The Entlebucher Mountain Dog, tricolor “Laughing Dog” of the Swiss Alps, is a rugged and determined mover of cattle. These spirited, energetic workers and athletes are independent problem solvers and are happiest with a job to perform.
The Entlebucher Mountain Dog (Shepherd Dog from Entlebuch, or Dog of the Alpine Herdsman) is a native of Switzerland, and the smallest of the four tri-colored Swiss Sennenhund breeds. Swiss farmers have historically used the Entlebucher to move cows from pasture to pasture in the Alps. Their keen intelligence, speed and agility also made them useful for the management of other large animals such as horses and hogs. The Entlebucher is a medium-sized, compact, strongly muscled, elongated drover with ample bone. He has a short, hard and shiny coat, bright black with symmetrical markings of pure white on blaze, muzzle, chest, and feet; shades of rich fawn to mahogany are present on the eyebrows and between the black and white markings. Prized for his agreeable nature, ease of training, and devotion to family, the Entlebucher possesses an excellent work ethic, and the ability to work alone or in harmony with his master. Given a job, he transforms from a lively, high-spirited playmate, to a serious, tireless, selfassured dog of commanding presence. Although primarily a drover, Entles excel at competitive sports and are willing and enthusiastic partners in any athletic canine activity chosen by their master. Purpose and heritage have resulted in an unusually intense bonding between the Entlebucher and his master; however the Entlebucher should not be considered a breed for the casual owner. He will remain an active, highly energetic dog for his entire lifetime. Because of the guardian traits of this breed, thorough socialization is required during puppyhood; typically Entles are indifferent to, or somewhat aloof with, strangers.
Dogs - 17 to 21 inches, Bitches - 16 to 20 inches. Ratio of height at withers to length of body, 8:10 - length to height ratio 10 to 8 measured from point of shoulder to point of rump and ground to withers. Strongly muscled, agile, balanced dog with ample bone; but never overdone. Size alone should never take precedence over type, balance, soundness and temperament. Note that too small a dog generally lacks the power required and too large a dog may lack the agility and mobility desired in a herding dog.
In harmonious proportion to the body, slightly wedged-shaped; clean. Head planes of muzzle and skull more or less parallel. Ratio of muzzle to skull 9:10. Expression - Alert, attentive, and friendly. Eyes - Must be brown, darker eye preferred. Slightly small, almond shaped, with well fitted, black pigmented rims. Disqualifying fault - Blue eyes or yellow hawk eyes. Ears - Not too big, set on high and wide. When alert, are slightly raised at set-on, turned forward; in repose lay flat and close to head and form a nearly level plane with topskull. Firm, well developed ear-cartilage. Flaps pendulous, triangular, rounded at tips. Skull - Flat on top, broadest between set-on of ears, slightly tapering towards muzzle. Occipital bone barely visible. Frontal furrow barely pronounced with minimal stop. Muzzle - Strong, well chiseled, clearly set off from slightly pronounced cheeks, tapering but not pointed or snipey. Bridge of nose is straight. Whiskers to be left natural. Nose - Black. Lips - Close fitting to jaw, with complete black pigmentation. Bite - Scissor bite preferred, even bite tolerated. Disqualifying faults - Overshot or undershot jaw; wry mouth.
Pleasing smooth merge of neck into topline. Neck - Medium length, strong and clean, merging smoothly with the body. Topline - Sturdy and level. Body - Strong, slightly elongated, length to be in rib cage and not in loin; length to height ratio 10 to 8 measured from point of shoulder to point of rump and ground to withers. Chest - Capacious, broad, deep, and reaching to the elbows; well sprung ribs. Underline - Slightly tucked up. Back - Straight, firm, broad. Loins - Strong, flexible. Croup - Slightly sloping, relatively long. Tail - Natural tail or docked tail is equally acceptable. Natural tail set-on in continuation of the gently sloping croup. In motion can be elevated but never curled over back. Ring-tails highly discouraged.
Strongly muscled but not too heavy. Shoulders are laid back, flat lying, well muscled and never loose. Upper arm length equal or slightly shorter than shoulder blade. Angle of shoulder blade forming as nearly as possible a right angle. Elbows lying well onto the body, turning neither in nor out. Forelegs are short, sturdy, straight and parallel; neither too wide nor too close together. Seen from side placed well under the body. Pastern seen from front in straight continuation of the forearm; seen from side slightly angulated and relatively short. Paws point straight forward; compact, slightly rounded with well-arched toes. Pads coarse and robust. Dewclaws - May be removed on the front legs. Nails - Short, strong; any combination of black or white
Well-muscled. Hind legs not too close together; from behind, straight and parallel. Upper thigh - Fairly long, broad and strong. Lower thigh - Approximately equal length to upper thigh; clean. Stifle - Well angulated. Hock joint - Strong; turns neither in nor out. Hock - Relatively short, perpendicular to the ground when dog is standing naturally; from the rear, parallel to each other. Rear dewclaws - Must be removed. Rear feet - Overall description same as front.
Double coat. Topcoat short, close fitting, harsh and shiny. Undercoat dense; of varying color. Wavy or soft coat tolerated but not preferred. Disqualifying fault - Single coat.
Tricolor. Basic color must be black with tan (fawn to mahogany) and white markings, which should be as symmetric as possible. The tan markings are placed above the eyes, on cheeks, muzzle, either side of the chest, under the tail, and on all four legs. On legs, the tan is situated between the black and the white. Small tan oval islands on cheeks are desired. White markings include a distinct small blaze, which runs without interruption from top of head over bridge of nose, and can wholly or partially cover the muzzle. White from chin to chest without interruption. An inverted cross on chest desirable. In full-length tail, tip of tail is normally white. White on all four feet. Undesirable but tolerated - small white patch on the nape of the neck (not more than 2 inches), high boot, socks and bib. Color and markings should not take precedence over overall soundness, balance and temperament.
Ground covering, free, fluid movement with good reach and strong drive from rear. As the speed of the gait increases, legs converge - the rear more pronounced
Loyal, Smart, Enthusiastic
Any departure from the foregoing points must be considered as a fault, and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.
Absence of undercoat. Blue eyes or yellow hawk eyes. Overshot or undershot jaw. Wry mouth.
Herding
Entlebucher (ENT-leh-boo-cur) Mountain Dogs are muscular, long-backed cattle dogs standing from 16 to 21 inches at the shoulder. They have short, sturdy legs; a striking black, white, and tan coat; and an attentive, friendly face. Entles are famous for their agility, balance, and boundless enthusiasm. Entles are vigilant protectors of their four- or two-legged “herds” and, when properly socialized, make durable and trustworthy playmates for older kids. Energetic Entles require lots of exercise, family time, and direction to reach their full potential. Inexperienced owners might be overwhelmed by this strong, self-confident, go-go herding dog eager for work. Entlebuchers are fine dogs—clever, zesty, happy—but not for everyone.
Dairy farming has long been vital to the Swiss economy as it provides the key ingredient for two leading exports: cheese and milk chocolate. To move and guard their herds in the days before industrial agriculture, Swiss cattlemen developed four breeds of Alpine mountain dogs known for their beautiful tricolor coats. Of these, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is the largest, and the Entlebucher Mountain Dog the smallest and quickest. The name Entlebucher, “Entle” for short, derives from the place of the breed’s origin, the valley of the river Entlebuch. They were employed as all-around farm dogs and guarders, but the primary task of these clever cattle dogs was to drive their charges up to high mountain pastures in the summer, keep an eye on the herd during grazing season, then move them back down into the valley for the winter. This job description explains several of the Entle’s key traits. Bred to move cattle up and down sloping pastures, Entles developed remarkable balance and agility. The long, low Entle physique isn’t as exaggerated as a Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s, but the idea is the same: It makes it easier to nip at a cow’s heels and to avoid being kicked. The breed’s love of work, and life in general, earned it the nickname “der Lachen Hunden” (the Laughing Dog). So enthusiastic is the working Entle, he might leap up and slam into a stubborn cow to move it. Such a can-do work ethic is essential in a 60-pound dog charged with moving a herd of 1,500-pound animals up the side of a mountain.
The Entlebucher is a compact, strongly muscled, elongated drover with ample bone. He has a short, hard and shiny coat, bright black with symmetrical markings of pure white on blaze, muzzle, chest, and feet; shades of rich fawn to mahogany are present on the eyebrows and between the black and white markings.
Choosing which commercial food to give to your dog is a personal choice best made using recommendations from your vet or breeder. You should consider only a high-quality dog food formulated to your dog’s age and activity level. A working dog requires a different formula than a sedentary house pet, and a puppy requires different nutrition than a senior pet. This is a breed who loves to eat and thus can be prone to becoming overweight if you don’t monitor his food intake closely. If you choose to give treats during training, do so in moderation. Treats can be an important aid in training, but giving too many can cause obesity in any breed.
The Entlebucher requires minimal grooming overall. With their dense, short, shiny double coat, they will need little more than a wipe-down with a damp towel between baths to stay in optimum appearance. The breed sheds quite a bit, so you may want to invest in a good stripping comb or a thick bristle brush to keep shedding to a minimum. Nails should be trimmed every month to keep them short and neat. Dental care should be started early and maintained on a regular basis throughout your dog’s life. Ears should be checked weekly. Cleaning out wax and debris can help avoid the ear infections that plague dogs with drop ears.
The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a quick and tough dog with a high energy level. It will take at least an hour of exercise daily to keep him in good physical condition. Since a “tired dog is a good dog,” keeping the breed’s energy channeled through exercise will make training and simply living with him much easier. Entles love doing things with their owners so make excellent companions for runners, hikers, bikers, and other very active people.
Entles are smart, versatile workers who are very rewarding to train. Training with a positive approach will almost always yield quick and successful results. Early socialization is extremely important with this breed. They are very intelligent, so any training routine should include fun and variety to keep them from getting bored. They love having a job to do and are excellent candidates for obedience, tracking, agility, herding and almost any other canine sport.
Most Entlebuchers are healthy dogs, but there are a few disorders the breed can be prone to. One issue found in the breed is Entlebucher urinary syndrome, a condition involving the misplacement of the ureter. Other conditions that have occurred in the breed include hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, and some eye disorders. Responsible breeders screen for genetic disease and select for health-cleared stock.
