Things you did not know about Great Swiss Mountain Dog

Big Dog — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 13:40:57 +0000

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog can be described, well, as great! They were at one time the most popular breed in Switzerland because of their helpfulness in farm and guarding duties. The Swissy is also considered as the largest and oldest of the four Sennenhund breeds. Furthermore, their rich history is full of fascinating facts that is worth knowing and here are some of them.

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is credited for the development of other large dog breeds such as the Saint Bernard and the Rottweiler. The Swissy, however, is believed to have descended from Roman Mastiffs that were brought to Switzerland for around 2,000 years ago.

A long time ago, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was known as the “Poor Man’s Horse.” The reason for this is that they were used to pull carts and wagons for common folk such as farmers similar to what a horse can do. Their large and muscular build made it possible for them to draft loads as heavy as 3,000 pounds. That means that they are even strong enough to carry numerous goods and even a person. The breed’s agility was also an asset in maneuvering through mountainous terrains making them valuable for the said task.

In the late 19th century, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was almost extinct. The once popular breed declined in number and popularity because they were replaced in their duties by machines, other dog breeds, and other animals. This changed because of the efforts of Franz Schertenleib and Dr. Albert Heim. Schertenleib was able to found a Swissy in an isolated farm and took it to the 25th anniversary celebration of the Swiss Kennel Club in 1908. Dr. Heim was the judge at this event and liked the dog. Heim then encouraged and advocated the proliferation of the breed and started a new spark of interest in the Swissy.