Plate 149 · Continental Europe
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
大瑞士山地犬
“The 'poor man's horse' of the Alps.”
- Origin
- Switzerland
- Swiss Alps
- Country of origin
- A dog of the Swiss Alps generally; the sources name no single canton, so the marker is Switzerland's reference point.
- The point is a reference position in the country of origin.
- Era
- Rediscovered in the early 1900s
- Today
- Companion · Working dog
Under editorial review — sources listed below.
History
01 · Origin
Swiss Alps
The largest and probably oldest of the four Swiss mountain dogs, a tricolour draft and drover dog.
02 · Historical role
What it was bred for
Pulling carts of meat and dairy, driving cattle and guarding farms.
03 · Breed development
How it changed
Probably from local dogs and large mastiff-type dogs. Thought nearly extinct by the late 19th century, it was brought to Albert Heim's attention in 1908 as a 'short-haired Bernese'; a breed club followed in 1912. Americans saw it at a show in Frankfurt in 1967.
04 · Today
Companion · Working dog
A family and companion dog, also kept as a guard dog.
Personality
- Faithful
- Family-oriented
- Dependable
- Calm
General breed tendencies, not guarantees — individual dogs vary with genetics, training and environment. Ratings: the AKC’s trait scores as its breed page gives them (the AKC’s 1–5 guidance for owners, not a measurement). Other profiles here use editorial ratings, a different source, so compare across them with care.
- Exercise
- Moderate: walks and hikes rather than running or cycling.
- Grooming
- 'Wash and wear', with heavy shedding twice a year.
- Training
- Food-motivated but stubborn; owners must be more determined than the dog.
Living with one
- Size
- Giant
- Lifespan
- 8–11 years
- Coat
- Short, dense double coat; tricolour black, rust and white
Field note
As a draft dog it was nicknamed 'the poor man's horse'.
Recognition & today
- AKC
- Working Group
- Also recognized by
- FCI (Group 2, standard 58)
- Popular in
- No reliable data
AKC: Working Group, recognized 1995.
AKC registrations: ranked 71 among breeds in 2025.
Sources3 references
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dog — breed information — American Kennel Club
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/greater-swiss-mountain-dog/
Registry · accessed 2026-10-14 · Registry status, group, size, life expectancy and registration rank; history as the AKC tells it. Ratings: the AKC's own 1–5 owner-guidance trait scores as the page gives them (energy level, trainability, barking level, openness to strangers, good with other dogs), not measurements.
- Greater Swiss Mountain Dog — Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Swiss_Mountain_Dog
Encyclopedia · accessed 2026-10-14 · Sennenhund origin, near loss and rediscovery, Albert Heim and Franz Schertenlieb (1908), breed club 1912, 'the poor man's horse'.
- Great Swiss Mountain Dog — FCI breed nomenclature — Fédération Cynologique Internationale
https://www.fci.be/en/nomenclature/GREAT-SWISS-MOUNTAIN-DOG-58.html
Kennel club · accessed 2026-10-14 · Country of origin Switzerland; Group 2, section "Swiss Mountain- and Cattledogs"; accepted 1954.
Text is written by World Breeds from the references above; it does not reproduce registry descriptions. Location note: A dog of the Swiss Alps generally; the sources name no single canton, so the marker is Switzerland's reference point.
