Are Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs easy to train?

Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have high trainability. They are known for being faithful, dependable, good-natured. They respond well to positive reinforcement training.

Are Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs good with children?

Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have high compatibility with children. As with any breed, supervision and proper introductions are recommended.

How much exercise does a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog need?

Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have moderate energy levels. 1 hour daily. Moderate exercise needs. Enjoys cart pulling and hiking.

How long do Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs live?

The average lifespan of a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is 8-11 years with proper care, nutrition, and regular veterinary check-ups.

Working group · Switzerland

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Also called Swissy, GSMD, Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund.

What makes them remarkable

Before farm machinery, this Swiss working dog supplied pulling power for loaded carts.

Faithful
Dependable
Good-natured
Alert
Bold

Get the app 1-to-1 training

AI-generated illustration

Size: Giant
Weight: 39 to 64 kg85 to 140 lb
Lives: 8 to 11 years
Energy: Moderate
Trains: High
Barks: Low

Training

Training a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Working breeds. Calm structure beats force every time. These dogs shut down under pressure and thrive on predictability.

Surprisingly Trainable
Start here
More eager to please than many Swiss breeds. Reward the right choices and they come quickly.
Slow to Mature
Mentally and physically slow to mature. May act like a puppy until 2-3 years old despite large size.
Draft Dog Heritage
Love pulling activities. Cart work, weight pulling, and hiking with a pack are excellent outlets.

The app turns this into five to fifteen minutes a day.

Add your Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and it builds the plan around their age, where they came from and what they already know, one step at a time.

Download on theApp Store

Free to start. iPhone. No card needed.

At home

Living with one

Bred to guard, pull and rescue. Big, strong, and serious about their people and their patch.

Gets on with

ChildrenHigh
Other dogsHigh
StrangersModerate
CatsModerate

Breed averages. Early socialisation and the individual dog matter more.

Exercise: 1 hour daily. Moderate exercise needs. Enjoys cart pulling and hiking.
Grooming: Moderate. Weekly brushing. Heavier shedding seasonally.
Drool: Moderate
Coat: Double coat, Dense, Short to MediumTricolour (Black, Red, White)
In a flat: Needs more space than a flat gives.

Health

Things to ask a breeder or vet about

Hip Dysplasia
Moderate
Common in large breeds; screening essential
Bloat (GDV)
Severe
Deep-chested breed at high risk; preventive gastropexy recommended
Splenic Torsion
Severe
Twisting of the spleen; unusually common in this breed

Where they come from

History

Oldest and largest of the four Swiss Sennenhund breeds. Used for centuries as draft dogs pulling carts, as drover dogs moving cattle to market, and as farm guardians in the Swiss Alps.