Entlebucher Sennenhund Care

The Entlebucher Sennenhund (also called the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, or just "Entle" for short) is one of four mountain dogs originating in Switzerland. These energetic herding dogs are protective of and loyal to their people--and they have big, booming barks and even bigger exercise needs! Overall Entlebucher Mountain Dog care won't take a ton of work, but will need to include a good bit of daily exercise.

Here you'll find details on caring for an Entlebucher, including info about puppy development, exercise requirements, and shedding and drooling tendencies. Get answers to your questions about raising an Entlebucher Sennenhund in the following sections!

As an energetic, lively herding breed, Entlebucher Sennenhund exercise requirements are pretty extensive. These dogs are also intelligent and task-oriented, so they'll need a variety of activities that both condition them physically (walking, fetch) and stimulate them mentally (games, canine sports). They make good jogging and bicycling companions as well.

Adult Entles will need at least an hour of dedicated exercise per day, with the total amount depending on their age and overall activity levels. You can start exercising your Entle puppy when it's three months old by taking it on short walks, then you can increase the walks' length as the pup grows.

Precautions with Entlebucher Mountain Dog exercise:

• Don't exercise puppies too hard before they're nine months old
• Strong herding instincts mean a leash is required when exercising in public
• Yards must be securely fenced to keep the dog from running off
• May overheat easily; don't exercise in sweltering temps

Exercising your Entlebucher every day is a must. These herding dogs have strong work ethics--they constantly need a "job" to do, in other words--and without consistent activity they'll become frustrated and destructive. Regular exercise will be great for the dog's peace of mind! Some exercise ideas:

• Walking/Jogging/Bicycling: Two 20-minute walks (or 15-minute jogs or bike rides) per day is a good target
• Fetch/Frisbee: Entles love chasing a ball, stick, or Frisbee
• Hide-and-Seek: Great indoor activity; give the dog a treat when it finds you
• Canine Sports: Entles can excel at obedience or agility trials, flyball, and other events
• Hiking: Excellent bonding activity

When indoors, give your Entle access to balls or toys, as these will allow the dog to burn any excess energy. It's also good to have a regular exercise schedule for the dog, such as walks, jogs, or bike rides after breakfast and dinner and playtime in the afternoon.

In terms of overall maintenance, these dogs need moderate care. Entlebucher Mountain Dog shedding is pretty frequent--but drooling isn't an issue.

Entles have short-haired, thick, double-layered coats that shed a good bit all year long, and a little more heavily during the spring shedding season. Owners can brush their Entles 2-3 times per week with a rubber curry brush to help reduce the shedding, and hair cleanup--vacuuming the floors, and lint rollers on clothes and furniture--will be necessary pretty regularly. (Brushing and cleanup will obviously be required even more often during the spring shedding season.)

These dogs almost never drool, though. If your Entlebucher Mountain Dog is drooling excessively, that may be a sign of a medical issue, in which case a veterinarian's care is needed.