Entlebucher Mountain Dog

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is one of four Swiss mountain dog breeds developed to work livestock and guard farmsteads. The smallest of these four breeds, it was traditionally used to herd cattle from pasture to pasture in mountain terrain; its intelligence and strength suited it to manage other large livestock such as horses and hogs as well. It is a lively, active dog that is now valued chiefly as a pet and companion, and as a watchdog. It is considered a rare breed the world over, including within its native country. It is sometimes called the Entelbucher Cattle Dog. The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a medium-sized, compact, sturdy dog. It is strongly muscled and ample of bone. It is well-balanced and slightly long. The Entlebucher stands an average 19 to 20 inches tall at the shoulder, and weighs 45 to 65 pounds. 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 may be docked, naturally bob, or naturally long. When naturally long it is held straight, never curled up. The Entlebucher Mountain Dog has a thick, smooth double coat. The topcoat is harsh 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 Entlebucher was developed in Entlebuch, a valley in the district of the Cantons Lucerne and Berne. The first documentation of the breed as distinct is in 1889, but for many years after it was rarely distinguished from the other larger, cattle-droving Swiss mountain dog, the Appenzeller. 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. In 1913 he exhibited four naturally bobtail Entlebucher Mountain Dogs at a show in Langenthal, Switzerland, and in the years after Professor Heim and a few more devotees worked to promote both the Entlebucher and the Appelzeller as separate pure breeds. In 1926, the Swiss Club of Entlebucher Cattle Dogs was formed. The first standard was completed in 1927 and the Entlebucher was added to the stud book as a breed distinct from all others. The Entlebucher was added to the Foundation Stock Service of the American Kennel Club in 2000. 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 Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a very high energy dog that is not suited for apartment life, or for the quiet, inactive family. It requires an hour of vigorous exercise daily, at a minimum. Like many herding dogs, it is happiest when given a job to do - whether that be retrieving the ball, accompanying the farmer for chores, putting the toys in the box, or herding the sheep. This breed is exceptionally powerful for its size. It can easily knock down a child, or for that matter an adult. It is also a friendly, 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 Entlebucher 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 some inherited disorders in the Entlebucher Mountain Dog. Chief amongst these is hip dysplasia. Hemolytic anemia, a blood disorder, is also known to present in the breed. Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), which causes blindness, is also seen occasionally. All of these issues can be avoided with careful, selective breeding. Currently, the National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Association (NEMDA), in conjunction with other organizations, is sponsoring research to study the genes responsible in the Entlebucher, is promoting education for breeders, and is ultimately working to eliminate these disorders in the breed altogether. The Entlebucher should be socialized often and early to many people and to other dogs. Like many herding dogs, this breed can be dominant with other dogs and bossy. An owner who is well in control and a strong leader, can step in to prevent this behavior escalating. The Entlebucher is extremely loyal and eager to bond with its human pack. It is good with the children in the family, and may make it its job to protect them. This breed is however, naturally wary of strangers.The multi-talented Entlebucher excels at herding trials, obedience and agility competitions, Frisbee, and search and rescue.

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