Greater Swiss Mountain Dog / Swissy, Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund, Grand Bouvier Suisse

Breed history:

 It is the oldest of the four Shennenhund breeds that were obtained through the crossbreeding between the Mastiff and Swiss dogs. It might be the ancestor of the Saint Bernard.

Description:

It is a large-sized dog, with a long rather than tall, strong and massive body. The head is broad, proportional to the body, with a flat skull and with a broad and strong muzzle. The eyes are egg-shaped and dark brown. The ears are medium-sized, set high, triangular and drooping. The tail is big, long, and kept low at rest and slightly higher, with a curved tip when alert. The fur is double-layered with a thick, short, woolly inner layer and an outer layer made of thick, rough, short hair that can be black with white and rusty areas .

Personality:

It is a intelligent, lively, brave, eager to work, well-balanced, obedient dog. Faithful and devoted to its master, it is protective and affectionate with children. It gets along very well with other household animals and other dogs. It announces strangers with a bark, it will protect its master if it has to.

Grooming:

 This dog's fur doesn't require too much care. A casual brushing with a rubber glove to remove dead hair is enough.

Living conditions:

 It is a dog resistant to weather changes, that likes outdoor life with the possibility of getting lots of exercise, being always busy, with an active master that has experience in raising dogs. It needs socialization and training.

Training:

 It needs to be socialized and educated from an early age, it needs to know what it is and what it is not allowed to do. It needs to be treated with love, affection and not with harshness. The training must be consistent, firm, without being severe. While it is a pup it shouldn't be allowed to do too much exercise, not to jeopardize its growth, being a dog that grows fast. It can achieve good results in various canine sports, in training exercises.

Usefulness:

 It is an excellent watchdog for herds, farms and houses and a lovely companion. It can also be used by the army or police for tracking.