Entlebucher mountain dog, breeding, temperament, training and grooming

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog, a small dog that belongs to the Sennenhunds family, is known by many names.



It is often also known as the Entlebucher Sennenhund or the Entlebucher Swiss Mountain dog. In the Swiss Alps, these dogs are used as herders. The dog gets its name from the Entlebuch municipality in Switzerland.

It is believed that the Sennenhund family descends from the large Molosser family that was introduced in Switzerland by the early Roman civilizations.



The Entlebucher mountain dogs, for many years, were considered a part of the Molossers family until they were finally accepted as a separate breed in 1889. Still there were no distinctions made within the Sennenhund family. The ensuing world war saw an extinction of the breed after which it was revived once again by breeding.

The Entlebucher mountain dog is sturdy and square.



It is medium sized with small brown eyes and triangular ears. The dog is quite muscular and has sturdy legs to support its body. Though the tail is sometimes docked, it is largely left as it is.

Since it is an active, working dog, it should be socialized well right in the beginning of its life. Though they are generally well behaved and gentle dogs that enjoy being around people and other animals, their temperaments may vary and therefore firm training and ample socializing may be necessary right from the beginning. They are very loyal and tend to get very attached to their owners. They do not require a lot of grooming, but because of their moody nature they are not recommended for first time pet owners.  

Today, the Entlebucher mountain dog is internationally recognized and has been inducted in Kennel clubs all over the world. It is also promoted well as a rare breed to owners who are looking for a unique pet.

The stock numbers of the dog is not large because of which there is a lot of inbreeding. Due to this lack of foundation stock, an Entlebucher mountain dog puppy is highly susceptible to many congenital defects. Hip dysplasia is one of the most common disorders suffered by the dog. Other common congenital defects suffered by this breed are hemolytic anemia and retinal atrophy.

A lot of concerned breeders are working very hard to eliminate these problems in the breed by using selective and careful breeding. Other methods like genetic testing and dissemination of knowledge among breeders are also used for this.