The content of the article
Bernese Mountain Dog is a legendary dog from Switzerland. For a long time, representatives of this breed helped their owners graze livestock. Dogs' job responsibilities significantly influenced their intellectual abilities. The Sennenhunds belong to those representatives of the canine family who are smarter than their owners.
They are very sociable and not aggressive, always find a way out of non-standard situations. However, wow, amazing peacefulness allows you to fully protect your own territory and owners from attacks by outsiders. Genetically, they are endowed with heroism, because they are descendants of the ancient Roman fighting dogs.
From the history of the breed
The Sennenhunds are true Swiss. They were partners with a person in the farm, their missions were: grazing cattle, protecting farms, and even looked after the children. Their homeland is Switzerland, namely the Berne Canton, and the name of the breed came directly from here. The population of Bern has long been - mostly peasants, it was precisely for housekeeping that they needed this assistant - a companion in the guise of a four-legged friend.
For a long time, the Sennenhund was called a peasant spitz or a cow dog. Representatives of this breed of that time were very different in their red or brown color from today's standards.
How did this breed appear in the Alps? Today no one can say for sure about this. Most often, the version is supported that the Mountain Dogs are descendants of the classical mollosses, who hail from Greece and were brought to Switzerland by Caesar’s soldiers.
Over the years, no one has deliberately bred dogs of this breed. Their habitat was peasant farms, where their pedigree qualities were naturally improved. Living with people and helping them with the housework were the main tasks of these animals, which paid off, genetically laying in the mountain dogs love for people and impressive intelligence. The nature of these pets has become softer and more flexible, endowing them with the ideal qualities of a person’s true friends.
They were deliberately started to breed and selectively in the early 90s of the 19th century. Their natural quick wit and mobility allowed them to compete with the more popular friends of the people at that time - the St. Bernards. At the same time, the breed got its name from the Bernese Mountain Dog. Prior to this, they called everything yellow-cheeked dogs.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the first Sennenhund lovers club was organized, and at the same time the breed got its current official name. In the 14th year of the same century, breed standards and breed-specific colors were approved. After only a few years, they already met at every step in France and migrated from farms to large cities.
Thanks to its pedigree characteristics of character and intellect: beauty, endurance, lack of aggressiveness and friendliness, the Bernese Mountain Dogs became extremely popular in all European countries. Breeders and breeders made every effort to preserve the natural qualities of the character of dogs of this breed. In urban conditions, the Sennenhunds remained human companions and were used to save people and help firefighters; they monitored the safety of vacationers at ski resorts.
The development of this breed continues today, the selection pursues the goal of consolidating positive qualities and increasing the gene pool.They are common not only in America and European countries, but also in Asian, as well as Russia and Ukraine. In the countries of the post-Soviet space, the Sennenhund appeared in the 89th year of the last century.
This breed is quite young, it was officially registered in 1892. But in fact, her story began before our era - from the moment their ancestors - Molossians were brought by Roman soldiers into Switzerland.
Mental capacity
Representatives of this breed are distinguished by extraordinary intellectual abilities and are very amenable to learning. In non-standard situations, mountain dogs are not lost and are perfectly oriented. They tend to make amazingly correct decisions on their own.
Their natural instincts and mental abilities are acquired genetically and in the literal sense of the word are in the blood of the Sennenhund. They are endowed with a sense of territory, excellent adaptability and good protective instincts.
Learning Alpine herding dogs is simply amazing. You can be sure that the one-year-old Sennenhund puppies carefully grasp the characteristics of the owner's character and his daily needs. From a young age, they try in many ways to please their owners. Dogs of this breed will provide any possible help with the housework, for example, by serving household items or clothing. The main task of the owner is to fully encourage and thank the pet for his efforts. They really like to hear praise addressed to them and communicate with their “older” friend.
A dog of the Sennenhund breed will delight its owners with its puppy spontaneity for a very long time, as they grow up for a very long time. These animals reach their absolute maturity at about 4 years of age. Then they become calmer and less active. Nevertheless, they retain their playfulness and emotionality.
In training pets of this breed, it is important to set complex tasks that require enhanced mental activity. Their education requires a thoughtful approach and creative ideas.
Character Features
Bernese Mountain Dog - the perfect pet. They show their love and devotion towards all members of the family of their happy owner. They like to help the housework. They sincerely worry about all family members and may feel uneasy in the absence of one of them. Separation from the owners is very difficult for them, because dogs of this breed are very attached to them and devoted.
Representatives of this breed are characterized by persistent temperament, cheerful disposition and lively intelligence. They like to be near their master, provide him support and help. Before reaching maturity, the Sennenhund are distinguished by their particular activity and desire to play, but they cannot be called intrusive. They use their hyperactivity on walks, so they should be as saturated as possible with motor activity and impressions.
The Sennenhunds consider their owners, like other dogs, to be leaders in the pack. For this reason, they are very obedient, this is their genetic feature. Nevertheless, the owners of the Sennenhund should not exaggerate their powers; a sensitive dog can react to a biased attitude very painfully. Excessive cruelty and bullying by a person can provoke stress in representatives of this breed and can cause deep depression.
With the Sennenhunds, it is necessary to build trusting partnerships, to treat your pet gently and love, then he will reciprocate.
Parenting
Bernese Mountain Dogs are one of the most sociable representatives of shepherd dogs. They are sincerely attached to people and have a need for constant communication with them.
Dogs of this breed get along well with small children, they feel responsibility and a heightened sense of duty towards babies. They are very patient with childish pranks, for example, dragging by ears and tail. It is known that there were facts when dogs of this breed found children lost in the Alps. These playful and good-natured animals are happy to play with children, protect them and can provide babysitting services.
The Sennenhund, like no other, will protect the owner’s territory from ill-wishers, but he will never show aggression towards the owner’s guests. With the help of selection, only the most good-natured representatives of this breed were selected. Thus, aggressive and conflicting individuals were excluded. At the level of intuition, they are able to distinguish between well-wishers and enemies, therefore they will never allow intruders to enter the territory.
Training
These are very smart animals with high ability to remember information. They are endowed with ideal professional qualities in the field of agriculture and the protection of the territory. Unleash their natural potential with the help of education and training.
It is necessary to start classes starting from a young age, but not earlier than 5 months. A more focused preparation is carried out when the animal reaches the age of a year.
Learning brings them pleasure, and they are very positive about this process. The owner, for his part, should show maximum patience and perseverance. Usually, training Swiss Shepherd dogs is not a problem, but it is important to be strict enough for the animal to see the owner of the position. It is important to consider that it is absolutely unacceptable to show cruelty and aggression, to raise a voice in relation to dogs of this breed.
The Sennenhunds do not like to be bored, the activity of the same type does not bring them pleasure. Classes with them need to be diversified as much as possible. Trainings in the form of a game - an ideal approach. Swiss Shepherd dogs really like difficult tasks that require mental activity, not discipline. If the owner is an adherent of complex specialized trainings, it is important to pay attention to the pedigree qualities of character.
Physical activity
The Bernese Mountain Dog can live in the city as a pet, but regular walks and exercise are extremely important to him. You need to walk with them every day for at least an hour and a half. Walking should be saturated with physical activity and interesting events. Different places are suitable for walking: parks and landings, and not just shopping or visiting friends.
It is worth noting that periodically you need to allow the animal to move freely, removing the leash. It is necessary to give the pet a free run in places without a large crowd of people. It is better if it is in a forest or in a remote park area. Swiss shepherds like a sense of freedom and being outdoors.
You need to choose several days a week for active walks. Sennenhund can keep the owner company in sports. In general, they are wonderful companions in all walks of life.
Care Features
Dogs of this breed, as a rule, do not require increased attention from the owners in terms of care. However, their long and silky hair needs constant combing to avoid the appearance of tubers throughout the house during moulting.
It needs to be combed daily with a metal comb having rounded and thick teeth. It is worth paying close attention so that no tangles are formed from the wool. If they appeared, then you can get rid of them using a comb.
It is required to bathe a Swiss shepherd about once a quarter. You can do this as needed, using special or baby shampoos and water at about 36 degrees.To begin with, it is worth washing the main areas of the dog’s body, then pay close attention to less accessible areas.
To care for teeth and eyes does not require much effort. Eyes and ears should be inspected once every 7-10 days and wiped with a cotton pad and warm boiled water. If there is an increased amount of discharge in the area of the eyes and ears, it is mandatory to show the animal to the veterinarian. Teeth, like all other pets, need to be cleaned using special pastes and brushes. To maintain the condition of the gums in good shape, you need to give the dog bones and special toys.
The care of the paws and claws is also necessary for the Sennenhund. If the length of the claws is not removed naturally, by grinding during walking, it should be removed using a clipper as it grows. The first few times it is worth cutting your claws in a special salon or with the help of a veterinarian, carefully observing the process. Then this can be done independently, taking into account the recommendations of specialists.
Paw pillows can be injured during walks or dry out, after which cracks appear on them. In such cases, they need to be treated with antiseptics, and then moisturized with creams and cosmetic oils.
Food
The Sennenhunds do not belong to those breeds that tend to gain extra pounds due to overeating. However, they have a fairly good appetite due to their excessive physical activity. When feeding, you must always follow a strict regimen to avoid gaining excess weight.
In order to avoid problems with the dog's health in the future, it is necessary to adhere to some rules in the selection of food. Namely, it is required to completely exclude the following from the pet's diet:
- corned beef, smoked meats, sweets;
- chocolate;
- spices;
- fat meat;
- butter baking.
Health and Life Expectancy
The Sennenhunds cannot be considered painful or weak animals, however, their life expectancy is short, about 8 years. To increase the life expectancy of dogs of this breed, breeders are working in almost all countries. Even 10 years ago, it rarely amounted to more than 8 years. Today there are individuals that live much longer than before.
Genetically Bernese Mountain Dogs are susceptible to such diseases:
- malignant processes;
- epilepsy;
- hypothyroidism;
- dystrophy of muscle tissue;
- cataract
- retinal dystrophy.
To a large extent, the situation is complicated by unscrupulous breeders who pay little attention to obtaining quality offspring, sell pets without documents and knit with representatives of other breeds.
Video: Bernese Mountain Dog
Submit