gastric torsion (bloat), and splenic torsion, in which the spleen twists, has been reported. Epilepsy and a bone growth ailment of young dogs called panosteitis occur,. Lifespan is typically 10 to 12 years. Owners should watch for any signs of a swollen abdomen as an emergency. This is general information, so ask a veterinarian about a particular dog.

History

The Swissy is generally traced to dogs of the Swiss Alps, and it was nearly lost by the end of the nineteenth century as machines replaced draft animals. A Swiss dog show judge named Franz Schertenleib is credited with identifying the breed in 1908, and breeders then rebuilt its numbers. Dogs were imported to the United States in the 1960s and the American Kennel Club recognized the breed in 1995.

Is the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog right for you?

The breed suits an active household with space that wants a strong, cheerful working dog and can manage a large puppy through a long adolescence. It is a poor fit for homes in hot climates, for people who prefer a quiet breed or for those unable to handle a pulling giant. The longer-coated Bernese Mountain Dog is the best-known relative, while the smaller Entlebucher Mountain Dog is another Swiss breed with a lighter frame. The Rottweiler is a similar size with a different temperament.