The appenzeller, also known as Appenzeller Cattleman, is a medium-sized dog breed that gets its name from the Appenzell region of the Alps mountains in Switzerland. This dog belongs to the four breeds of Cattle Dogs found in the Alps together with the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Entlebuch Mountain Dog and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
Appenzellers are very active, tireless dogs with great curiosity about the world around them. In addition, they need to take long daily walks and they love everything they can do outdoors, so they preferably need large spaces to live in.
If you are interested in adopting an Appenzell Cattle Dog and want to know everything about this breed, do not miss this file on our site and find out about its origin, its physical characteristics, its care, its character, its education and your he alth.
Origin of Appenzeller
This breed of Swiss Mountain Dog originated in the Appenzellen Alps region of Switzerland. Its name comes from the region where it originated, Appenzell It is also known as the Alpine Cattle Dog. Formerly it was used as a cattle dog and as a property guard in the Alps.
The first description of this dog was made in 1853, but the breed was not officially accepted until 1898. However, it was not until 1914 that the first breed standard was written.
Today the Appenzell Mountain Dog is a little-known dog and is considered a rare breed. It exists in Switzerland and some neighboring countries, but its population is small.
Today's Appenzell Mountain Dogs are primarily family dogs, although some are also used for search and rescue work in addition to their original duties.
Physical Characteristics of the Appenzeller
The Appenzeller is a medium-sized dog that, to those unfamiliar with Swiss Mountain Dogs, may seem like a smaller version of the Greater Swiss Mountain DogHowever, it is a completely different breed that has important morphological and behavioral differences. The height at the withers of males is 52 to 56 cm and of females is 50 to 54 cm. The weight ranges between 22 and 32 kg.
The head of the Appenzeller is slightly wedged and the skull somewhat flattened. The naso-frontal depression (stop) is not very evident. The nose is black in black dogs and brown in brown dogs. The eyes are small, almond-shaped and brown. The ears are set high, wide, triangular and hanging.
The body is compact, strong and almost square in profile (length almost equal to the height at the withers). The top line is straight. The chest is broad, deep and long. The belly is slightly retracted. The tail is medium and set high.
The Appenzell Mountain Dog's coat is double and close to the body. The outer hair is dense and shiny, while the inner hair is dense and black, brown or grey. The accepted colors for the coat are: brown or black base color with well-defined symmetrical reddish-brown and white markings.
Appenzeller character
The Appenzeller is a very dynamic, lively and curious dog. He is also intelligent and very close to his family, although he always prefers the company of one person in particular, to whom he will give his unconditional love.
When well socialized he is a friendly dog, but somewhat reserved with strangers. In this case, usually gets along well with children, although interactions between dogs and children should always be supervised. He also tends to get along well with other dogs and with other animals that he has been used to since childhood, so the sooner we start to socialize the puppy, the better.
The Appenzell Mountain Dog loves to exercise for dogs and play outdoors, so it is recommended to have it in large and spacious homes, and if possible with a garden or some land so that they run freely.
Appenzeller care
Hair care is simple and brushing twice a week is usually enough. Also, it's a good idea to bathe your Appenzeller only when it's really dirty.
These cattle dogs need a lot of daily exercise due to their dynamic and indefatigable character. For the same reason, they need daily walks and playtime. They really like tug-of-war games, so positive reinforcement-based training also helps them burn off energy.
These dogs do not adapt to life in small apartments and need a fenced yard where they can run and have fun on days when they cannot go for a walk. They live better on rural properties where they perform some of their original functions such as guard duty and grazing.
Appenzeller education
The Appenzeller breed is Easy to train, but positive training is always recommended. Traditional methods that violently punish animals never give good results or allow the full potential of a dynamic dog with great mental agility to be exploited.
We will begin the education of the Appenzeller by teaching him the basic training orders so that a close relationship with us and with his environment is generated. These should be practiced daily for about 5-10 minutes a day so that the dog reviews them and can continue learning new commands without forgetting the previous ones.
The main behavior problem reported in Appenzell Mountain Dogs is that they can become destructive dogs if they are bored or do not receive enough exercise or company. At any sign of the appearance of behavioral problems, you should go to an ethologist or a canine educator and let them guide you professionally.
Appenzeller He alth
As it is a little-known breed, there are no reports on the main diseases that afflict the Appenzeller but, as it is a Cattle Dog, it can be affected by the same diseases as its congeners, such as:
- Elbow dysplasia
- Hip dysplasia
- Gastric torsion
Although the Appenzellian Mountain Dog is not prone to congenital diseases, it is necessary to take it to the vet approximately every 6 months and keep it up to date your immunization schedule.
