Entlebucher sennenhund

History of the Entlebucher Mountain Dog breed

The breed received its difficult-to-pronounce name in honor of the Entlebuch Valley, located on the territory of the Swiss cantons of Bern and Lucerne. At first, small herding dogs were classified as Appenzeller Mountain Dogs, who had the same working qualifications and identical coat color. And it was only in 1913 that the breeds were delimited, bringing the Entlebuchers into the stud books as an independent variety of Swiss mountain dogs.

With the beginning of the First World War, the work on "pumping" the exterior and working qualities of animals came to naught. And when, a few years later, breeders became interested in entlebuchers again, it turned out that only a few of the purebred "specimens" survived the war. Dr. B. Kobler was most actively engaged in restoring the livestock of small mountain dogs. For the sake of a purebred pair of breeders, an enthusiastic breeder traveled all over Switzerland, eventually settling on a bitch named Babeli, which gave rise to the modern branch of Entley.

In 1926, the first breed club was opened. A year later, its representatives were standardized, having received the official right to breed and participate in exhibition events. The development of the entlebucher genus of mountain dogs was rather slow, so the reference individuals in terms of appearance and temperament began to appear only from the second half of the XX century. One of such exemplary dogs was the dog Muche – interchampion, who in the 60s collected all the prizes at Swiss, German and international breed exhibitions.

Video: Entlebucher sennenhund

Entlebucher Mountain Dog Breed standard

Entlebucher is a compact smooth–haired cute guy who seems to have been slightly stretched in length. Color played an important role in creating a memorable image of the breed: saturated red-white spots combined with an elegant black "tailcoat" give the appearance of the animal a gentlemanly gloss and a slight aristocracy. In terms of size, Entl is not such a baby as they like to imagine him – all natives of the Entlebuch valley have an average height, a strong constitution and a weight in the range of 18-23 kg. Miniature dogs look only against the background of their brutal Swiss relatives – Appenzellers and Bernese mountain dogs .

Head

The entlebucher sennenhund has a harmoniously developed wedge-shaped head of a slightly dried type. The skull is flat, wide in the area between the ears and narrowed in the area of the muzzle. Occipital protuberances and feet are barely marked. Entley's muzzles are massive, but not pointed in the lobe area.

Bite and teeth

The reference type of bite fixed by the standard is full scissors. At the same time, a pincer-like bow is allowed, although it is not very desirable. Also, the exhibition score is not reduced for the absence of 1-2 first premolars or third molars.

Nose

The lobe is painted in a uniform black color and slightly protrudes forward, hanging over the upper lip.

Eyes

Entl has small eyes of a regular rounded shape, covered with completely black eyelids. The color of the iris can vary from light brown to dark brown. The dog's gaze is attentive-inquisitive, friendly.

Ears

The ears are small, but well removed from each other and set high. The cartilage of the base is strong, massive. The ear blade is triangular in shape with a neatly rounded tip, hanging down. If the dog is worried about something, the base of the ear is raised, and his canvas unfolds forward. In a calm animal, the ears are tightly pressed to the head.

Neck

The dryish, but developed neck of the entlebucher mountain dog has an average length and smoothly passes into the trunk without forming protrusions.

Housing

The body is strong, moderately elongated, with a deep chest, lowered to the elbows, and a matched bottom line. The dog's back is smooth and wide, the loin is flexible, but not shortened. The croup is distinguished by sloping outlines and sufficient length.

Limbs

The legs of the entlebucher sennenhunds should combine power and flexibility, but at the same time not seem weighted. Mandatory requirements for the forelimbs: long sloping shoulder blades with good muscles, elbows tightly fitting to the body, pasterns with slight angles (when viewed from the side). The hips of the entlebuchers are wide, voluminous and quite long. The hock joints are low and have good articulation angles; the metatarsals are short, strong, even. The paws of a dog look quite interesting. Rounded, with arched, tightly assembled fingers and firm pads, they give the impression of calm solidity and strength.

Tail

All "Swiss" are born with both normal tails and their shortened variety, and both variants are approved by the breed standard.

Wool

The entlebucher of the mountain Hounds has a thick warm undercoat hidden under a layer of short, tightly fitting cover hair. In healthy individuals, the coat looks glossy and smooth, but a slight wave of the hair around the withers is acceptable.

Color

The breed has a classic tricolor color with a predominant proportion of black pigment and reddish-brown, as well as white spots. Reddish markings are located above the eyes, on the muzzle, cheeks and throat, on both sides of the chest and on all four legs. Moreover, on the limbs, brown spots should occupy an intermediate position between the areas with white and black fur.

Permitted types of white marks in entlebucher mountain dogs

• A solid narrow line running from the head along the middle line of the nose and partially or completely covering the muzzle.
• Small white marks on all paws.
• A white stripe starting under the chin and ending at chest level.
• Painted with a white tip of the tail (unless it is a shortened version of it).
• A small mark on the back of the head (the most undesirable, but nevertheless acceptable option).

Disqualifying vices

Not all representatives of the breed are born with impeccable appearance. Sometimes animals have a number of disadvantages that do not affect the quality of life, but prevent them from getting a champion title at exhibitions. A more serious variant of exterior defects is malformations. Individuals having them cannot be considered pedigreed and are not exhibited in the rings. Among entlebuchers, for example, such disqualifying vices are considered:

• any colors other than tricolor;
• ring-shaped tail design;
• pronounced curvature, overshot or undershot;
• wrapped or turned out eyelids;
• long and too soft wool;
• yellow or bluish color of the iris;
• any dominant color type other than black;
• height above 52 cm and below 44 cm in males, above 50 cm and below 42 cm in females;
• unjustified cowardice and aggression.

Photo by entlebucher sennenhund

Character of the entlebucher sennenhund

Despite the fact that formally the entlebucher mountain dogs have "tied up" with pastoral and watchdog activities, the working instincts of the breed have not disappeared anywhere and often remind themselves of themselves. A vivid example of this is the dog's attitude towards strangers and the territory in which it lives. A real entl will not let a suspicious creature, be it a person or an animal, into his possession, and certainly will not start wagging his tail in front of a stranger when he persistently seduces with a treat. By the way, representatives of the family bark loudly and bassily, which does not fit in with their compact size.

A distinctive feature of a healthy thoroughbred entlebucher mountain dog is the desire for an active, eventful life, therefore, bringing a tricolor "Swiss" into the house, get used to the fact that you will have to play with the ward often and a lot. It is also not necessary to be overly cautious and afraid of the "hurricane" behavior of the pet. Etlebuchers are not prone to destructive behavior, and an upside–down house is not a story about them. Of course, there are exceptions to the general rule, but most often the destructive actions of an animal are associated with a lack of upbringing or an incorrect relationship between the owner and the dog.

Entlebucher sennenhund is a sociable and contact dog, but only within the family in which he lives. With the household, the pet comes off in full, participating in any "movement" with the participation of familiar faces. For this reason, dog handlers recommend carefully dosing the communication of a four-legged varmint with kids who are at least 6-7 years old. The average entlebucher does not catch the difference between an adult and a child and sometimes sins with overly emotional jumping and "educational" biting on the legs – habits that have been preserved since time immemorial, when his ancestors herded sheep.

He doesn't have a special desire to be friends with other animals, but if a live dog "party" is planned, he will be happy to participate in it. The breed also does not like to let down rudeness, so if some wolfhound barked at your ward, a response to aggression will follow immediately. "Girls" are especially intolerant of provocations, they are many times more dedicated to protecting the owner and his family members in the event of a direct external threat.

Peaceful neighborhood of the Etlebucher mountain dog with other dogs and pets is possible provided that all representatives of the fauna share living space from early childhood. For example, the clockwork natives of the Lucerne valleys are not averse to running for company with hounds. So if you keep representatives of other breeds at home, do not isolate them from the entl – let them learn to be friends and get used to each other.

Education and training

On the one hand, the entlebucher sennenhund is smart and savvy, and on the other hand, he is not always ready to demonstrate his outstanding abilities to others. At first, you will have to understand and accept outbursts of disobedience and stubbornness. As with the rest of the breeds, you need to start with socialization. As soon as the puppy has received mandatory vaccinations and permission from the veterinarian to go outside, accustom him to unfamiliar sounds and phenomena. The flow of people, the noise of public transport, other dogs – all these are new impressions for the baby, which over time should become commonplace and an external background.

The second stage, which often goes simultaneously with socialization, is education. Teach your pet not to be on duty with his mouth open at the table when the family is having lunch, establish a system of prohibitions and restrictions in games (do not bite, do not tear objects with your teeth), and try to keep up with the norms of household etiquette before the puppy turns six months old. Starting from the age of 4 months, teenagers enter the "disobedience phase", which lasts up to a year, so during this period the animal obeys worse and absorbs new information.

An important nuance is the behavior on the street. If you notice that the entlebucher barks at approaching strangers on walks, you do not need to shout, pull the dog by the collar or calm passers–by - this is how the pet implements the protective instinct. However, it is necessary to resolve the situation in order to avoid conflicts with people. As soon as the four-legged "security" takes a defensive position, quickly move away from the passerby in whom the pet sees a threat. The dog will quickly realize that the owner does not need protection, and will rush after you.

Dog handlers recommend influencing the entlebucher of mountain dogs with positive reinforcement (affection, portions of treats), but at the same time extinguish all attempts at leadership. Yes, entl is an excellent shepherd and watchman, but a person should remain the owner and alpha in the house. The commands "To me!", "Place!", "Sit!" are introduced gradually from the age of three months of the puppy. Some difficulties may arise with the command "Fu!", during which it is forbidden to stimulate the entl with a treat. However, with a certain persistence, it is not so difficult to cultivate a negative attitude towards picking up food from the ground in an animal.

If time and finances allow, try to walk with an entlebucher to group, and preferably to individual lessons with an instructor. At such lessons, dogs learn faster and more willingly, and the owner will be able to adopt several educational techniques from the pros in order to use them in the future. Remember: the breed masters almost any courses, starting with the traditional OKD and ending with circus programs, if it has an experienced, understanding dog psychology mentor – owner or a professional dog handler.

Maintenance and care

Entlebucher is able to live with the same comfort both in a village house and in a city apartment, if the owner walks him fully and gives him the opportunity to throw out energy in work and sports. Indoors, the dog should have its own couch, and although some individuals are more willing to lie on the floor than on soft beds, it is necessary to accustom them to rest on a mattress. Otherwise, get ready to deal with calluses arising from constant skin contact with a hard surface. If you plan to travel with entl by car, you should think about buying a waterproof car backpack that helps minimize damage to the cabin if the dog suddenly wants to lick the doors or sharpen its claws on the seat.

It is advisable to take the pet outside at least three times a day – in the morning and in the evening for a full long walk, and in the afternoon for 10-15 minutes to make an afternoon toilet. In hot weather, entlebucher mountain dogs quickly overheat and get tired, so in summer it is better to walk the dog "on the dew" or late in the evening. If you notice that after the promenades the animal still suffers from the heat, it is useful to wipe his stomach and paws with a damp towel.

When the water in rivers and lakes has warmed up enough, a four–legged friend can be allowed to swim - the breed likes such procedures and is not averse to cooling off on a hot day. After swimming, be sure to check if moisture has got into the dog's ears, and at home, wash the pet's fur under running water to prevent microorganisms from entering it from standing reservoirs.

Puppies of the entlebucher mountain dog like to play with objects, so they try to pick up sticks and branches on the street, sometimes "privatizing" the toys of other people's dogs. To prevent the latter from happening, buy the ward his personal balls and squeakers and take them for a walk. Walking with puppies and immature teenagers is recommended before they show the first signs of fatigue. Remembering the energy of the breed, many owners try to exhaust the animal as much as possible during walking, which is fundamentally wrong. The dog should not fall off his feet from fatigue every time he returns home. This is harmful both for her psyche and for her health.

Hygiene

Like all shorthair breeds, Entlebucher Mountain Dogs do not need expensive professional grooming. It is enough to walk over the dog's body with a rubber mitten once a week to collect dead hairs and dust that has become magnetized to them. The exception is the period when the puppy's fur and undercoat change to "adult" wool. At this time, the breed sheds intensively and requires daily combing, so many owners connect a furminator to the case, which helps to effectively "pull out" the cotton layer of the dead undercoat.

It is better to wash the wool of the entlebucher mountain dog with shampoos and conditioners every 4-6 months, and it is more expedient to use products without "thermonuclear" fragrances, since the breed's hair does not exude a strong canine smell. But it is not forbidden to use disinfecting soap solutions for washing paws after walking ("Slipper", "Let's go for a walk!"). 2-3 times a week, the entlebucher will have to endure brushing his teeth, which will require a dog paste and a special toothbrush or a rubber nozzle on his finger.

During walks and training, the claws on the paws of the animal are slightly worn off, but not enough, so once a month the pet needs to do a "pedicure" with a side or guillotine claw cutter. Entley's ears and eyes also need regular checking. The ears can be cleaned with a cotton pad moistened with veterinary lotion or chlorhexidine, and the eyes can be wiped with a clean cloth moistened with chamomile decoction.

Feeding

There is no consensus on what type of food is suitable specifically for entlebucher mountain dogs, so some breeders feed their wards with natural products, and some with super-premium dry food. As for the latter option, it will have to be selected individually – the "drying" that came up to one dog can be poorly absorbed by the body of another, and you will have to put up with the need for gastronomic "experiments" on a four-legged friend.

When making up a natural menu for the entl, it is important to remember about the predatory predilections of the dog, diverting the diet to meat and offal and porridge, vegetable salads and other additives. In addition, you will have to constantly adjust the "table", introducing dietary supplements of natural origin for optimal balance, as well as purchased vitamin and mineral complexes. It is more useful to give any lean meat to entlebuchers raw. However, in order to avoid infection of the animal with parasites, it is better to pre-freeze the product. The same should be done with respect to fillets of sea fish, which the breed can eat no more than twice a week.

Vegetables and greens (pumpkin, carrot, squash, young nettle, spinach) are allowed to be eaten raw, and so that the dog does not have the opportunity to get away from a vegan supplement, it is more expedient to puree root vegetables and mix them with a meat dish. Fermented dairy products in the life of the entlebucher sennenhund should also be present if their fat content does not exceed 5%. Anything above this figure is an extra load on the liver.

Quail eggs, linseed oil, kelp, oat flakes serve as sources of microelements and vitamins necessary for children. However, due to the high concentration of biologically active substances, the pet should receive them in very small quantities and not daily. Sometimes it is not forbidden to treat a dog with a bone (preferably breast and beef), but an even more useful option at the stage of skeleton formation is veterinary complexes with collagen and calcium.

Health and diseases of entlebucher sennenhunds

The average entlebucher's life expectancy is 11-16 years. From a genetic point of view, the breed is considered healthy, since the list of hereditary diseases detected in its representatives is relatively small. So, for example, the most common problem of entlebucher mountain dogs is eye ailments like cataracts, retinal atrophy and goniodysplasia.

Before binding, it is advisable to examine animals for genetic dysplasia of the hip and elbow joints, which subsequently passes from producers to offspring. The danger of this pathology lies in the fact that it is almost impossible to diagnose it at an early age – the first symptoms of dysplasia make themselves felt no earlier than the dog turns a year and a half.

It is very rare, but nevertheless, ureter ectopia occurs in entlebuchers, a disease accompanied by chronic urinary tract infections and incontinence, leading to death in the absence of timely treatment. Female individuals are more susceptible to ectopia, although males from the risk group are also not excluded. By the way, testing of breeding individuals for the presence of this pathology is a mandatory item in most European countries.

How to choose a puppy

• Before you get acquainted with puppies, specify how many times their mother brought offspring. Responsible breeders do not knit breeding bitches annually, so the fewer litters the producer had, the better.
• Find out what the seller feeds the puppies of the entlebucher sennenhund. If you are shown a cheap "drying" from the supermarket, it is pointless to expect to buy a healthy dog in such a place.
• When examining an individual you like, check with the breed standard. Yellow-eyed babies with soft fur can also be cute, but such dogs are not allowed to breed and participate in exhibitions.
• Despite the fact that the breeding commissions recognize entleys with both shortened from birth and long tails, it is better to choose representatives of the second category, since in recent years they have been considered the more "correct" line.
• Choose a breeder who does not save on medical tests and is ready to present the results of the examination of producers for hereditary diseases at the first request of the buyer.
• Never book puppies by photo. To understand how the animal meets the breed standard, you can only get to know him live. The ideal option is to look at and evaluate the uniformity of the exterior of the entire litter.

Photos of puppies entlebucher sennenhunda

Price of entlebucher sennenhunda

The most reliable and at the same time financially costly way is to purchase an entlebucher sennenhund puppy in European kennels, where there is a better breeding base and they work longer with the breed itself. If the distance has become the main obstacle on the way to purchase, you can try your luck with breeders in Russia and Belarus. Puppies from the CIS expanses will cost from $450 to $600, depending on the title of the producers and the quality of the exterior of the animals themselves.