Dogs have been the ultimate companions of human beings.
They have served humans as a loyal friend in several fields to help with hunting, gathering, herding, playing, guarding, and more.
The Entlebucher mountain dog is one such breed that had been bred and trained by the Swiss for herding their cattle as cattle rearing, agriculture, and dairy farming were essentially the primary occupation at that time. In fact, the breed derives its name 'Entle' from the area of its origination, that is, the valley along the Entlebuch River.
The Entle is also known as the laughing dog for its high energy and enthusiastic nature.
Therefore, to aid the farm work, four Entlebucher Sennenhund breeds of herding dogs were developed years ago by the cattlemen, the actual breeders, residing in the Alps mountain of Switzerland among which the Entlebucher dog breed is the smallest in size but quickest.
The Entlebucher mountain dog breed proved to be the best suited for herding compared to the other breeds of Swiss mountain dogs, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and the Appenzeller.
With the highest energy level among the four breeds, Entlebuchers have high alertness, intelligence, judgment, and tracking skills. In appearance, the Entlebucher mountain dog is medium-sized (approximately 16-20 in (40.6-50.8 cm)) with a tricolor fur coat, brown eyes, strong muzzles, and short and coarse top-coat.
Entlebuchers weigh around 45-65 lb (20-29.5 kg) depending on their diet and fitness levels.
When reared as a pet, the dog breed is family-centric and protective towards the family members. According to the American Kennel Club, it has been qualified as a highly competitive dog breed.
If you love dogs or want them as pets then you might find the Entlebucher mountain dog fascinating with these fun facts. If you want to explore more about other dog breeds then don't forget to read through Afghan hound and American Pitbull terrier facts.
Entlebucher Mountain Dog Interesting Facts
What type of animal is an Entlebucher mountain dog?
Entlebucher mountain dog is a type of cattle dog.
What class of animal does an Entlebucher mountain dog belong to?
Entlebucher mountain dogs belong to the class of mammals.
How many Entlebucher mountain dogs are there in the world?
The current number of Entlebucher mountain dogs cannot be declared due to the unavailability of accurate records.
Where does an Entlebucher mountain dog live?
An Entlebucher mountain dog is suited to live in the mountains and valleys but it can also live in a house, but the house must be spacious with outdoor lawns or open spaces.
What is an Entlebucher mountain dog's habitat?
An Entlebucher mountain dog was originally found in the Alpine mountains where they were first developed along with the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and the Appenzeller by cattlemen.
The Entlebucher dog breed lived in the Swiss mountainous regions and adjoining river valleys where they could track the movements of the cattle that they were in charge of.
Who do Entlebucher mountain dogs live with?
Entlebucher mountain dogs can be compatible with human beings and children if they are trained properly. They make the best companions and pets after going through proper behavior training.
How long does an Entlebucher mountain dog live?
A healthy Entlebucher mountain dog generally lives for 15 years but the normal life expectancy ranges between 10-12 years.
How do they reproduce?
The reproduction cycle starts at the puberty period when the dogs (both males and females) fall in the age group of 6-12 months. Females can give birth to a litter within two to four weeks after the completion of the breeding process.
For the Entlebucher breeds, the breeder needs to be extra cautious because lately, the average littler size has diminished considerably.
Where the normal litter size ranged between seven to eight, the number has reduced with more still-born and unhealthy puppies. This can be a matter of concern for the breeder as this indicates that the process of reproduction had been flawed.
What is their conservation status?
The conservation status of Entlebuchers has no mention in IUCN which implies that they do not fall under the endangered or threatened categories and are therefore an easily available breed of dog.
Entlebucher Mountain Dog Fun Facts
What do Entlebucher mountain dogs look like?
Entlebuchers are well-built. They are medium-sized with a sturdy bone structure, strong muzzle, thick, dense fur coat colored with black, white, and tan. They have an intelligent and appealing look. The puppies are rather cute and furry but once they grow up, they start to show the distinct characters of their breed.
How cute are they?
Although the Entlebucher mountain dog breed was originally used to guard and track the cattle during the grazing periods, and even if they are aggressive and loud, they are also overloaded with cuteness. The Entlebucher mountain dog puppies are especially adorable and appealing due to the tricolor of their fur coat.
How do they communicate?
Like all other dogs, Entlebuchers way of communication is barking. Entlebuchers are herders and they often become aggressive and violent when they sense strangers in the vicinity often as a defense mechanism.
When they feel threatened, they burst out with loud barks and snarl at unknown people. Sometimes, they also howl and quiver when in pain. All these are different expressions and ways of communicating their feelings.
How big is an Entlebucher mountain dog?
Among the four Swiss mountain dogs, Entlebuchers are the smallest in size but they are highly efficient cattle dogs. As a matter of fact, they might not be as big as the other three breeds but they are the quickest.
Entlebuchers are generally 16-20 in (40.6-50.8 cm) tall when measured from shoulder length which makes them medium-sized and not as large as the Greater Swiss mountain dog. The height of the males ranges from 17-20 in (43.2-50.8 cm) while the females are 16-19 in (40.6-48.3 cm) tall.
How fast can an Entlebucher mountain dog run?
The Entlebucher mountain dog or Entle is well known for its agility, alertness, and speed. Since Entlebucher mountain dogs had been originally reared in the mountainous terrains of the Alps and trained to take charge of the cattle, they are extremely speedy, showing the presence of their quick mind during threatening situations.
Due to its high spirits and highly athletic nature, it is ideal for several kinds of dog sports that require stamina.
How much does an Entlebucher mountain dog weigh?
An Entlebucher mountain dog weighs around 45-65 lb (20-29.5 kg) but there are further classifications according to the gender of the breed. While the weight of females ranges between 45-55 lb (20-24.9 kg), the weight of the males falls under 50-65 lb (22.7-29.5 kg) range.
What are their male and female names of the species?
Generally, females of the Entlebucher mountain dog breed are known as bitch while the males are known as dog.
What would you call a baby Entlebucher mountain dog?
A baby Entlebucher mountain dog is commonly called puppy or just pup.
What do they eat?
The diet of an Entlebucher comprises protein-rich food like vegetables, cooked eggs, raw meat, cottage cheese, dry food, bone meal, and others. An Entlebucher puppy must be fed four small meals a day while a full-grown adult can be given two bowls of a meal per day.
Are they slobbery?
Entlebucher mountain dogs are aren't known slobberers. They are hyperactive and filled with a lot of stamina and agility. Since the breed had been reared for cattle herding they are always ready for running errands so they need to be involved in regular exercise and several other forms of activities.
Would they make a good pet?
Entlebucher mountain dogs can make really good, friendly pets given proper training, diet, and daily exercise.
The Entlebucher mountain dog breed was originally cattle dogs but the modern breeders of the Entlebucher mountain dog have made it possible to transform them into excellent pets.
When taking them home as pets, one must keep in mind that these dog breeds need a lot of open space to run around and exercise as they might fail to adjust to small apartments or enclosed spaces resulting in a negative change in their behavior patterns.
They can also be aggressive with the kids, small animals, or complete strangers but the breed can prove to be a great family-loving dog when they are given proper behavioral training that would help to sensitize them with children and strangers.
Normally, they are very protective of their family and can be faithful friends.
Did you know...
An the Entlebucher is famous for its high energy, agility, and strength when adopted as pets, it is important that they are put through rigorous training and exercise for a minimum of an hour because Entlebuchers come with some health issues.
The major health problems that the breed suffers from include glaucoma, hip dysplasia, ectopic ureters, progressive retinal atrophy, cataracts, elbow dysplasia, hemolytic anemia. Among these health problems, hip dysplasia is the severest as it might cause lameness and great pain for the dogs, which also includes expensive surgical processes.
Nevertheless, all dog breeds have certain health problems.
Moreover, these health problems can be kept at bay with good care, training and daily exercise followed by regular grooming as the breed is one of the healthiest. The grooming procedure involves brushing the fur coat daily, dental health, keeping nails and ears clean, and a bath once or twice a month.
Since the breed does not shed much, too much effort on grooming is not required.
If an Entlebucher is provided with proper training and a good environment, it can be very competitive, especially in dog sports. It has the capacity to become a champion dog by participating in several dog sports.
An Entlebucher can be an ideal pet given that it is adopted from the right breeder and trained according to the requirements as the breed is extremely high in sportiness and potential.
The American Kennel Club recognizes the Entlebuchers as one of the most efficient dog breeds. The cost of an Entlebucher mountain dog puppy is around $1000-1200 USD.
How do you pronounce Entlebucher mountain dog?
The pronunciation for Entlebuchers is ent-leh-boo-ker and not bu-tcher. The 'er' is from German and is added after the name of the region. Now since the breed is from the area of Entlebuch in Switzerland, the name stands to be 'Entlebucher'.
Are they related to Bernese mountain dogs?
Yes, both Entlebuchers and Bernese mountain dogs fall under Sennenhund breeds that were reared in the mountainous regions of the Alps. Although there are similarities in some of the traits like herding and appearance, they differ in several aspects. Both the breeds are unique in their own ways.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Black Russian terrier, or Alaskan husky
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Entlebucher Mountain coloring pages.