Swissneese

90-120 lbs
25-28"
United States
Greater Swiss Mountain
Great Pyrenees

The Swissneese is a gorgeous mix of the Great Pyrenees and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. These are both considered giant dogs, so your Swissneese will be giant as well. However, these are extremely laid-back and mellow dogs with a sweet disposition so they are wonderful family pets for anyone with a lot of room. They are not great for small homes or apartments due to their size and do best in homes with large yards where they can run around without a leash. They need a lot of grooming due to their long, thick, double coat but it is worth it in the long run to have such a beautiful and loyal pet. 

purpose Purpose
Companion, Guard Dog
history Date of Origin
2000s
ancestry Ancestry
Great Pyrenees and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Swissneese Health

Average Size
Male Swissneese size stats
Height: 27-30 inches Weight: 100-130 lbs
Female Swissneese size stats
Height: 25-28 inches Weight: 90-120 lbs
Major Concerns
  • Patellar Luxation
  • Gastric Torsion
  • Hip And Elbow Dysplasia
  • Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV) or Bloat
Minor Concerns
  • Entropion
  • Distichiasis
  • Cataracts
Occasional Diagnoses
  • Osteochondrodysplasia
  • Addison’s Disease
Occasional Tests
  • Eye Examination
  • Skin Evaluation
  • Internal Imaging (x-ray, CT scan, MRI, etc.)
  • Blood and Urine Tests

Swissneese Breed History

To get to know the history of the Swissneese, you have to look at the backgrounds of the Great Pyrenees and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. The Great Pyrenees is an ancient Asian dog that originated around 10,000 B.C. by combining the Maremmano-Abruzzese and Hungarian Kuvasz breeds to develop the perfect sheep herder and guardian. Although they are known as the Great Pyrenees in America and Canada, they go by Pyrenean Mountain Dog in the United Kingdom and Europe. They are named after the Pyrenees Mountains, where they were first discovered. In the late 17th century, the breed was named the Royal Dog of France by King Louis XIV’s court and the royal families of France used them as guard dogs. In the 19th century, the Great Pyrenees made it to England, Europe, and America, where they became popular right away because of their beauty and loving temperament. In 1933, the breed was also recognized by the American Kennel Club and the Great Pyrenees Club of America was founded in 1935. They are the 67th most well-liked dog breed in the United States. The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is from Switzerland and record of their origin is found as far back as 2000 years. They were bred from the Roman Mastiff for drafting, guarding, and herding but they are also used for tracking, carting, and competitive obedience and agility trials. These dogs are thought to have been brought to the Alps by the Roman Army. The breed was listed in the Swiss Stud book in 1990 and recognized by the American Kennel Club five years later, where they are the 78th most common dog breed.

Swissneese Breed Appearance

The Swissneese is a giant breed weighing between 100 and 130 pounds and standing about 25 to 30 inches tall. They have a thick, wavy coat that is usually very fluffy and may be long or medium because the Great Pyrenees has a long coat and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has a short coat. The coloring may be all white, cream, or tricolored black, brown, and white like the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. They have floppy and pendulous ears, big brown eyes, and a black nose on a rounded muzzle. Their long, thick legs are straight and muscular with huge paws and they have a long tail that may hang down or stand up.

Eye Color Possibilities
brown Swissneese eyes
Brown
Nose Color Possibilities
black Swissneese nose
Black
Coat Color Possibilities
brindle Swissneese coat
Brindle
pied Swissneese coat
Pied
white Swissneese coat
White
fawn Swissneese coat
Fawn
cream Swissneese coat
Cream
brown Swissneese coat
Brown
black Swissneese coat
Black
Coat Length
coat
Short Medium Long
Coat Density
coat density
pin
Sparse Normal Dense
Coat Texture
coat texture
Swissneese wavy coat texture
Straight Wiry Wavy Curly Corded

Swissneese Breed Maintenance

Your Swissneese needs a lot of maintenance when it comes to grooming. You will need to brush your dog thoroughly with a deshedding tool, strong metal comb, and pin brush. Plan on spending at least 30 minutes per day on brushing your dog. They shed a lot and this will mean that you will probably need to brush them more during the shedding season. The hair on your dog’s face, feet, and ears are often trimmed because it grows longer in these areas and can become troublesome for the eyes, ears, and when walking. You have to clean your dog’s ears and trim her toenails once or twice a month as well. The teeth will also need to be maintained; brushing them at least 3 to 4 times a week is highly recommended.
Brushes for Swissneese
Pin Brush
Pin Brush
Comb
Comb
Deshedder
Deshedder
Nail Clipper
Nail Clipper
Brushing Frequency
fur daily fur weekly fur monthly
Swissneese requires daily brushing
Daily Weekly Monthly

Swissneese Temperament

Because of their size, these dogs are good guard dogs but they are friendly and loving so they need to be trained to protect if that is what you want. Otherwise, the Swissneese is a great pet for any family and even enjoys playing with children and other pets. You will need to be a stern and consistent disciplinarian when training because they may be a bit hard headed. However, be sure to use positive reinforcement or they can become skittish or even aggressive. Some may like to chase cats and other small animals, you have to train your dog if you do not want her to do that. 

Swissneese Activity Requirements

The Swissneese is a big dog that needs a lot of room to play so it is best if you have a large, fenced yard for her to play in. However, these dogs can jump high and because of this skill, your fence will need to be at least four feet tall. They need about 45 minutes to an hour of constant activity every day. Let her play in the yard for about an hour or more when you let her out. She will want some company though, and as with all canines, it is best not to leave her outside alone. You can also take your dog for a walk around the neighborhood, visit your favorite dog park, or take her to the beach to play. This hybrid may enjoy an activity that involves a job to do. Enrol her in obedience classes and even give her a chance to attend an obedience trial or two.

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

Swissneese Food Consumption

Cups Per Day
4.5 cups
cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost cup per day cost
Daily Cost
$3.20 - $4.00
food bowls daily cost
Monthly Cost
$96.00 - $120.00
food bag monthly cost

Swissneese Height & Weight

6 Months
Male Swissneese size stats at six months
Height: 27.5 inches Weight: 70.0 lbs
Female Swissneese size stats at six months
Height: 25.5 inches Weight: 60.0 lbs
12 Months
Male Swissneese size stats at 12 months
Height: 28.5 inches Weight: 90.0 lbs
Female Swissneese size stats at 12 months
Height: 26.5 inches Weight: 80.0 lbs
18 Months
Male Swissneese size stats at 18 months
Height: 29.5 inches Weight: 115.0 lbs
Female Swissneese size stats at 18 months
Height: 27.5 inches Weight: 100.0 lbs

Swissneese Owner Experiences

Colter
Seven Years
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Walks, playing chase, wading
My Swissneese was the best dog I have ever had- and I've had many different breeds in my 57 years, including St. Bernard & Great Pyrenees. Colter was loyal, loving and obedient. He was also a wonderful "Therapy" dog at my place of work. In 2015, he was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer on his skull. With surgery and radiation he did very well, and was able to live a full and happy life for almost three more years. We lost our beloved Colter to Lymphoma on April 6, 2018. Just hit him out of the blue. I think this is very rare, as I have not heard of any of his litter mates having any other problems like this. His health, otherwise, was perfect. I just hope that anyone considering breeding these wonderful dogs, does more genetic research to see if this problem can be avoided in future generations. I would have another Swissneese in a heartbeat- they are that special. Rhonda & Brad Hill, Lander, Wyoming
6 years, 6 months ago
Max
4 Months
2 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Frisbee
Learning new tricks
swimming
Fetch
digging
Dog Parks
Max is a sweet well tempered puppy. He gets along great with other dogs. He learns really quickly and is eager to please. He’s one of the smartest dogs I’ve ever had.he loves getting into water and never stays white long lol. So washing and brushing is pretty constant
6 years, 3 months ago
Odin
7 Months
3 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Odin, our Swissy, is the smartest dog we've ever owned. At 9 weeks, he knew hand commands for sit, stay, down, jump, kiss, and come. At 15 weeks, he knew to wait for us to clap before eating. Sometimes we swear he understands our conversations. When we say we're going to the store, he hides under the bed. When we say we're going to grandma's house, he runs and gets his leash. When we say we're tired, he walks to the back door to go to the bathroom before heading up to bed. Intelligence aside, he's a wonderful cuddler. He is GREAT with children (we have 9 nieces and nephews under the age of 8 and he plays gently with all of them). He can be very stubborn (we assume it's because he's so smart and knows what will happen if he gives in). He never needs grooming except for behind his ears. He is very scared of water so we have to wipe him down instead. He has a medium coat, not a long coat, so it's not too difficult. Finally, he is probably the best looking dog we've ever seen. His markings are gorgeous and his fur is extremely soft. We are so blessed to have Odin and we hope others consider the Swissneese for a perfect family dog.
6 years, 1 month ago
Thor
8 Months
2 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Cuddling and walking
Playing
Sleeping
Thor is the sweetest dog we've ever owned. He the poster puppy for "Gentle Giant." Some of the information above is wrong (we also own 2 other Swissneese), so I'll try my best to correct it! Two of our Swissneese have long hair and coats of medium density. Thor has a long coat with a dense coat. All three were born with crimped hair around their ears, but only Thor kept it. We feed them 5-6 cups a day, but it only averages out to 40 dollars every three weeks. None of them need grooming at all. In fact, you SHOULDN'T wash a Pyr more than twice a year because of their skin and coats. Instead, we use primrose detangler for dogs and brush it through their coats. Occasionally you may need to brush behind their ears, and if you want to lessen the shedding (good luck with that lol). They shed like crazy. There are four tumbleweeds constantly blowing through my house, but I wouldn't change it for the world. As for energy levels, they go through spurts. 80% of the time, they're sleeping. The other 20%, they're Tokyo drifting into our couches and pushing the rugs off the floor. But they're darn cute while doing it! They're the best dogs we've ever had. If you want a giant cuddle buddy, this is it!
5 years, 2 months ago
Titan
6 Months
5 People
Apartment
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
Run
Swim
Catch treats
Play keep away
Play
Amazing and loveable. He wants to please us and be loved by family more than anything
3 years, 6 months ago
Thor
2 Years
7 People
House & Yard
Health
Grooming
Friendliness
Energy
Trainability
Pastimes
We love our Swissneese we just had a few problems with biting
3 years, 5 months ago
Book me a walkiee?
Pweeeze!
Sketch of smiling australian shepherd