His ancestors drove the cattle to the alpine pastures and guarded them there. Even today,dog breeds story the Appenzell mountain dog is an excellent guardian who prefers to have his family very close together. Long walks and dog sports are just as popular with him as relaxed petting in front of the sofa.
A hard-working dog from the Alps
The Appenzell Mountain Dog is descended from the Swiss Mountain Dogs. The robust farm dogs had been widespread in the mountains and valleys of Switzerland since the Middle Ages: they guarded the farm and rounded up the cattle. The Appenzell mountain dog was first officially mentioned in 1853 in the work “Das Tierleben der Alpenwelt”. It was recognized as an independent dog breed in 1896. In Germany, the dog, also known as Appezöller Bläss, was introduced with the founding of the Swiss Mountain Dog Association in 1923 – but it is still not really known today. With only about 100 puppies a year, it is one of the rare dog breeds. For comparison: In 2018, more than 10,000 shepherd puppies were born in Germany.
Character
The fearless Appenzell mountain dog is a real guardian. Vigilance and protective instinct are in his genes. Their relationship with his family and his caregivers is characterized by a close bond and absolute loyalty. For children, he is a cheerful and lively playmate. But when strangers approach his territory, the courageous four-legged friend reacts suspiciously and lets his bright bark sound loud. When it comes down to it, the family dog defends its replacement pack with passion and strength. This dog is willing to learn, intelligent, and very obedient with a good education.
Education and keeping of the Appenzell mountain dog
The Appenzell Mountain Dog is not a dog for the city: Ideally, it lives on a large property that it guards and on which it can move freely. If he is not used as a herding dog, he needs long walks and extended playing times to burn off energy. A good way to challenge this bundle of energy is dog sports such as agility or canicross. Because of their obedience, good-naturedness, and intelligence, the four-legged friends are also trained as protection dogs, avalanche dogs, and guide dogs. However, the Appenzell mountain dog needs a consistent education: In addition to attending a dog school, early socialization with other people and dogs is an advantage for living together with this breed.
Special features of the Appenzell Mountain Dog
The breed standards, which were set rather arbitrarily in 1913, prescribe a tricolor of the dogs in the shades of brown, white, and black. In order to obtain exactly this originally non-existent color combination,grooming your german shepherd breeders operated for decades targeted inbreeding. This led to hereditary diseases such as joint problems and cataracts as well as to a reduction in life expectancy, which today is only about eight years in dogs from dubious breeds. Healthy dogs can reach the age of twelve.
When looking for an Appenzell mountain dog, it is therefore particularly important to contact a responsible breeder who focuses on the health and not the appearance of the dogs. Addresses of reliable breeders can be obtained from the VDH (Verband für das Deutschen Hundewesen).
