Entlebucher Mountain Dog

Breed Profile

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is the smallest of the Swiss mountain dogs. Originally used as a watchdog to Roman nobility, the Entlebucher became known as the “dog of the Alpine herdsman” in Switzerland and was used as a cattle herding dog.

He is quiet, easygoing, friendly, and enjoys the company of people and other dogs. He is exceptionally gentle around children, loyal, and extremely devoted to his family. He is a good watchdog, being suspicious of strangers, territorial and protective but not aggressive. He is exceptionally clean and requires little grooming. Overall, he makes a wonderful companion.

Being a herding dog, the Entlebucher is an active and high-energy breed and requires daily physical activity. He enjoys having a job to do and is well suited to participate in such activities as herding, agility, obedience, disc dog, and tracking to name a few.

The Entle’s coat is dense and short and comes in tri-colour like all the Swiss mountain dogs. Primarily glossy black with a white blaze from the muzzle to the top of the head, white on all four feet as well as on the tip of the tail and a white cross on the chest. There is also a rust colour that lays between the black and white.
 

Health Issues

The Entlebucher is a strong and healthy breed, however, like all breeds of dogs, incidences of genetic disorders do exist. Hip Dysplasia as well as eye diseases, including Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and Cataracts have been seen in the breed. According to the NEMDA, due to the small gene pool, it is believed that at this time there are no lines which are clear of eye problems both in North America and in Europe.

If you are considering the adoption of a Entlebucher Mountain Dog puppy, or any breed, it is very important to be selective in choosing a responsible and reputable breeder. Ensure that the prospective puppy’s parents have all health clearances. For the Entle, breeding stock should be x-rayed and certified clear of hip dysplasia prior to breeding. Eyes should also be certified annually by CERF to be free of inherited eye disease. (For more information on selecting a breeder, see the articles on the General Information page.)

Additional Health Resources:

• Health and Nutrition — Growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website which includes information on several health and nutrition related issues.
• Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) — Providing a source of health information for owners, breeders, and scientists that will assist in breeding healthy dogs. CHIC is a centralized canine health database jointly sponsored by the AKC/Canine Health Foundation (AKC/CHF) and the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
• AKC Canine Health Foundation — Working towards developing scientific advances in canine health.
• OFA – Companion Animal Eye Registry (CAER)
• Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA)
• Ontario Veterinary College (OVC)
• University of Pennsylvania Hip Improvement Program (PennHip)
• HealthGene — HealthGene Corporation is the leading provider of veterinary DNA diagnostic services in Canada.
• Labgenvet — Laboratory of Veterinary Genetics is a Canadian diagnostic laboratory that offers a comprehensive service of DNA tests for veterinary genetic diseases.

Breed Standards

• CKC Breed Standard
• AKC Breed Standard
• NEMDA Entlebucher Sennenhund Breed Standard
• UKC Breed Standard – Entlebucher
• The Kennel Club (U.K.) Breed Standard
• FCI Breed Standard No. 47

Grooming Information

• Grooming — This section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website includes tips, articles and information covering all aspects of dog grooming along with a listing of Groomers from across Canada.

Training Resources

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is intelligent, strong-willed and an independent thinker. These characteristics may be somewhat of a challenge to first time dog owners. It is strongly recommended that socialization and puppy training start as early as possible.

• Training — For training information, see this growing section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website for tips, articles, as well as listings of training centres across Canada.

Additional Information

• Clubs, Sports & Activities — For information on the many sports and activities you can get involved in with your dog.
• Working Dogs — The Working Dogs section of the Canada’s Guide to Dogs website provides information and listings of organizations that are involved in various dog jobs, such as Guide Dogs, Therapy Dogs, Police Dogs, Protection Dogs, and much more.

*NOTE 1: CHIC – The Canine Health Information Center “is a database of consolidated health screening results from multiple sources. Co-sponsored by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) and the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Health Foundation, CHIC works with parent clubs to identify health screening protocols appropriate for individual breeds. Dogs tested in accordance with the parent club established requirements, that have their results registered and made available in the public domain are issued CHIC numbers.” To learn more, visit: www.caninehealthinfo.org

*NOTE 2: The Fédération Cynologique International (FCI) is the World Canine Organization, which includes 91 members and contract partners (one member per country) that each issue their own pedigrees and train their own judges. The FCI recognizes 344 breeds, with each being the “property” of a specific country. The “owner” countries write the standards of these breeds in co-operation with the Standards and Scientific Commissions of the FCI, and the translation and updating are carried out by the FCI. The FCI is not a breed registry nor does it issue pedigrees.