Greater Swiss Mountain Dog - breed description

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is also called Gross. If such a dog goes for a walk, all passers-by will immediately notice it. These are the largest representatives of the Mountain Dogs. They have a proud posture, a very beautiful color, a powerful body. With all its appearance, the dog shows that it is impossible to joke with it, and this is not some kind of decorative dog. What you need to know for someone who wants to buy a dog of this breed

Origin history

To date, historians cannot say exactly where exactly this breed originates from. Many believe that mastiffs were one of their ancestors. Also, to their predecessors, researchers include ancient butcher dogs and Phoenician breeds. The development of the breed dates back to the first half of the 20th century. It all started at the exhibition, where two representatives participated, who seemed to one of the visitors to be like ancient dogs.

There were very few representatives, so the selection was rather slow. Dogs with short and long hair participated in it. For a while, they all belonged to the Bernese Mountain Dogs. The pure breed arose only after the crossing of large Swiss dogs and Bernese. Their offspring were short-haired. During the existence of the breed, grosses were sometimes popular, sometimes not very. Today, a puppy costs a lot of money, but finding it is not easy.

Appearance

These dogs are very large in size. They are the largest representatives of the mountain Swiss shepherds. They are tall, the body is folded harmoniously. In addition, grosses are very strong and hardy. Despite their large size, they are distinguished by dexterity and mobility. In appearance, you can determine the sex of the dog. Males reach a height of 65-72 cm. In this case, bitches are 4-5 cm lower.

Breed Standard:

1. Gross's head is wide and large. The forehead is quite wide compared to the muzzle.
2. The jaw is powerful, the teeth are strong. Scissor bite.
3. Their nose is large, black.
4. Rounded eyes are not very large. The dog looks carefully and with some caution.
5. The triangular ears of the gross are thick. When the dog is alert, they rise.
6. The body is rectangular, proportional. The powerful neck has an average length.
7. The back is smooth and muscular. The chest is oval. Skin without folds.
8. The limbs are muscular and strong, and the legs are large, have an oval shape.

Color and coat

The coat can be short or medium. The undercoat is thick. It may be black or gray. All mountain dogs have a fairly bright color, consisting of three colors.

The main color is black. There are white spots on the body. They are on the legs, on the tail, as well as on the neck and face. Red and brown spots are located on the head and shoulders of the dog, as well as on the limbs and tail. Spots should create a contrast with the rest of the color.

Character

This is not to say that all Swiss Mountain Dogs have the same character. It depends on many features associated with breeding, as well as on the individuality of the animal. But, if you educate and train the dog correctly, then their behavior will be predictable. The dog will behave calmly, her psyche will be stable.

Grosses are calm. Their mood rarely changes. If a dog lives in a family, he becomes attached to all household members, loves to be around and participate in all activities and events. The Sennenhund is friendly and loving with those he knows well.Therefore, you should be prepared that the dog wants to "hug" by jumping his front paws on his chest. To prevent this, the dog needs to be weaned from this when she is still small.

Note! Do not leave gross alone for a long time. If he yearns alone, it can adversely affect his character and behavior.

It is necessary to educate the necessary traits since childhood. Experienced dog breeders adjust the behavior of the dog so that he even treats strangers friendly. But if this socialization does not occur, the guardian instinct may well wake up in the dog. It also leads to the fact that the dog will become either cowardly or too aggressive.

Such a dog can be a good watchman. He is very alert, sensitive to the threat. They bark loudly and menacingly. Often this is enough to scare an attacker who wanted to infiltrate territory. But the disadvantage is that the dog will bark at all other sounds that seem threatening to it.

The advantage of using the Mountain Dog as a guard is that this dog is distinguished by a balanced psyche and cold-bloodedness. He shows aggression only when he realizes that the person poses a real threat to the owner or protected area. Before attacking, this dog will appreciate the situation.

If the dog is well trained since childhood, then with children it will find a common language. Grosses treat children with understanding. Even if a child inadvertently hurts a dog, he will not strike back. Owners of this breed often say that they have a wonderful relationship with their children. They are constantly nearby. But this does not mean that the child should be left unattended with the dog.

Breeders attach great importance to how well the grosses get along with other dogs. Representatives of this breed may well coexist with their own kind, but can live without them. Males love to show leadership, therefore they can be aggressive with males. But this is how they behave if they have not received proper upbringing and training when they are puppies.

Gross Training

These dogs lend themselves well to training. This is due to the fact that they are very smart and love when the owner is pleased with them. Gross can be used to transport goods, as they are able to perform such a monotonous job. This is due to the fact that they were previously used for these purposes.

In order for the training to give good results, the owner must show firmness, control everything that the dog does. It is important that the owner knows how to show that he is in charge. It is good if an experienced person is engaged in training the Sennenhund, as otherwise you may encounter the fact that the dog will show leadership.

Do not shout in the classroom at a dog. The atmosphere must be collected so that the dog can focus on training. Commands must be given clearly. If the dog did everything right, it must be praised.

It is important not to miss the moment so that the dog does not establish a leading position. After that, it will be difficult to get them to complete tasks and commands. It is better to contact a professional if you are unable to deal with the dog due to lack of experience.

Care

Taking care of the Mountain Dog is not very difficult. To do this, follow the general rules of care.

1. These dogs have short hair and the undercoat is quite soft. Gross shed twice a year. In those periods when there is no molting, it is enough to comb the dog every week. And when the dog molts, it needs to be done twice as often. It is important to pay attention to those areas where the wool falls out more intensively. This is the neck and chest of the dog.
2. Eyes and ears should be examined as often as possible. They must be cleaned if there is contamination. To do this, you can moisten cotton wool in tea leaves and a flock of chamomile. If there is suppuration or other problems, do not hesitate to contact a specialist.
3. If the dog is used for work purposes and is constantly active, it does not need to cut its claws. If the dog lives at home, then this must be done as it grows. Feet should be inspected so that they are not damaged. After a walk they need to be washed or wiped. If dirt has collected between your fingers, it must be removed.
4. Since dogs are often outside, they should also be inspected frequently so that there are no ticks. Do not pull parasites yourself. Better take the dog to the vet. To rid the animal of fleas, it should be bathed, using a special shampoo. It is also recommended to apply special drops that will prevent not only the appearance of fleas, but also protect against ticks.

Health

Mountain dogs are very hardy and rarely get sick. Their immunity is high. But since the breed was bred artificially, some hereditary diseases are characteristic of its representatives.

They may suffer from dysplasia of the joints or osteochondrosis. Of the eye diseases in the Sennenhund, entropion, retinal atrophy, or cataracts may occur. They also sometimes suffer from cancer. Often these dogs are allergic to any substance.

But these diseases in representatives of the breed are quite rare. Basically, if you take good care of the gross and feed it properly, it will live about 10-12 years.

Nutrition

These large dogs must eat very well in order to maintain health and activity. If the food does not have enough substances necessary for the pet, then in the process of growth, bone problems can occur. The same problems can occur in an adult dog.

Puppies are fed 6 times a day. As you grow older, the number of meals is reduced to two. The diet should be animal protein in the form of meat and offal. It should be given raw. The meat is cut into pieces and boiled over with boiling water.

But, in addition to meat, other foods should be in the diet. If you give gross by-products, they must be well boiled. Also in the diet should be cereals. From them cook porridge in water or broth. There you can add vegetables and greens. You can add oil to such porridge. In order for the dog to receive vitamins, you need to give her vegetables. They can be cooked or given raw.

Many dogs are also very fond of fruits. They can be given everything but grapes. Sometimes you should treat the dog with low-fat cheese and sour-milk products.

Do not feed the Mountain Dog from your own table. Baking and chocolate are contraindicated for them. If you want to cook food for your dog yourself, it is important to monitor the balance of nutrition. In addition to the above products, you must additionally add complexes with vitamins, which will be advised by a veterinarian. For example, food sometimes needs to add bone meal.

If you are going to feed such a dog with store food, it is important to choose the highest quality product. It will already contain all the components and additives that the dog needs.

Content

If you live in an apartment, but still really want to get this particular dog, then there are a few points to consider. From childhood, a puppy needs to be trained so that it barks only when necessary. Also be prepared that the dog will get used to the toilet on the street for a long time. In the apartment you will often find rather big puddles. Like other large dogs, grosses will grow up within 6 months. If a puppy of this breed appears in your apartment, you will have to be patient.

Gross purchase

In Russia, this breed is very rare. It is necessary to approach the purchase of a puppy with a very big responsibility.It is really important here that the dog be healthy in physical and mental terms. A pet class puppy costs 25 thousand rubles, a puppy class costs 30-45 thousand. If you want a dog that can participate in exhibitions, then the price for a puppy will be from 50 thousand rubles.

Before you buy a representative of this rare breed, it is important to consider many points. Not only its acquisition will require costs, but also its content. Think about whether you will have time for classes and walks with the puppy, whether there will be enough finance to provide the dog with proper nutrition. If in doubt, it is best to consider purchasing a smaller dog.

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