APPENZELLER MOUNTAIN DOG

Apartment Living

Good for 1st Time Owners

Tolerance Levels

Affection for Family

Kid Friendliness

Stranger Friendliness

Ease of Grooming

General Health

Trainability

Prey Drive

Exercise Needs

Energy Level

History

The origin of the Appenzeller Mountain dog is unknown. People believe that it dates way back to the Bronze Age as a native breed. Others say that it is a descendant of the Molossus and the Romans brought these dogs to Switzerland. They were used to pull carts and herding in the farms and valleys. They are among the four recognized Swiss Sennenhunds, also the rarest. In 1895, Max Siber directed the Schweizerische Kynologische Gesellschaft (SKG) to encourage the breeding of this dog. In 1898, this mountain dog was first shown at an international dog show and the breeding of this purebred began.

Interesting Facts

In 1853, these dogs were referred in the book “Tierleben der Alpenwelt”
Because of the white blaze on its forehead, it is nicknamed “Blass”

Temperament & Personality

Appenzeller Mountain Dog is very friendly with its family and gets along well with other dogs and household animals if they are raised with them since puppyhood. Proper training is required to make them understand their role in the family or else they can get challenging. They are easy to train, can perform specific tasks and love being outdoors. The adult dogs can be trained to socialize if they are not rightly guided as puppies. Moreover, without enough exercise, they tend to get destructive.

Care

Exercise

The dog is at its best when on a farm because it doesn’t acclimatize in an urban or suburban environment. It prefers staying outdoors and the herding nature stops it from running away. If it's not used as a farming dog, then it must be taken for long walks or jogs daily. More importantly, provide leadership to the dog and it will be happy.

Exercise

Health Problems

Apart from ear infections, eye complications and bloating, there are no concerning issues with this relatively healthy breed of dog.

Training

The pure breed is very intelligent so use positive techniques while training. They are workaholics and independent which requires a firm and consistent leadership. Teaching it basic commands is vital so that it does not misbehave. As the dog is wary of strangers, socialize them as early as possible. With the right training, it becomes confident and happier.

Feeding

These Sennenhundes eat around 2.5-3.5 of high-quality dry dog food per day divided into two meals. The diet depends mainly on the size, age and metabolism. It should also have access to fresh water for staying hydrated throughout the day.