| Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs: the most honest dog breed review you'll ever find. Information about Greater Swiss Mountain Dog personality and behavior. |
|
|
My book, Your Purebred Puppy: A Buyer's Guide (published by Henry Holt & Co.), includes a full-page profile of the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, including these excerpts:
"Calm and steady, yet bold and athletic, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog doesn't need hours of hard running, but he enjoys romping, roughhousing, and working.
Pulling a cart or sled is a productive outlet for his high energy, especially when children are involved. However, don't expect him to be a babysitter.
Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs thrive on your companionship, though their determination to jump up into your face, shove their body against your leg, or slap a massive paw into your lap can be disconcerting.
This vigilant watchdog will sound off in a loud, deep voice to announce visitors -- or simply to let you know that your neighbor has stepped outdoors.
Most Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are friendly with guests, but some are more wary, and some are shy, spooky, or aggressive. Early and ongoing socialization is essential to develop a stable Swissy.
Some are peaceful with other animals, others have a high prey drive and do not get along with small animals such as cats, while still others are aggressive with strange dogs.
Obedience training should start at three months old and include praise and food. Heeling is imperative: These powerful dogs can literally pull you off your feet.
During adolescence, their hormones will kick in and they will start to test his owner, who must respond with assertive, consistent leadership.
Slower to mature (both physically and mentally) than many other breeds, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog remains playfully puppy-like for many years.
He drinks a lot of water and is slow to housebreak, often not gaining full control until a year of age.
You must control his tendency to mouth your hands. Similarly, he may try to ingest everything in his path, from sticks to gravel."
History
Descended from Roman mastiffs, the Greater Swiss is the original and largest of four Swiss sennenhunds (dogs of the Alpine herdsmen). Referred to as "Old Blaze," he was a farmer's cart dog, pack dog, and home guardian.
Size
23-29 inches and 85-140 lbs |
|
Greater Swiss
Mountain Dogs
What's good about 'em
What's bad about 'em
- Is giant, robust, and powerful
- Has a short easy-care coat
- Prefers that his exercise take the form of carting or sledding or weight-pulling, rather than hard running
- Makes a vigilant watchdog, but is usually dependable with people
A Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may be right for you.
| If you don't want to deal with... |
- A huge dog who takes up a lot of space in your house and car
- A heavy dog who wants to sit on your feet, lie on your lap, and lean his weight against your leg
- Rowdiness and exuberant jumping when young
- Destructiveness when bored or left alone too much
- Aggression or fearfulness toward strangers when not socialized enough
- Aggression toward other animals
- Strong-willed mind of his own, requiring a confident owner who can take charge
- Barking
- Shedding
- Slobbering
- Serious health problems and a short lifespan
- Waiting lists (hard to find) and a high price tag
A Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may not be right for you.
| If I were considering a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog... |
My major concerns would be:
- Providing the proper balance of exercise. Young Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs need enough exercise to keep them lean and healthy, but not so much that their soft growing bones, joints, and ligaments become over-stressed and damaged. Adult Swissies need more exercise to keep them in shape, but not in hot or humid weather for fear of overheating. The proper amount of exercise can be difficult to regulate in giant breeds.
Since you have to minimize their exercise, young Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs can be very rambunctious. They will romp with uncoordinated gawkiness all over your house. You need to substitute extra quantities of companionship and supervision. Otherwise, left alone, young Swissies become bored and destructive -- and their powerful jaws can literally destroy your living room.
| If you simply want a pet for your family, and don't have the time or inclination to get involved in carting or sledding or weight-pulling, or a similar canine activity, I do not recommend this breed. |
- Providing enough socialization. Many Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have protective instincts toward strangers. They need extensive exposure to friendly people so they learn to recognize the normal behaviors of "good guys." Then they can recognize the difference when someone acts abnormally. Without careful socialization, they may be suspicious of everyone, which could lead to biting. Some Swissies go in the opposite direction -- without enough socialization, they become fearful of strangers, which can lead to defensive biting.
| If you have small children, or if you or anyone who lives with you is elderly or infirm, I do not recommend Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppies. Young Swissies (up to about three years old) can be bulls in a china shop. When they romp and jump, they do so with great vigor, and things can go flying, including people. |
- Animal aggression. Some Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Some have strong instincts to chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures. If anything goes wrong in the breeding, socializing, training, handling, or management of this breed, it is capable of seriously injuring or killing other animals.
- The strong temperament. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are not Golden Retrievers. They have an independent mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. Some Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.
- Barking. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are often too quick to sound the alarm at every new sight and sound. You have to be equally quick to stop them. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs should NEVER be left outside in your yard, unsupervised. Their booming barks will have your neighbors calling the cops to report the nuisance -- or quietly letting your Swissy out of his yard so he'll wander away.
- Slobbering. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are not supposed to be droolers, but those with loose jowls will do so when food is present. And most Swissies are messy drinkers who slobber water everywhere.
- Shedding. For such a shorthaired dog, Greater Swisss shed more than you might think. Their short hairs come off on your hands, and stick tenaciously to your clothing, upholstery, and carpeting.
- Serious health problems. The lifespan of a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is short and an alarming number are crippled by bone and joint diseases and/or succumb to cancer in middle age.
- Finding one and paying the price. In the United States, only about 500 new Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppies are registered each year. (Compare that to over 60,000 new Golden Retriever puppies!) And many breeders are charging $1500 or more for a Swissy.
| Frankly, most Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are "too much dog" for the average household. Very few people really have the knowledge, facilities, or skills necessary to manage this breed, or to provide the type of activities that keep him satisfied. |
| Not all Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are alike! |
- There are energetic Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, and placid ones.
- Hard-headed Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, and sweet-natured Swissys.
- Serious Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, and good-natured goofballs.
- Introverted Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs, and individuals who love everyone.
| If you acquire a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppy, you can't know for sure what he or she will grow up to be like. Because a good number of purebred puppies do NOT grow up to conform to the "norm." |
| If you're considering an adult Greater Swiss Mountain Dog... |
There are some adult Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs who have already proven themselves NOT to have negative characteristics. If you find such an adult, don't let "typical breed negatives" worry you.
When you acquire a puppy, you're acquiring potential -- what he one day will be. So "typical breed characteristics" are very important. But when you acquire an adult, you're acquiring what he already IS.
 If you would like to link to this review,
here is the HTML code:
<a href="http://www.yourpurebredpuppy.com/reviews/greaterswissmountaindogs.html">Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em</a>
|
Copyright © 2000-2008 by Michele Welton. All rights reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without the permission of the author. |
|
