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14+ Historical Facts About Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs You Might Not Know

#4 The Swiss call this breed Der Grosse Schweizer Sennenhund. Well, with “big” and “Swiss” everything is clear, but what does the word “mountain dog” mean?

There are two options here. The word senne is translated from Bavarian as "alpine pasture" and hund means "dog". Together we get "a dog from the alpine pastures." But there is also another interpretation. In the Swiss dialect, senn is a shepherd who grazes dairy cattle in an alpine area and then processes milk into cheese, cottage cheese, and butter. So, if we accept this version of the translation as correct, then the "mountain dog" is a "cheese-curd dog", or a dog that lives where cottage cheese and cheese are produced.

#5 These calm, large and hardworking dogs helped people of different professions – butchers and bakers, shopkeepers and gardeners – as well as many others in need of an intelligent draft dog.

#6 The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog also had a job of its own, namely, he was a draft dog.

Mary Allen

Written by Mary Allen

Hello, I'm Mary! I've cared for many pet species including dogs, cats, guinea pigs, fish, and bearded dragons. I also have ten pets of my own currently. I've written many topics in this space including how-tos, informational articles, care guides, breed guides, and more.

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