Great Swiss Mountain Dog Blog

One of the first problems that usually occurs after having a new pet is housetraining it. It seems like Sharda Baker knows something that we don’t – she promises to potty train our dog in just 7 days! She’s so confident that she’s ready to give back the whole price of the book, if the training wasn’t succesful!

The content of her e-book and audio package is based on real life experience, she had struggled as much with potty training as anyone else, and she summarized her experiences.

She promises that any kind of dogs can be housetrained in as short as 7 days. Go ahead and find out more about her secrects!

You can check out “The Complete Potty Training Guide” Sharda Baker’s other products by clicking on the picture on the left.

The narrow line between training and abuse

Many dog owners think that their Great Swiss Mountain Dog is the smartest in the world. There’s no problem with this, up to certain a point. This point is when the owner expects as much from the dog as if it really was the most intelligent creature the world has ever seen. They expect them to learn everything right away, whereas dogs need time to learn things, the same way as we, humans do. Just in a different way Well, the point is, that training requires time and patience. It can be different for all dogs, but we do have to keep this in mind and take the time and energy to train our Great Swiss Mountain Dog.

Another common mistake (also because of the lack of patience) is to give up. Many people think that they have already tried everything but the dog doesn’t want to learn. In this case, maybe the methods are not the best, or they need more time. There are no dogs who wouldn’t be able to learn at least a few commands. Giving up is never a solution.

So, if we have the time and the patience we can avoid the next, and maybe the biggest mistake: to turn training into abuse. Probably you expect me to tell you where this line is. I can’t. This is something the owner should know. Training is all about communication. If you know your Swissy, if you pay attention to him, you see how he feels. Unfortunately many dog owners don’t have this ability, because they only keep pets for entertainment, while a dog is much more than that.

Going back to training, a very important rule is that your goal should be that your Great Swiss Mountain Dog obeys to commands because he is keen to do so. NOT BECAUSE HE IS AFRAID. Many-many owners forget about this, and feel the training successful, but actually they are making their dog unhappy. How can someone live happily in fear? No way. These owners are only keeping a dog to make themselves happy, and don’t feel the responsibility they should.

So the point is, that ‘positive training’ is possible. Actually, that’s the only way.

The first difficulties most Great Swiss Mountain Dog owners face is potty training their puppy. As with general training, the main principles remain the same: a positive, rewarding approach and a lot of patience is required. There are, however a few tips and tricks that will make the whole process faster and easier for both puppy and owner. Find out what Sharda Baker has to say on the topic, who has developed her best practices by years of trial and error.

Please comment if you have something to add.

Is it normal, anyway?!

Yes, it is. Just imagine the situation from the point of view of your Swissy. He is part of the family, often treated as “the kid”, and then, suddenly, a new creature arrives and takes all the attention of his beloved family. It is quite similar to what older children feel, when a little brother/sister arrives. One of the differences is just that the dog can’t speak English

Actually, if we are aware of this ‘problem’ in advance, the situation can be handled, but it needs consciousness and to be started in time, long before the baby’s arrival. Let’s see how we can prepare our Great Swiss Mountain Dog for the new family member.

If your dog’s daily routine has to be changed with the baby’s arrival (it probably will), you should start changing the rules much earlier, giving him plenty of time to get used to the new set up. This way it isn’t going to be so sudden and shocking. If your Swissy hasn’t really been trained before, it’s high time to start. He should learn at least a few commands, like sit, stay, etc. This way, he’ll be easier to handle.

Many families worry about their dog endangering the health of the child, so the best thing to do is to take your pet to the vet, get him checked and get some advice. Get your Great Swiss Mountain Dog used to the new smells, sounds in advance (blankets, lotions, toys). It’s also a good idea, that just after your baby was born, send home a blanket that the baby had been in, so your dog can experience the child’s smell in advance. It is very important to know that your Swissy will get a lot less attention from the mother, so when taking the baby home for the first time, the mother should greet the dog, so it is better if someone else is carrying the baby.

It is also a good idea not to leave them alone together at the first times, until your Great Swiss Mountain Dog feels comfortable with the baby, because, for example, it is very possible that the dog won’t tolerate the child’s crying very well in the beginning. You have to teach him that this is a normal sound, and you should motivate him not to bark (with treats, for example).

And the most important rule for last, maybe it seems too obvious, but it’s still worth mentioning: try to give as much attention to your Swissy as you can. The point is that he has to feel that you do care about him. If you keep this in mind, most probably there will be no problem. You could also try Preparing Fido, which is an amazing collection of Baby sounds designed especially to get your dog ready for the arrival of the new Baby!

These amazingly beautiful dogs are perfect additional family members. They are very friendly and get on very well with children and are excellent watchdogs as well. Do you want to know how to buy one?

If you know anyone who has a Great Swiss Mountain Dog or anyone who loves this breed (including yourself), then the I Love My Great Swiss Mountain Dog Money Clip can be the best gift from them. A keepsake money clip made from executive stainless steel and can be used for money or credit cards will surely be loved by those pet enthusiasts out there.

Great Swiss Mountain Dogs are very large active working dogs, and just like any breed of huge dogs, it should also be trained how to socialize in its early life stages. This breed is basically even tempered and a good family dog. You should pay attention to its health as Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs carry the genes to produce epilepsy. They may also suffer from bloat and hip dysplasia. Although no information exists on the average lifespan for this breed, it is essential to take care of them in the best possible way to keep them healthy and active.

Written by highly experienced dog trainer, Daniel Stevens, Secrets to Dog Training is a comprehensive resource covering all the most important aspects of dog ownership. The 261 page manual is superbly detailed, still the step-by-step format of the book makes it very easy for Great Swiss Mountain Dog owners to understand and apply the instructions. The book also comes with a 30 minute downloadable video. By completing the course, you will learn how to:

• stop and prevent dog fights
• curb your dog’s aggressiveness
• make your dog understand what is right and wrong
• apply techniques professional trainers use
• house train your dog
• stop your dog racing in the house
• deal with a dominant dog
• overcome separation anxiety
• stop your dog jumping on people
• teach your dog when it is appropriate to bark
• understand how your dog thinks and sees the world
• apply the cutting edge Dog Whispering technique
• deal with more than one dog in the house
• stop the family cat being harassed.

Secrets to Dog Training is very comprehensive, easy to understand and effective. If you want to tackle any of your dog’s behavior problems, this book is for you. You can benefit from the book, even if your dog is perfectly trained as the author shares a lot of his insights on the possible best relationship between dog and owner.

Visit official website.

The ancestors of the Great Swiss Mountain Dog have accompanied man for several centuries. The origin of this very old breed is not entirely clear as there are many theories concerning the issue. According to one of them, we can assume that the appearance of the breed is a result of crossing huge Molossers (mastiff-type dogs) that were traveling with the Roman legions with the dogs inhabiting rural areas today belonging to Switzerland. In later years, these dogs evolved into four breeds: Appenzeller, Entlebucher Mountain Dog, Bernese Mountain Dog, and the largest – the Great Swiss Mountain Dog.

Official recognition

Interestingly, we can find tri-colored dogs similar to today’s Swissy in paintings created in the 18^th century, but the breed was recognized only at the beginning of the 20^th century. Professor Albert Heim saw a dog that was presented as a “shorthair Bernese Mountain Dog” at the dog show in Langenthal, Switzerland in 1908. He noticed that this was a representative of a separate breed, which he decided to popularize as the Great Swiss Mountain Dog. It was officially recognized in Switzerland one year later. Unfortunately at that time there were not many dogs left that could be categorized as such, and therefore the breed was hard to rebuild. International recognition took place in 1939.

Understand your Swissy by considering its historical function

The breed’s history can explain a lot about the personality of your Swissy. For centuries, the ancestors of Great Swiss Mountain Dogs were used to pull carts, drive cattle, or guard farms. These roles influenced the development of the breed. The dogs had to be obedient, healthy, strong, and able to act as family protectors. A willingness to work with man was also transmitted genetically for many generations. A Swissy, even as a puppy, had to look after the flock. Contact with other animals taught them to live with others in harmony and take responsibility for leading the group. Their role was to defend cattle against strangers and wild animals. They learned to bark loudly to deter intruders and notify the owner. They were used to working day and night, summer and winter, regardless of temperature. That is why they had to become resistant to changing weather conditions. Great Swiss Mountain Dogs have also developed a strong territorial instinct and sense of ownership. They had to know the limits of their own territory and guard it even if it was not enclosed.

This post was contributed by PennySaverUSA.com. Visit us online to find dogs and puppies for sale.