Look at the photo of the Sennenhund: a beautiful head fit, a dignified calm look ... And only the red triangles of the eyebrows give out hardly restrained mischief. He, like a spring, creates the feeling that in the next instant the dog jumps up, wraps itself at the owner’s feet, jumps, expressing with all its appearance an immense and completely sincere love for the whole world.
This is the smallest representative of the glorious Swiss Mountain Dog family. Nevertheless, in terms of working qualities and exterior, it is in no way inferior to its larger brothers: the great Swiss, appenzeller and the Bernese mountain dog. Many dog breeders prefer to have such a pet because of its compactness, convenience for keeping in a city apartment and a wonderful, loving nature.
Breed history
The breed got its name from the name of the Entlebuch valley, located in the mountains of Switzerland. These dogs were bred back in the Middle Ages, when, due to the spread of livestock, humans no longer needed large dogs, helpers in hunting animals. People needed a new breed - brisk, compact and, at the same time, able to protect livestock. As a result of long selection and selection on the basis of Swiss cattle dogs, a small-sized animal, strong, strong and moderately playful, was bred, an excellent guard at home and livestock.
Despite all these qualities, the breed is still little known outside the Swiss Alps. In 1913, the first entlebucher mountain dogs were presented to the general public at an exhibition in Lagenthal and entered into the Swiss pedigree book as the fourth version of the shepherd mountain dog breed.
Pure entlebucher breeding began only in 1926. Therefore, the first standard of the entlebucher mountain dog was drawn up only in 1927. The breed developed rather slowly, and today its population remains very modest.
Description of the Entlebucher Sennenhund breed
The latest FCI standard No. 47 dated 06/28/2001 characterizes the animal as a guard, guard, shepherd dog. Today, the “title” of a pleasant in every way family dog has been added to these characteristics.
The Sennenhund is a medium-sized animal with a slightly elongated body, rather strong. The height at the withers of males varies from 44 to 50 cm, bitches are slightly smaller - from 42 to 48 cm. The weight of the entlebucher sennenhund (adult) ranges from 18 to 23 kg.
Extremities - straight, parallel to each other, with well-developed muscles. The sternum is moderately broad, rounded, the abdomen is taut. The tail is quite long, although individuals are also found with short tails. Its position primarily depends on the length - it can be lowered or in a horizontal position.
The neck is powerful, straight, slightly elongated. The head is wedge-shaped, with a slightly flattened skull, widened near the ears and tapering to a straight nose with a black nose. The triangular ears are set wide in relation to each other, high. They are pressed to the cheekbones in a calm state and raised if the dog is alert. The lips are neatly outlined in black.
The eyes of the Sennenhund, whose photo you can see below, are small in size, round in shape. Their color varies from light brown to black. The eyelids also have a black stroke.
Wool and color
Dog Sennenhund has a very attractive appearance. Her coat is shiny, short, rather stiff, and snug against a thick undercoat. The coat of the animal is fancifully painted by nature itself in three colors - white, brown and black.
The inner thighs, lower extremities, cheeks and areas around the eyes are tan brown. A white stripe passes along the back of the nose, partially on the muzzle, descending on the chest along the neck. On the muzzle, it is narrow, expanding on the sternum. The ends of the tail and paws are white.
The nature of the breed
Judging by the description of the breed, the entlebucher mountain dogs are sociable family dogs that love people very much. Animals are endowed with a friendly and affectionate character. The breed is characterized by unlimited devotion, its representatives selflessly and boldly protect their owners.
Such a charming pet is devoted and gentle to children. If the puppy grows up with a small child, then they will certainly become best friends, and the dog will not give offense to its little master.
The character of the entlebücher Sennenhund is completely devoid of aggression and anger. But the breed has a peculiarity - these dogs are in dire need of human attention and affection. If you spend too much time outside the home and cannot devote too much time to such a pet, give up the idea of having a representative of this breed. Knowing how much the entlebucher mountain dog lives (from 11 to 16 years old), try to create comfortable conditions for him so that it does not suffer from loneliness. Without constant caress and attention on the part of man, an animal becomes naughty and nervous.
The Sennenhund dog is more than a pet, it is a member of the family that requires attention and respect. Another feature of this breed is a loud and loud barking. But this does not mean that your pet will bark simply because he wants to "talk". The Sennenhund casts his voice at the meeting of the owner, joyfully greeting him, or if he feels a threat. Do not ignore the barking of the animal, which always carries the service of protecting the house.
Training
When describing the Entlebücher Sennenhund breed, experts always emphasize that this is a “working" dog that needs constant training. Such a pet needs development, not only physical, but also mental. These dogs are very fond of training, and if classes and training are held regularly, there are no problems.
Owners should build a relationship with the Sennenhund puppy from the moment he appears in the house. It is important that the dog perceives the person as a leader. If this fails, the dog will perceive all training as a game. The owner needs to raise the following skills in the animal:
- The dog should never, under any circumstances, fall into the place of the owner. A man is a leader, and the dog should not take his place.
- A dog cannot walk in front of the owner. This also applies to going through the door; your pet should always follow the person and never be ahead of him.
- During training with any subject - catching the ball, pulling a stick - do not let the dog win. If for a person this is just a game, for a pet - this is one way to demonstrate their superiority, to find out "who is the boss in the house."
- Do not let the dog snatch food out of the hands of a person. The delicacy in the hands of man belongs only to him, and the dog should not even make attempts to claim it.
- The thoroughbred entlebujers of the Sennenhund quickly and easily learn commands, give in to training. In quality training, regular training and non-punitive education are important.
Dog care
Giving a description of the Entlebücher Sennenhund breed, it should be noted that these are animals with good health, moderately hardy and quite strong. To prevent the development of diseases characteristic of the breed in the future, certain rules should be followed.
Thick and stiff dog hair needs regular grooming. She needs frequent combing - at least once a week. For this, a special comb is used. Do not abuse the water procedures; bathing the Sennenhund is necessary only as the coat becomes dirty. It should be understood that many dogs, like other animals, are not very supportive of bathing, so it is necessary to train them in the bathroom from childhood, otherwise it will be extremely difficult to drag your grown friend into the water.
The shedding of the Sennenhund is seasonal, but it can be avoided altogether if the animal’s diet contains enough vitamins and the hair is combed regularly. Active molting occurs in spring or early summer, and undercoat begins to thicken by winter. The period of spring molting in bitches most often coincides with estrus, which occurs twice a year.
Teeth cleaning
The mouth of the animal requires careful care. The dog needs to brush his teeth at least once a week, using a special toothpaste for dogs.
Eye and ear care
When describing the Entlebucher Sennenhund breed, experts draw the attention of the owners to the need to pay special attention to the eyes of their pet. When dirt accumulates in the corners of the eyes of an animal, it is removed using a cotton pad dipped in a decoction of medicinal chamomile or in strong tea.
Ears should be cleaned at least once a month to avoid getting a pathogenic infection.
When to cut claws?
Claw trimming is required for the Sennenhund. Dog manicure should be done as needed. Typically, dogs that live in apartments and go outside for short walks trim their claws more often than dogs that can be outdoors for a long time, grinding their claws to the ground.
Content Features
Entlebucher mountain dog does not tolerate cold and drafts at all, very fond of comfort and warmth at home. Thanks to its compact size, the dog feels quite comfortable in a city apartment. On the street, in the aviary, this dog will not be able to live. Regardless of where your pet will live - in a spacious country house or in a city apartment, he needs regular walks. In the summer, these cheerful animals will appreciate swimming in the ponds, and in winter they will enjoy frolic in the snow. Do not deprive your four-legged friend of frequent walks in the air, representatives of this breed without them will quickly get bored, as they are literally overflowed with energy, which needs a way out.
Feeding
The dog can be fed with natural food (but not from the master's table) or prepared feeds. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages. In the first case, you will need to spend a lot of time cooking, consult a veterinarian on the preparation of the diet. In addition, you will need to give your pet additional vitamins and minerals.
Ready-made feeds are completely balanced, but they should be purchased on the recommendation of a veterinarian, taking into account the age and body weight of the animal.
Where to get a puppy?
This is a rather rare breed - entlebucher mountain dog. Puppies of this breed are not easy to find even in many large cities. Often he has to wait several months. First you need to find a well-established nursery.
Entlebucher Mountain Dog is successfully bred in European countries - Austria, Switzerland, Germany. Recently opened a good nursery in France. In the territory of the post-Soviet space, this breed is just gaining well-deserved popularity, therefore, the search for a good breeder can become a real problem. In our country, nurseries in which you can buy a thoroughbred puppy began to appear recently. So far there are only two of them - "Kingdom of the Mountain Dogs" and Victory Secret. Both are in Moscow. In Kiev, you can buy a puppy of this breed in the kennel "Constellation of Fortune". The cost of a puppy varies from 40 to 60 thousand rubles.
The lower price should alert you. An animal acquired by hand may turn out to be non-purebred (mestizo) or have birth defects and defects. Try to get into the nursery in advance and get to know the parents of your future pet, see the conditions in which adult animals and kids are kept.
It should be a dry and clean room with no specific odors. If everything suits you, agree with the breeder on the timing of the acquisition of the puppy.
Puppy selection
As a rule, animals are taken to a new home at the age of 2-4 months. Dog handlers do not recommend acquiring an adult dog, as the mountain dogs are too attached to their owners and it will be very difficult to replace the owner.
The responsible breeder will conclude a contract with the buyer and provide all the necessary information about the temperament of the animal, its nature, advantages and disadvantages, rules of feeding and keeping.
The healthy Sennenhund puppy is muscular, moderately well-fed, cheerful and playful. Before purchasing a baby, read all the accompanying documents (pedigree, puppy passport with vaccination data), consult with the breeder about feeding the baby. As a rule, specialists from good nurseries provide consulting services during the first few months. You can always contact them and ask your questions.
By the appearance of the baby in the house, it is necessary to prepare for him a place protected from drafts, dishes for food and water, toys, animal care products.
Entlebucher mountain dog: owners reviews
The vast majority of owners of the breed described are satisfied with their new friend. The dog very quickly gets used to all members of the family, is well trained and remembers the teams well. Meanwhile, not everyone is ready to keep such an energetic four-star friend in the house. These wonderful dogs require more from their owner than short walks and regular meals. They need human attention and love.
Your pet will thank you with unlimited devotion for caring. Experienced dog breeders compare these dogs with young children. They believe that what kind of inclinations a person sows in a puppy depends on how the pet grows up, how it behaves, whether it can become a brave keeper at home and a reliable and loyal friend, a true member of the family.