Appenzeller Sennenhunde

The Appenzeller Sennenhund, or Appenzeller Mountain Dog, is one of four Swiss mountain dog breeds developed to work livestock and guard farmsteads. The rarest of these four breeds, it was traditionally used to guard livestock and cart loads of supplies in the Appenzell mountain area in northeastern Switzerland. This is a large, lively, active dog and it is naturally very wary of strangers. It has a clear, loud, sharp bark. It is not well suited for a simple, docile life as a housepet, and does better with a lot of room to roam, and a designated task to perform. The Appenzeller Sennenhund is a medium-large, compact, sturdy dog. It is strongly muscled and ample of bone. This dog is well-balanced and slightly long. The Appenzeller stands an average 18 to 23 inches tall at the shoulder, and weighs 50 to 70 pounds. Like the other Swiss mountain dog breeds, it has traits of the Molosser ancestry. It has a well-proportioned head with a strong, flat skull, and a long, powerful well-formed jaw. Its eyes are rather small, almond-shaped and dark. The ears are set high on the head and wide; they are triangular in shape, pendulous and rounded at the tips. The chest of this dog is deep with well-sprung ribs. Its forequarters and hindquarters are well-muscled. Its tail is usually left naturally long; it is held straight or slightly curved, but never curled up. The Appenzeller Sennenhund has a thick, smooth double coat. The topcoat is harsh but glossy, and dense; the undercoat is also dense and woolly. It is always tri-color, and is shiny black, with white markings on tail, feet and chest and muzzle. Tan markings are on the underside of tail, upper legs, either side of chest, cheeks, and above the eyes. When the Roman armies first crossed the area that is now the Swiss Alps about the 1st century BC, they had with them large molosser (mastiff) type dogs, which they used to haul, to herd, and to guard both camp and livestock as they moved. In many of the places they went, they left behind crossbreeds of these dogs with local breeds. The Swiss "sennenhund"� (shepherd's dog) was developed from these molosser dogs. Today there are four sennenhund breeds, also known as Swiss mountain dogs: the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the Appenzeller Sennenhund and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog. All are tri-color and all have some combination of herding and guarding ability. The first documentation of Appenzeller Sennenhund breed as distinct is in 1853, in Friedrich von Tschudi's book, "Animal Lifeforms in the Alpine Region,"� wherein he described the Appenzeller. The breed type was first listed in the stud book in the late 1880's but at that time and for many years after, it was rarely distinguished from the other smaller, cattle-droving Swiss mountain dog, the Entlebucher Mountain Dog. Around the turn of the century, all four of the Swiss mountain dog breeds became in danger of extinction, not only because of their rare appearance, but because newly imported dogs such as the German Shepherd Dog were being crossbred with them indiscriminately. Professor Albert Heim, a devotee of the traditional mountain dog breeds, took it upon himself to see that they survived. Professor Heim and a few more devotees worked to promote both the Entlebucher and the Appenzeller as separate pure breeds. In 1906 the Appenzeller Sennenhund was again added to the stud book, as a separate breed this time, and that same year a breed club was established for the promotion and preservation of the breed. The first standard was completed by the club and published in 1916. The Appenzeller was recognized internationally as a distinct breed in 1989. The Appenzeller was added to the Foundation Stock Service of the American Kennel Club in 1998. Although the AKC categorizes it as a part of the Herding Group, it is listed variously under working and guarding groups in other registries. The Appenzeller Sennenhund is a very high energy dog that that is highly suspicious of strangers. It requires an hour of vigorous exercise daily, at a minimum. Like many herding and livestock guarding dogs, it is happiest when given a job to do. It does well in cold weather conditions and has a great deal of stamina. It should be monitored in hot weather for signs of heatstroke. This breed is exceptionally powerful for its size. With proper training it is a family-oriented, affectionate breed, but early and consistent obedience training is a must for this strong-minded dog. This breed is highly intelligent and will learn quickly, but can become bored with repetitive training. Varying training sessions by changing locations, tasks and tools regularly is likely to have success. The Appenzeller is naturally very clean. Its coat requires minimal care; this breed is a medium shedder, and can shed heavily seasonally. Regular brushing with a stiff-bristled brush a few times a week will keep any shedding to minimum. It will also keep the coat clean and conditioned and the skin healthy. Small foundation stock numbers through the decades have maintained a small gene pool, resulting in very few inherited disorders in the Appenzeller Sennenhund. Chief amongst these is hip dysplasia. Thyroid disease is also known to present in the breed. The Appenzeller can be prone to bloat (GDV) which is a sudden, life-threatening emergency. Owners of this breed should be familiar with the early signs of bloat and should discourage the dog from hard exercise immediately after eating. The Appenzeller Sennenhund should be socialized often and early to many people and to other dogs. Like many livestock guardian dogs, this breed can be dominant with other dogs and very intolerant of the presence of a strange canine. An owner who is well in control and a strong leader, can step in to prevent this behavior escalating. The Appenzeller is extremely loyal and eager to bond with its human pack, and aloof to others. It is generally good with the children in the family, and will take it upon itself to protect them. As with any large dog, this breed should always be supervised when interacting with youngsters.The owner of the Appenzeller will enjoy obedience trials, search and rescue, and Schutzhund competition at which this breed excels.

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