Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Bull Terrier - Breed Comparison

Hailing from Switzerland, and one of its oldest dog breeds, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has a dubious history in that there are a number of theories as to its origin. He is closely related to the Bernese Mountain Dog, Saint Bernard and Rottweiler.

Of all the theories, the one that says he is descended from large, mastiff-like dogs is a popular one. He used to be a herding- and guard dog, but also was used to pull carts of farm produce.

It was in the 1900s that the dog’s numbers started dwindling. In 1908, canine researcher, Albert Heim recognized the dogs as being large members of the Sennenhund type, a family of four breeds that includes the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

He wanted to see the dogs recognized as a separate breed and the Swiss Kennel Club listed the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog in 1909.

In 1968 they were brought to the United States and a club for them was formed. The dog was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 1995 with the dog being recognized as a member of the Working group.

The Bull Terrier belongs to the Terrier group of dogs and this already tell you that he is highly energetic and that he is essentially intolerant of other pets.

They are hunters by nature. The Bull Terrier is known as the Gladiator of the canine world. This breed came about through English breeders of the late 19th century, crossing old fighting dogs which carried Bulldog blood with Terriers. It was in the 1850s that James Hinks of Birmingham in the West Midlands was the first person to standardise breed type for the Bull Terrier. Hinks wanted his dogs to be white, and breeding was designed to achieve this.

Because of medical problems with the all-white dogs, Ted Lyon introduced color, using the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and these became a separate variety. It is however, the white strain that is famous for pets as well as for show purposes.

Swissies, as they are often referred to as, are large, robust dogs, standing at 65–72cm and weighing anything between 50 – 70kg, with the females being slightly smaller and weighing a little less.

He has big, rounded paws, medium length floppy ears, a broad chest and a long tail. This is a heavy-boned dog, strong while still being agile.

His dense, double coat is black, white and tan or rust, with black on top of the dog's back, ears, tail and legs. There are two rust dots above each eye. The coat can be short and straight to medium length, coarse and wavy. The dog sheds throughout the year with a major shedding a couple of times a year.

Temperament:

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a sociable canine, thriving on being part of a loving human family. While he used to be a working farm dog, today he is essentially a family pet, though he loves to still be busy.

He is generally friendly with strangers, but just like with all other dog breeds, he will need to be trained and socialized to turn him into an even-tempered, obedient dog, capable of getting on well with children and pets in the the home.

Strongly Built and Muscular

The Bull Terrier is a strongly built, muscular dog with a distinctive egg-shaped head. The height of this dog is roughly 53 – 61cm and he weighs in at about 24 – 29kg. He has a short, dense coat which comes in different colors such as white, red, fawn and white or brindle.

The ears are medium sized and erect and the eyes are pig-like, small and dark. The medium length tail is carried slightly upwards.

A Temperament of Courage

The Bull Terrier is a determined, strong-willed, stubborn dog and he will require firm handling and training. With socialization and training, he becomes a friendly, loving dog who is good around children.

He tends to be possessive with his human family and their territory, making him aggressive with other pets. Bull Terriers actually have even temperaments and they are good, social dogs with people. He is courageous, brave, full of spirit and character.

The Swissy is an easy going dog and adapts easily into his human family’s lifestyle. He is big, but agile dog known for his gentle temperament.

While he loves the outdoors, he is a social dog and loves nothing more than coming indoors and being close to his human family.

He loves his family and won’t do well if left outside for days without human companionship. Treat him well and you’ll be rewarded with a loyal, loving 4-legged family member.

The way people bring their dogs up has a lot to do with the way they turn out. The Bull Terrier has often been thought to be a dangerous dog, but this is because of a bad upbringing.

A dog like the Bull Terrier who has received firm, fair and loving training is an absolute pleasure to have as a pet. Yes, he is a strong willed, stubborn and intelligent dog and he has the make-up to turn out to be a handful. It is perhaps why he isn't the best choice for first-time dog owners who aren’t familiar with the breed and who don’t raise him the right way.

If you choose a Bull Terrier, bring him up correctly, have him trained and socialized and never neglect him and he is guaranteed to become a wonderful, loving family member.

The GSMD or Sennenhund, as his name is shortened to, is a fairly healthy dog breed, with very few health issues.

He has an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years, and although not likely, he can suffer from minor problems such as gastric torsion as well as female urinary incontinence. If your female dog is dribbling urine in her sleep, there are a number of reasons that can be causing it - bladder infections, a medical condition or a weakened bladder with spayed female dogs.

It is certainly time to get your pet to the vet who will recommend a urinalysis.

Your Bull Terrier is a robust breed, but there are some health issues that you will want to be aware of. For instance, the white Bull Terrier is more prone to deafness than the Brindle or tri-colored Bull Terriers. With good food and lots of love and care, he can reach 14 years of age. However there are one or two ailments what you want to be aware of.

Patellar Luxation:

This is a common orthopedic condition with dogs, affecting both knees and resulting in loss of function and discomfort. Patellar luxation can sometimes come from a traumatic injury to the knee. However, with non-traumatic patellar luxation, the femoral groove for the knee cap is shallow or absent.

Skin Cancer:

Not every variety of skin cancer in dogs is caused by sun exposure, but sun damage to the skin of the pure white Bull Terrier can be a factor. Dogs with white coats are more susceptible to sun damage. Speak to your vet about symptoms so that a physical examination will reveal the reason for sores on the skin.

Diet:

The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a robust dog and thrives on a diet of kibble to raw meat to some cooked home-made food such as chicken, brown rice and vegetables.

A serious issue with the GSMD is overfeeding, resulting in uncomfortable digestive problems and of course, obesity.

Exercise:

Your GSMD isn’t a dog that is going to require a lot of exercise like some of the other dog breeds there are, but still his working career of the past requires that he still be taken on daily walks, enjoys ball- and rope games and to go swimming.

Grooming:

Brush your dogs coat at least twice a week to remove loose hears. Other grooming aspects include cleaning the ears to avoid infection, clipping his nails and brushing his teeth at least twice a week.

If you’re not sure how to do all these things, there are useful accessories for dogs that allow you to do all this grooming on your own. Your vet can also show you how as these are all things that will require ongoing attention.

Exercise:

The Bull Terrier is a stocky, robust breed and he will need plenty of exercise. He thrives on a good run, long walks and ball games. He is notoriously destructive, so you need to recognize this before you buy such a dog, because simply putting one in your back-yard and ignoring him will make him aggressive and destructive. This is a dog that needs lots of physical as well as mental exercise.

Grooming:

With the short coat, Bull Terriers are easy to groom, and a brushing twice a week will keep the coat in tip top condition. He will also love the time you spend with him. Shedding of hair with the Bull Terrier is more frequent in the Spring and Fall.

Nail clipping and brushing of teeth are two other grooming routines for your dog. Remember that with teeth brushing, don’t be tempted to use human toothpaste as this can be toxic for your pet. Speak to your vet if in any doubt about how to brush your pet’s teeth.