Greater Swiss Mountain Dane

80-160 lbs
23-32"
Unknown
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Great Dane

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dane is a hybrid breed where the confident Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is crossed with the gentle Great Dane. Relatively new, there is little information available about the Greater Swiss Mountain Dane; as a Greater Swiss Mountain Dane puppy will inherit traits from both of his parents, it is best to consider the characteristics of his parent breeds when seeking an understanding of what the hybrid will ultimately be like. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a large, active dog who will be loving towards his humans. This kind dog will get along well with children if exposed to them as a puppy. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog can be stubborn, making it important for his human to provide consistent leadership. The Great Dane is calm and devoted; despite his large size he may think that he is a lapdog. Owners of the Greater Swiss Mountain Dane say that he is a big bundle of love, ready to give and receive.

purpose Purpose
Companion
history Date of Origin
Unknown
ancestry Ancestry
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog and Great Dane

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Health

Average Size
Male Greater Swiss Mountain Dane size stats
Height: 23-33 inches Weight: 90-200 lbs
Female Greater Swiss Mountain Dane size stats
Height: 23-32 inches Weight: 80-160 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Entropion
  • Gastric Torsion
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Hip And Elbow Dysplasia
  • Osteochondritis Dissecans
Minor Concerns
  • Distichiasis
  • Myotonia
Occasional Diagnoses
  • None Known
Occasional Tests
  • Eyes
  • Hips
  • X-Rays
  • Blood Tests
  • Heart Testing

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Breed History

The hybrid called the Greater Swiss Mountain Dane is a new breed of dog that does not have a detailed history. The two breeds that combine to create the breed each have long histories of their own. Thought to be one of the oldest breeds of dogs in Switzerland, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was discovered around 2000 years ago. There are several theories of how the breed came into existence. Most popular is that the breed descended from dogs similar to the Mastiff that were brought to the Alps by Roman Legions and used for herding, guarding and as draft dogs. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog was one of the most popular breeds of farm dogs in Switzerland, though as machinery became available to handle the farm responsibilities of the breed, its popularity decreased. A canine researcher named Albert Heim noticed two Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs at a Swiss Kennel Club Jubilee and sought to have them recognized as their own breed. In 1990 the breed was listed in the Swiss Stud book of the Swiss Kennel Club. Today the breed works in guarding and tracking and makes an excellent watchdog. It is thought that the origin of the Great Dane was around 3000 B.C., as drawings of dogs that look like the breed were found in the Babylonian Temples which were built around 2000 B.C. It is thought that there may have been similar dogs in Tibet as evidenced in reports found in Chinese literature around 1121 B.C. It is believed that the Great Dane was spread throughout the world by Assyrians during trades to the Romans and Greeks. The Romans and Greeks would then breed the dogs with other breeds. It is thought that ancestors of the Great Dane include the Irish Wolfhound, English Mastiff and Irish Greyhound. These dogs were first called Boar Hounds due to the dogs being bred to hunt them. The name of the breed was then changed to English Dogges during the 16th century. Next, the breed was known as Kammerhunde which means Chamber Dogs, as a result of German nobles wanting to keep these large dogs in their homes. During the 1700’s, while traveling to Denmark, a French naturalist came across a different version of the Boar Hound that appeared slimmer and had a resemblance to the Greyhound. The naturalist called the breed Grand Danois, which was later changed to Great Danish Dog. German breeders refined the dogs, creating a compliant, gentle dog; in 1880 breeders and judges met and decided that the breed would be separate from the English Mastiff and called him the Deutsche Dogge or German Dog. The breed then became known as the Great Dane.

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Breed Appearance

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dane will appear sturdy and will have a flat, broad skull like the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog or may have a narrower head with a deep muzzle like the Great Dane. The eye color can vary from chestnut to hazel, and the eyes will be medium and almond shaped. His ears can be erect or folded over, depending on parental genetic influences, which affect all of the characteristics of your hybrid. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dane will have a muscular body. His neck can be described as graceful in some hybrids and thick in others. His straight legs are strong and the paws are round. His fur will be medium to fine in texture and will be short and thick. Attractive no matter what shade his fur is, he can come in a range of beautiful colors, including fawn, black, blue, brindle, merle, chocolate, and tri-colored in black, rust, and white.

Eye Color Possibilities
hazel Greater Swiss Mountain Dane eyes
Hazel
Nose Color Possibilities
black Greater Swiss Mountain Dane nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
fawn Greater Swiss Mountain Dane coat
Fawn
black Greater Swiss Mountain Dane coat
Black
blue Greater Swiss Mountain Dane coat
Blue
brindle Greater Swiss Mountain Dane coat
Brindle
white Greater Swiss Mountain Dane coat
White
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Greater Swiss Mountain Dane straight coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Breed Maintenance

There is not much Information about the maintenance of your Greater Swiss Mountain Dane, though you can consider the maintenance requirements of his parent breeds to get an idea of what to expect. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog will shed minimally most of the year. Twice each year he will shed his entire undercoat. On the other hand, the Great Dane will shed a lot, though regular grooming will keep this under control. Frequent brushing will also decrease the need for giving your Great Dane a bath. Based on this, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dane should be brushed weekly with a pin brush if his coat is on the long side, while a slicker brush suits the shorter coat. If he is shedding a lot, try the deshedding tool to remove loose fur.  Regular ear cleaning with a cotton ball and ear cleaning solution is recommended for the Greater Swiss Mountain Dane, especially if his ears fold over. Trim his nails often to make the procedure easier as they will be thick and strong. Brush his teeth twice a week.

Brushes for Greater Swiss Mountain Dane
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Slicker Brush
Slicker Brush
Deshedder
Deshedder
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Greater Swiss Mountain Dane requires weekly brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Temperament

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dane will inherit his temperament from his parents and will be alert while also being gentle and affectionate. Despite his size, he may be so loving that he wants to be in your lap. Gentle and good natured, he can have a stubborn streak, choosing to make his own decisions rather than following your directions. For this reason, he will need an owner that can show leadership and consistency. Protective in nature, he will use his loud bark to alert you to any problems. When exposed to children as a puppy, he will get along well with them and should remain pretty calm despite the children’s antics. This hybrid is known to be highly trainable as he loves to learn.

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Activity Requirements

As a dog bred to work, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dane will enjoy having a fenced-in yard where he can roam freely through the day. He should be accompanied at all times as he is not the type of dog who will want to stay outside alone. Walk him two or three times a day. This large dog needs to stretch and move in order to feel his best. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog parent enjoys playing in the snow but the Great Dane influence may tone this desire down a bit. No matter the parental influence, heatstroke can be an issue for your dog, so care is recommended when he is exercising in hot temperatures.This hybrid is not meant to live in an apartment strictly because he is just too big.

Activity Level
low activity medium activity high activity
Low Medium High
Rec. Walk Mileage Per Week
11 miles
walk mileage
Minutes of Activity Per Day
60 minutes
activity minutes

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
4 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$2.75 - $3.00
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$80.00 - $90.00
food bag monthly cost

Greater Swiss Mountain Dane Owner Experiences

nova
8 Months
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
we've only had her since the start of February and she's destroyed 3 pillows, hurt our cats numerous times by "playing" with them, feasted from the litter boxes - which she's broken, jumped up and ripped a gold necklace off, ran through and got caught in our gazeebo and brought it to the ground, and she continuously steps on the cats and our other cat~sized dog like she can't look down and see them there! *I'm sure there's way more I could write about Nova, but I don't have time. All I know is that Nova's the best dog for us...
6 years, 2 months ago
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
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