Entlebucher Mountain Dog

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is an AKC-registered breed that developed in Switzerland’s Entlebucher. They are herding dogs with a strong sense of loyalty and possessiveness for their loved ones. Entlebuchers have a medium but sturdy body with a sleek head, floppy, triangular ears, almond-shaped eyes and a long muzzle, almost pointed towards its dark nostrils. Their neck is strong, while the legs are short but well-muscled and the long tail hangs downwards.

Entlebucher Mountain Dog Pictures

History & Development

The Entlebucher is the smallest of the four Sennenhund breeds that are found in Switzerland (with the other three being the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the Appenzeller Sennenhund, and the Bernese Mountain Dog). All the Sennenhunds are believed to have originated from the cross between the Roman Mastiff and the local working dogs when the Roman invaders began to establish their rule in Europe. Most people have accepted that it is the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog that was the first of all the four breeds, while the other three developed from it.

The Entlebucher breed was developed for guarding and herding purposes in the Entlebuch region in the canton of Lucerne. They were primarily used by the herdsmen from the Alps to drive their cattle.

In 1889, the dog got recognition as an independent breed by the Swiss Kennel Club stud book, and within a short time (by early 20^th century) it began to gain attention and popularity.

However, with the outbreak of the World War I, the breed began to decline, and by the time the war terminated, the entire population was almost wiped out by around 1926.

In 1927, a breeder named Franz Schertenleib took a prompt initiative to revive the breed and gathered 16 specimens, to begin with, a fresh breeding program. Luckily, the result was a success, and Schertenleib could prevent the breed from getting completely extinct.

In 2011, the breed was officially recognized by the American Kennel Club. At present, it is mostly kept as a companion rather than a working dog.

Temperament and Behavior

Entlebucher dogs love the outdoors and prefer staying close to their people. They do not enjoy staying alone for long. Territorial instinct is quite typical of these dogs, which makes them wary of strangers. Such a trait makes them an excellent watchdog. This breed is good for kids and is quite protective of them which especially comes from their inborn herding instinct. Though the Entlebuchers bark loud, they do it mostly for a purpose.

Training

Entlebuchers are highly tolerant to pain, and hence, physical punishment is not recommended particularly for this breed. Penalizing them by any hurtful procedure will be ineffective, and instead, your dog might end up being distrusting and timid.

• Socializing your dog from time to time is important. Take your puppy out for a visit to nearby dog parks so that it can witness how other dogs interact with each other and other humans. Being in such an atmosphere would help your dog feel friendlier and tolerant towards other dogs and their human companions.
• If you notice that your pet Entlebucher is being unable to control itself around unknown people, and is developing wariness towards strangers, or even getting aggressive at times when your friends visit, you can consider helping your dog cool down with the temporary experience of a dog muzzle. Use it only when it shows signs of aggression. Gradually, your dog will learn to keep itself calm by itself.

Diet/Feeding

Feed them with 2½ to 3 cups of dry kibbles daily. Divide this portion into two meals.