Multiple Award Winning

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog originated in Entlebuch, a valley in the towns of Lucerne and Berne, Switzerland.  They were bred for agility and strong herding ability and designed to work in the Alps as a very effective cattle dog.   Exactly how long the breed has been around is impossible to know, but they are well documented in Switzerland’s history.  The first description of an Entlebucherhund dates from 1889.  In 1913, Dr Albert Heim, Swiss veterinarian and dog show judge, declared the Entlebucher as the 4th Sennenhund breed.  Due to WWI, development of the breed went to the back burner of priority and it wasn’t until 1926 that the breed standard was actually developed and an effort was made to develop a separate breed entity.   Until that time, the Entlebucher and the Appenzeller were bred together and were not bred as separate breeds.   With the separation of the two breeds, we see the breeds take different directions in development.   At the time of separation, the primary difference between the breeds was the tail, with a tight ring tail in the Appenzeller, and a congenital bobtail in the Entlebucher.   Today, the Entle in Switzerland has either a naturally long tail or a congenital (naturally short) bobtail.   In the US and other countries where docking tails remains legal, Entle tails are often docked, following the original tradition of the breed, though some breeders are leaving tails naturally long.  There is no preference in tail length according to the American Kennel Club standard or the National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Association. 

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is newly recognized by the American Kennel Club and is AKC’s 168th recognized breed.   The Entlebucher was accepted as a FSS (Foundation Stock Service) breed in 2000, approved for AKC companion events and herding trial competition in 2007, and was approved for Miscellaneous Breeds competition in January 2009.  The Entlebucher Mountain Dog was approved for full recognition and acceptance into the AKC Herding group on January 1, 2011.   Still very much a rare breed, the 2011 National Specialty for Entlebucher Mountain Dogs saw an entry of 20 Entlebuchers.  It will be exciting to see this breed flourish!

Anna Wallace

Liberty Run Kennel

Overall, the Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a healthy breed that does not require special care.  Like all dogs though, there are always some things that can crop up, and with all breeds, there are some things we can track as "issues" that can be watched for.

Orthopedic Issues
Hip Dysplasia is one issue that breeders should always test for before breeding an Entlebucher, and statistically about 80% passes screening, leaving 20% of the breed with hip dysplasia, though thankfully most of that being mild issues.   Keeping your young, developing Entlebucher fit and not fat throughout the major growth periods as well as being sure to not go wild with physical exercise is the best choice to minimize issues.   CCL (Cranial Cruciate Ligament) tears (equivalent to ACL tears in humans) is probably the most common issue in the Entlebucher.    Their daredevil physicality and sheer enthusiasm to try everything can get them in trouble, and coming down wrong on those knees can indeed cause ligament tears and thus on the surgery table for a ligament repair.   Keeping your Entlebucher fit and not fat, and keeping the crazy jumping minimized is really the way to go.  Patellar Luxation is another knee problem that can be an issue in Entles.  This is where the knee cap does not track as it should, and all breeding Entles should be tested for this condition.

Eye Issues
PRA-prcd is a required DNA test for Entlebuchers.  PRA causes a dog to go blind as they age, but thankfully this is particular disease is 100% preventable with a simple DNA test and careful selection of breeding pairs.   Glaucoma is an issue that has been reported in some Entlebuchers.   Although it is rare, it should be noted, and anything unusual about your Entles eyes should always be checked as soon as possible.    At this point in time, we do not have any definitive tests that would allow us to predict it's development and with that, we don't have a way to effectively prevent it.  Cataracts can happen in Entlebuchers.  Likely hereditary, but for the most part not a serious issue as they tend to be small and not progressive.  PPC (Posterior Polar Cataracts) are by far the most common but are such a minor issue, dogs with this condition are allowed by the Entlebucher Club Code of Ethics to be used in breeding programs.   

Entlebucher Urinary Syndrome (EUS)
EUS is a serious condition affecting the kidneys.  For information about EUS, please see the information on the website of the National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Association website.  (https://nemda.org/entlebucher-urinary-syndrome/)