Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a happy, jovial breed who loves people and craves attention and physical contact. They can be the ideal family pet for some, but are not the breed for everyone. The Swissy has a strong personality and needs a master with strong leadership skills. The Swissy is happiest when he can be submissive to a master he trusts. In the absence of such a master, behavioral issues will arise. The Swissy needs a job to do. Obedience training is important with this breed. It can be difficult to get a Swissy to walk on a leash because they are bred to pull. Swissies are also slow to housetrain. Yet the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is intelligent. A trained Swissy enjoys walking, hiking, backpacking, weight pulling, swimming, and carting. Their activity level varies. Most are active for short periods of time followed by napping. They need a moderate amount of exercise. A daily walk or short jog should do the trick, but care needs to be taken with this dog because he is prone to heatstroke. The Swissy makes an excellent watchdog. He looks intimidating, and he is naturally protective, alert, and aware. Swissies tend to notice everything in their surroundings and will sound the alarm if they sense anything is different. If faced with a threat, they will stand their ground, but should be reluctant to bite, doing so only if absolutely necessary. They are skilled communicators, with a deep, booming, intimidating bark, but they don't usually bark continually. These are incredibly social animals. They are kind, sensitive, and intuitive. They really want to be a member of your family. They love their people and are happiest when they are in the thick of things. This dog desires a strong bond with his master. They can be stubborn, but generally are eager to please, thriving on attention and praise. They are protective and fond of children. Swissies who grow up around children do especially well with them. They like to play and are known to be gentle with children. However, these are large, strong dogs, who can accidentally knock a toddler (or a grown-up) on his butt, so interactions should be supervised. Some Swissies have a herding instinct and may try to herd children or smaller animals. Many Swissies live peacefully with cats, but some chase small animals. Swissies usually enjoy the company of other dogs and love to play and roughhouse, but some exhibit dog aggression, particularly toward dogs of the same sex. Swissies can be boisterous at times and reserved at other times. They are adaptive to different lifestyles, but must know their place in the family hierarchy. A happy Swissy is robust, bold, friendly, faithful, willing, obedient, and funny. They can be silly and they can be serious. But they are always loyal and loving.http://www.justdogbreeds.com
