Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Dogo Guatemalteco - 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.

Known as the Guatemalteco Bull Terrier or Guatemalan Molosser, the Dogo Guatemalteco is also known as the Bull Terrier Guatemalteco, Guatemalan Bull Terrier, and Guatemalan Molosser.

This big Molosser-type dog originates in Guatemala. In the 20th century, it was known as the Bullterrier Guatemalteco, but at the end of the century, it was changed to Dogo Guatemalteco.

Today, while the dog is kept as a companion dog, most are working guard dogs. The Dogo Guatemalteco isn’t recognized by any major international kennel clubs. However, the Kennel Club of Guatemala has given full recognition to this dog and it was in 1981 that the Guatemalan government named the dog as their national dog breed.

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.

The Guatemalteco is a medium to large dog standing at 54 – 60cm and weighing between 40-45kg. He has a short, smooth coat and is essentially white with some black markings on the head.

This breed was created from a crossing between a bull terrier, boxer and dalmatian. Some of the dogs are thickly built, while others are more leaner and athletic looking.

The ears of the dog vary quite a bit because while sometimes the ears fold down closely to the head, others are semi-pricked. There are some dog owners who have their dogs ears cropped into fully erect triangular shapes. The eye are small and usually dark brown.

Temperament:

The Dogo Guatemalteco is a fearless, evenly tempered dog. He was bred as a guard dog and he wants to protect his human family, forming a deep bond with them. It makes them difficult to re-home because of this.

It is imperative to have this dog trained and socialized because it might believe its the leader of the pack in your home. He is quite capable of getting along well with children and pets in the home. Because of his dominant nature, he isn’t suited as a pet for the first-time dog owner. He also doesn’t warm easily to strangers.

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.

Your Dogo Guatemalteco is an intelligent dog breed, and because he is strong-willed and stubborn he might give you a hard time during training. It is possible though and it is important as the training will turn him into an obedient, relaxed dog, able to get on with all his family members, including pets.

He is an energetic dog and will require walks and other forms of exercise each day.

This is certainly not the kind of dog that you buy to protect your property and provide little else for him except food and water. Frustration on the dog’s part can lead to destructive behavior and aggression.

Treat him well and he can make an excellent family companion.

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.

This dog can be susceptible to skin allergies. The skin is sensitive and prone to rashes.

Another health concern with this dog because of his white coat, is congenital deafness. The deafness could be in one- or both ears.

The dog could also experience lameness, of which the most common problem is hip dysplasia. Because skeletal problems occur in this breed, it is advisable for owners to have their pet tested by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals.

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.

The coat of the dog is short and harsh and it sheds throughout the year. While he is still looked upon as a low maintenance dog, regular brushing will be required twice a week.

Because he is a dog breed that is susceptible to skin allergies, bathing isn't necessary as it removes the dog’s natural oils.

Other areas of grooming for this dog are brushing his teeth twice a week, trimming his nails and checking his ears.

Diet:

Always choose a high quality dog food for your Dogo Guatemalteco and look at the feeding recommendations on the packaging.

When you feed your pet kibble, you can also mix in some cooked brown rice, vegetable and chicken for variety and contentment.

Raw meat is also advised from time to time. Don’t just go on and on through the years feeding your dog the same amount of food, as there are factors to take into account when deciding on food quantity. The age of your dog, it’s stage of life and its activity levels will mean regulating your pet’s food to match his needs.