Origin

This breed belongs to the Alps mountains as the name suggests. It is said that the Roman mastiffs are the ancestors of this breed. This breed was introduced in the 20th century by Dr. Albert Heim. The Swiss Mountain dog became very popular at this time. After half century this dog was introduced in United States.

General Description

This is a large breed and they are strong and muscular in appearance. They have a cheerful outlook. The Greater Swiss Mountain dog has a wide broad head and a long rectangular muzzle with a black nose on the tip. They have two almond shaped eyes set apart and the skin of their jaws hang down. The breed has a wide chest which touches the elbows and strong muscular limbs and legs. They have a broad neck and broad shoulders. Their ears are medium sized and hang by their head and their tail is long and straight which almost reaches the ground.
They have a short coat and they are found in black colour with patches of black.

Character

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is good natured and it is a 100% family dog. They love human interaction to a great level and love to be a part of the family. At the same time they are also protective of their family. Though it is protective but it will behave very nicely to the friends of the family but it can be worse to those from whome the family gets a threat. These dogs are great to children and if socialized properly they can be very nice to other animals also.

Temperament

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is good natured, very gentle, can be socialized easily and a pure family dog. Their loyalty and devotion to their family are trademarks and they are very much protective of their family. The Mountain Dog performs excellent as a watch dog. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog love to stay with the family always and they need a lot of physical exercise daily. At some point of times they can be a bit stubborn and independent so they are not recommended for novice owners. They always have a tendency to please the master and at the same time they are tremendously intelligent and fast learners. This breed has a real bad habit. They take attempt in eating anything they see. Many time that might not be edible also. They are really good to children and other pets. But due to their large size they are not suitable for kids.

Training

Generally this breed is very intelligent and they have a tendency of pleasing their owner. It is more or less easy to train this breed.

Health

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog may be affected by bloat, epilepsy, hip dysplasia etc. Their average life span is 10-12 years.