All About
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was designed as a draft dog and was often referred to as “the poor man's horse.” They are serious dogs who still enjoy pulling carts and sleds, but have grown to be faithful family companions. They are fiercely loyal to their families and require constant companionship to be happy. Families with children may shy away from such a large dog, but the Swissy gets along well with kids of all ages. Small children should be supervised, as they can easily get knocked down by an excited Swissy, but the dog never means to harm. They are alert watchdogs, letting everyone in a three-block radius know that a stranger is approaching, but they are not aggressive guard dogs and can be trusted to be polite to house guests, once properly introduced.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog can thrive on many types of diet, from kibble to raw to a combination of both. The most serious issue with feeding the GSMD is overfeeding, which leads to many digestive problems, including loose stools, and also leads to obesity, which is one of the greatest health problems in the breed.

This is basically a “wash and wear” breed, but they are double coated and do blow their undercoat, usually twice a year. When this is occurring they benefit from a good bath and blow-out, followed by a thorough brushing with a rake or shedding tool. For the rest of the year the occasional bath and brushing usually does the trick. They need regular nail-trims and ear and teeth cleaning.

The Swissy is not suited to apartment or condo life. Because he's a large, working dog, he needs room to roam — a home with a large, securely fenced yard is ideal. You won't need to sign up for a marathon, though; he needs just a moderate amount of exercise.With his Swiss heritage, this breed is a natural fit for cold climates, and he loves to romp in the snow. The flips side is that he's prone to heatstroke. Don't let him exercise strenuously when it's hot; during hot spells, limit your outings to cool early mornings or evenings. During the heat of the day, keep him inside with fans or air conditioning. If he has to be outside, make sure he has shade and, of course, plenty of water.You'll need to take special care if you're raising a Swissy puppy. Like many large breeds, the Swissy grows rapidly between the ages of four and seven months, making them susceptible to bone disorders and injury.Keep your Swissy pup on a high-quality, low-calorie diet that keeps him from growing too fast. Don't let him run and play on hard surfaces such a pavement, do a lot of jumping, or pull weights until he is at least two years old and his joints are fully formed. Normal play on grass is fine, and so are puppy agility classes.Like all dogs, the Swissy needs to be socialized — taught to be friendly to other dogs and people — beginning in puppyhood. Puppy kindergarten and obedience classes are a great way to socialize your Swissy and teach him good canine manners.Now, as for housetraining: while every dog is different, Swissy fans say that the breed generally takes to housetraining slowly. The reason isn't exactly clear. But if you use crates and stick to a good housetraining routine, your Swissy will grasp the general concept of housetraining within a week or two of arriving at his new home. But don't count on him to be completely reliable in the house until many months later.

Major concerns: CHD, gastric torsion, elbow dysplasia
Minor concerns: panosteitis, OCD, distichiasis, entropion
Occasionally seen: ectropion
Suggested tests: hip, elbow, (eye)
Life span: 10-12 years

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is considered one of Switzerland's oldest dog breeds. There are several theories as to the Swissy's origins. The most popular is that he's descended from large, Mastiff-like dogs that were brought to the Alps by invading Roman Legions.The Swissy's ancestors served as herding, guard, and draft dogs. At one time the Swissy is thought to have been one of the most popular breeds in Switzerland. By the 1900s however, their numbers dwindled, probably because their traditional jobs on Swiss farms were taken over by other dog breeds or machines.In 1908, a canine researcher named Albert Heim spotted two dogs at a Swiss Kennel Club jubilee, listed as "short-haired Bernese Mountain Dogs." Heim recognized the dogs as being large members of the Sennenhund type, a family of four breeds that includes the Swissy.Heim lobbied to get the dogs recognized as a separate breed and, in 1909, the Swiss Kennel Club listed the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund) in the Swiss Stud Book.Since then, the breed's popularity has grown slowly, but steadily. In 1968 the first Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs were brought to the U.S., and soon after, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America formed. The Swissy was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995, as a member of the Working Group.