Breed library

Entlebucher

Also known as Entlebuch Mountain Dogs, Entlebucher Cattle Dogs, Entlebucher Sennenhund.

Entlebucher photograph.
Elio v Schaerlig im Juni 2007 klein.jpg - Serge Renggli. CC BY-SA 2.0 de. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elio_v_Schaerlig_im_Juni_2007_klein.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/de/deed.en. License: CC BY-SA 2.0 de.

Breed overview

The Entlebucher Sennenhund or Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a medium-sized herding dog, it is the smallest of the four regional breeds that constitute the Sennenhund dog type. The name Sennenhund refers to people called Senn, herders in the Swiss Alps. Entlebuch is a region in the canton of Lucerne in Switzerland. The breed is also known in English as the Entelbuch Mountain Dog, Entelbucher Cattle Dog, and similar combinations.

  • Breed classification: Swiss mountain dogsBreed reference breed group.
  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.
  • Country of origin: SwitzerlandBreed reference country of origin.

Breed facts

  • The Entlebucher is the smallest of four Swiss mountain dogs, the others being the Appenzeller Sennenhund, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
  • During the 1800s these dogs were variable and were not regarded as distinct breeds.
  • In 1913, four bobtail Entlebucher Sennenhund were shown to Albert Heim, an advocate for the increasingly rare Sennenhund breeds.
  • The first breed club was not formed until 1926, 16 dogs of the type were found in 1927, and the breed slowly was restored.
  • Although originally kept for guarding and herding, today the breed is usually kept as a lively companion.

Size and appearance

The female Entlebucher Sennenhund is a square; the male is a longer, less square, sturdy, medium-sized dog. It has small, triangular ears and rather small brown eyes. The head is well proportioned to the body, with a strong flat skull. The long jaw is well formed and powerful. The feet are compact, supporting its muscular body. The smooth coat is close and smooth with symmetrical markings of black, tan, and white. This tricolor coat has white on its toes, tail-tip, and the chest and blaze where the fur is soft and fluffy; the tan always lies between the black and the white. It has muscular, broad hips. The hocks are naturally well angled. The tail is sometimes docked, a practice which is now prohibited by law in many countries, or it may have a natural bobtail. Height at the withers is 19-20 ins (48-50 cm) and weight is 45-65 lbs (20-30 kg).

  • Height reference: 42 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 48 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: Up to 50 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 44 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Coat texture: smooth
  • Height category: medium

Personality and behavior

As with all large, active working dogs, this breed should be well socialized early in life with other dogs and people, and be provided with regular activity and training. Temperament of individual dogs may vary.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat texture: smooth

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

The Entlebucher is the smallest of four Swiss mountain dogs, the others being the Appenzeller Sennenhund, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. During the 1800s these dogs were variable and were not regarded as distinct breeds. In 1908 the Swiss Kennel Club set about classifying them. In 1913, four bobtail Entlebucher Sennenhund were shown to Albert Heim, an advocate for the increasingly rare Sennenhund breeds. The breed was entered into the Swiss Kennel Club stud book, but World War I intervened, and at first, after the war, no examples of the breed could be found.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  2. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  3. File:Elio v Schaerlig im Juni 2007 klein.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 2.0 de. Elio v Schaerlig im Juni 2007 klein.jpg - Serge Renggli. CC BY-SA 2.0 de. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elio_v_Schaerlig_im_Juni_2007_klein.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/de/deed.en.
  4. Entlebucher Mountain Dog - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Entlebucher Mountain Dog, revision 1272493469. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Entlebucher_Mountain_Dog&action=history
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
  6. AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.