Variety:
Apencelio zenenhund
Country of origin:
Switzerland
Purpose:
Domestic dog, watchdog
Colours:
Black or brown, with bright white and yellowish-brown patches on cheeks, chest, legs, above eyes
Character
Calm, strong, energetic, confident, alert, fearless, attentive, affectionate, playful, intelligent, loyal
Height:
50-56 cm
Weight:
26-32 kg
Longevity:
11-12 years
Other names:
Appenzeller Sennenhund
Hypoallergenic:
No
Litter size: About 4 puppies
Appenzeller, like Entlebuch’s Sennenhund, is also known as a small Sennenhund – of the four types of Swiss Sennenhund, these are the smallest. The Apenzel Zennhund is usually chosen as a family dog, which delights with its playfulness and loyalty. the breed was bred to protect pastures – in Switzerland they still do so to this day. Strangers are not trusted by Apenzel’s Zennenshunds, so these dogs can be excellent guardians. Of course, it is important that the pet is brought up properly from a young age. The breed is often involved in various dog sports, which, we must agree, they do really well.
History of the breed
The Appenzell Zennhund was first mentioned quite late – in a book about an Alpine farm published in 1853. Here, the Appenzell Zennenshund is described as a medium-sized dog with a clear voice and a short coat of several colours. It is thought that this breed of dog existed much earlier, but no sources have recorded this. In 1895, the population of Appenzell’s Zennenshunds had declined considerably and Max Ziber, one of the breed’s most prominent promoters, appealed to the Swiss Society of Cynology to protect the breed. Three years after the request was made, the cantonal authorities of Saint-Galens granted the sum of 400 Swiss francs for the breeding of the Apenzel Zennenshund. At that time, a commission was set up to determine the characteristics of the breed. Professor Albert Heim, who founded the Appenzell Zennhund Club in 1906, also contributed greatly to the popularisation of the breed. At that time, all dogs of this breed had to be registered in the “Apenzell Dog Breed Book”. In 1914, Prof. Albert Heim presented the official standard for this dog breed. Although at that time the breeding of Apenzell Zennenshunds was limited to the Apenzell region, today the breed is widespread throughout the world. In Lithuania, however, Apencell Zennenshunds are still a rarity.
Apenzell Zennhund: Appearance
The Appenzie Zenhenhund is a medium-sized dog. Males are 52-56 cm tall at the withers, while females are slightly shorter – their height can range from 50 to 54 cm. The skull of Appenzell’s Zennenshunds is rather flat, with the widest area – between the ears. The muzzle is evenly tapering, the lips are close-set, as is the nose, and should be dark in colour (black in black dogs – black, brown in brown – brown). Eyes rather small, almond-shaped, preferably dark in colour. Ears are rather high set, drooping, close to the cheeks. Neck short and strong. Tail of medium length, high set. Coat short, glossy, close-fitting. The undercoat is thick and soft and may be black, brown or grey (the undercoat must not show). The main coat colour is black or brown, with bright white and yellowish-brown patches on the cheeks, chest, legs and above the eyes.
Apencell’s Zennhund: Character
The Appenzie Zennhund – a very energetic dog that needs constant activity. It is important to discourage the dog’s shedding habit from an early age, as eventually neighbours may start to complain. To prevent this from happening, it is recommended to start training as early as possible. If properly trained, Apenzell Zennenshunds can become excellent sporting dogs! This breed is very trainable and can become a service dog.