Entlebucher Mountain Dog
Entlebucher Cattle Dog, Entlebucher Sennenhund
The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is one of the four Sennenhunds, or Swiss Mountain Dogs, the other three being the Greater Swiss, Bernese, and Appenzeller. The word Senn is the term for Alpine herdsmen, so a Sennenhund is a 'dog of the Senn'. Traditionally the Entlebucher Mountain Dog was a cattle driver, as secondary tasks they were used to protect the livestock, as property guards and for general farm work.
Entlebucher Mountain Dog Standards
- AKC (Herding)
- FCI (Group 2)
- KC (Workings)
- UKC (Guardian)
- 19-20"
- 55-66 lbs
- medium-sized molosser
- triangular, hanging ears
- tail may be docked or left natural
- short, harsh, shiny coat
- tricolor (black, rust, white)
History of the Entlebucher Mountain Dog
It is believed that the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, like all Sennenhunds, is descended from large Molossers brought to Switzerland either by the Romans or Phoenician traders. This specific type originated in Entlebuch, a valley in the Cantons Lucerne and Bern, giving them the name of 'Entlebucher' or 'Entlibucherhund'. Serious breeding programs for the Swiss Mountain Dogs did not being until the late 1800s and they were not formerly separated into distinct breeds until 1908.
Related Breeds: