GREATER SWISS MOUNTAIN 101 “WHAT KIND OF DOG IS THAT?”

•IS THAT A SHAVED ?

•IS THAT A ST. BERNARD?

•IS THAT A BIG BEAGLE? (WHEN HE WAS A PUPPY) 4 KINDS OF SWISS MOUNTAIN •SENENHUND = SWISS MOUNTAIN DOGS

•4 BREEDS OF SWISS MOUNTAIN DOGS:

• (45-65 LBS)

• APPENZELLER MOUNTAIN DOG (49-70 LBS)

• BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG (65-120 LBS)

• GREATER (90-150 LBS) HISTORY OF THE “SWISSY” •ORIGINATED IN THE SWISS AS FARM DOGS, WORKING AS LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS, HERDING DOGS, AND PULLING CARTS.

•CONSIDERED ’S OLDEST BREED, DATING BACK MORE THAN 2000 YEARS TO THE TIME OF ROMAN INVASIONS IN THE AREA.

•AT ONE TIME, THEY WERE CONSIDERED THE MOST POPULAR DOG IN SWITZERLAND.

•AS THE NEED FOR CARTING DOGS DECLINED IN THE 1800S DUE TO INNOVATIONS OF FARMING EQUIPMENT/TRUCKS, THE BREED BEGAN TO DISAPPEAR. SAVE THE SWISSIES! •IN 1908, A PURE GSMD WAS EXHIBITED AT A , ENTERED AS A “SHORT-HAIRED” BERNESE MOUNTAIN DOG.

•BY CHANCE, PROFESSOR , A CANINE RESEARCHER AND EXPERT OF THE SWISS SENNENHUND BREEDS, WAS IN ATTENDENCE. HE RECOGNIZED THE DOG AS A GSMD AND PRESSED FOR THEIR RECOGNITION AS A SEPARATE BREED. HE URGED BREEDERS TO SAVE THE FEW REMAINING SPECIMENS OF THE GSMD.

•SEVERAL SWISS BREEDERS BEGAN A CAREFUL BREEDING PROGRAM TO RESCUE THE GSMD FROM EXTINCTION, AND THE POPULATION OF THE GSMD IN EUROPE BEGAN TO GROW SLOWLY. KEY•1910: DATES THE SWISS KENNEL CLUB RECOGNIZED THE GMSD AS A BREED.

•1945: DURING WWII, THE BREED WAS USED BY THE SWISS ARMY AS A DRAFT DOG. AT THIS TIME,

THERE WERE 350-400 GSMD DOGS IN EXISTENCE.

•1968: THE FIRST GSMD WAS IMPORTED INTO THE UNITED STATES.

•1995: THE GSMD WAS OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZED IN THE AKC WORKING GROUP. THAT WAS A LOT OF FACTS!

•TIME FOR A PUPPY BREAK: HTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=BBUNRVCRCBG PHYSICAL• COAT: TRI-COLOR (BLACK, RUST, CHARACTERISTICS AND WHITE), SHORT, DOUBLE COAT • PHYSIQUE: LARGE AND HEAVY-BONED WITH INCREDIBLE PHYSICAL STRENGTH

• WEIGHT:

• MALES TYPICALLY WEIGH 100-150 LBS

• FEMALES TYPICALLY WEIGH 80-115 LBS

• LITTER SIZE: UP TO 18

• EXPECTED LIFESPAN: 10-12 YEARS

• FULL MATURITY IS OFTEN NOT REACHED UNTIL THE DOG IS 4-5 YEARS OLD PERSONALITY TRAITS

•FAITHFUL, DEPENDABLE, FAMILY-ORIENTED, ENTHUSIASTIC, MELLOW AROUND THE HOUSE BUT ENJOY HARD WORK.

•CAN BE INDEPENDENT AND STUBBORN.

•STRONGLY DEPENDENT ON PEOPLE AND CRAVE ATTENTION AND PHYSICAL CONTACT. SWISSY SKILLS •DEVELOPED TO BE AN ALL-AROUND – HERDING LIVESTOCK, PULLING CARTS, AND STANDING GUARD

•CAPABLE OF PULLING CARTS LOADED WITH 3000+ LBS OR MORE (CURRENT RECORD IS OVER 4800 LBS)

•EXCELS AS THERAPY DOGS AND SEARCH AND RESCUE DOGS FRANC: THE BEST GREATER SWISS

MOUNTAIN•BORN ON JULY 21, 2012 IN DOG MILWAUKEE, WI

•WEIGHS 95 LBS

•HE LOVES: FOOD OF ALL KINDS, ARM-PIT SCRATCHING, LONG STROLLS BY LAKE MICHIGAN, HIS DUCK TOY

•HE DOES NOT LIKE: BALLOONS, FAKE SNOWMEN/REINDEERS/HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS, VACUUM CLEANERS, ANYTHING THAT COULD FALL ON HIM, RANDOM OBJECTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR HTTPS://PHOTOS.APP.GOO.GL/DWHT22RTZUJMYYRP1 MORE FRANC PICTURES ☺