A Brief History of the Great Swiss Mountain Dog

BRIEF HISTORY
 
The Swissy is considered both “new” and “old”.  I

t was not recognised until 1909 in Switzerland and did not acquire full recognition into the Working Group by the American Kennel Club until 1995, and it is considered Switzerland’s oldest breed, dating back more than 2000 years to when the Romans entered this region. The Swissy had a significant influence in the development of the Rottweiler in Germany.  In the US they have weight pulling competitions for Swissies as they were farming dogs and draught dogs.
 
In 1909, by accident, a pure specimen was exhibited at a show in Langental.  The Judge, Dr. Albert Heim of Zurich, was delighted with him and called him ` an example of the almost extent Grosse Schweizer Sennenhund’, and urged breeders to save the few remaining specimens.  The dogs were then entered in the Berner category and Dr. Heim is further quoted as saying, “This dog belongs in a different category, he is too gorgeous and thoroughbred to push him aside as a poor example of a Berner”.  So the the breed was recognised for definite by the SKG and entered as “Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund” in volume 12 (1909) of the Swiss Stud Book.  In Berne, further exemples were found which measured up to Heim’s description and were introduced systematically into pure breeding stock.  In january 1912 the club for “Grosser Schweizer Sennenhunde” was founded, which from then on took over the care and promotion of this breed.  For a long period the breed remained small as it was particularly difficult to find suitable bitches.  Only since 1933 could more than 50 dogs annually be entered into the SHSB (Swiss Stud Book).
 
 
PRESENT DAY 2008
 
 
The biggest population of the GSMD is in the US, then Germany, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands and some smaller European countries.  Here in the UK their popularity is growing and we now have, as of 1st October 2008, KC Breed Recognition & Registrations & on Import Register.