If you want a wonderful dog, a great friend and a lovely family protector, the Entlebucher Sennenhund is what you need. It can be one of the most loyal, lively and protective dogs you could ever imagine, and choosing it as a pet would be the best choice for you.
Also called the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, this breed is one of four regional dog types of the Sennenhunds, and it is specific to the Swiss Alps. The breed gets its name from the word Senn, meaning herders in this region of the Alps. Other names for this dog are Entelbucher Cattle Dog, Entelbuch Mountain Dog or simply Entlebucher, which all come from the name of a municipality in Switzerland.
As far as appearance is concerned, the Entelbucher is a beautiful medium-sized dog. The male and female may have the same height, which is no more than 52 cm and may reach up to 30 kg as the maximum weight. This dog has a very well proportioned muscular body. The triangular ears, small eyes and a long jaw will make the perfect portrait of an agile dog with a very intelligent look. The smooth coat is thick and hard. An accepted member of the breed will always be tricolor with tan, black and white markings.
The Entlebucher Sennenhund is a dog that loves people very much, so it will always look for human company and have a friendly behavior. It is always eager to please and will stay devoted to its adoptive family, even though it tends to be quite suspicious towards strangers. However, it is absolutely necessary that this breed is socialized in early life both with humans and other animals.
In the past, this dog was used to drive cattle or as a watchdog, but nowadays it is more and more often chosen to be a companion or a pet. Due to the fact that it is a very active dog, it would not be suitable for living in an apartment. It needs regular exercise and suitable training, as well as a firm but calm owner. Daily walks and jogs would be an excellent way of spending some time with your companion. With a proper training, this dog can also excel at competitive canine sports and activities.
Studies say that the life expectancy of the Entlebucher may be up to 11 or even 15 years, which is more than the average dog life. There are several health issues that may occur however not very often due to inbreeding. Some dogs can suffer from congenital defects such as hemolytic anemia, hip dysplasia or Progressive Retinal Atrophy. One of the best aspects about this dog is that it does not require a lot to properly take care of it. It is easy to groom and you need not worry about too much hair, as it is an average shedder.
With its fun personality and high energy levels, the Entlebucher Sennenhund is the perfect dog for an active family.
