Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Barbet - Breed Comparison

Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Barbet - Breed ComparisonBarbet is originated from France but Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is originated from Switzerland. Barbet may grow 6 cm / 2 inches shorter than Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Barbet may weigh 42 kg / 92 pounds lesser than Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Barbet may live 3 years more than Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Barbet may have less litter size than Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Both Barbet and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog requires Moderate Maintenance.

Basic Information

Group:
Gun dog
Working dog
undefined
France
Switzerland
Height Male:
57 - 66 cm
22 - 26 inches
65 - 72 cm
25 - 29 inches
Height Female:
52 - 62 cm
20 - 25 inches
60 - 70 cm
23 - 28 inches
Weight Male:
17 - 28 kg
37 - 62 pounds
60 - 70 kg
132 - 155 pounds
Weight Female:
14 - 28 kg
30 - 62 pounds
55 - 70 kg
121 - 155 pounds
Life Span:
13 - 15 Years
10 - 12 Years
Litter Size:
4 - 6
5 - 10
Size:
Medium
Large
Other Names:
French Water Dog
GSMD, Swissy, Sennenhund
Colors Available:
brown, grey, white, fawn or black
Black, white and rust
Coat:
longish, dense and curly
Short and straight to medium length, coarse and wavy
Shedding:
Moderate
Moderate, Seasonal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Responsive, Social, Sweet
Affectionate, Alert, Cheerful, Courageous, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Protective, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Moderate Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
Yes
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

barbetThe Barbet is an ancient European waterdog, with the first references to it coming way back from 1387. This breed is thought to serve as a common ancestor for several other waterdogs, and these include the poodle. The breed was used to retrieve water fowl from water, and today it is used as a gundog and as a companion.

The name ‘Barbet’ comes from the French word for beard, which is ‘barbe’. The Kennel Club has announced that this dog is to be described as being in a class of its own, and it has become the 220th pedigree breed.

greater swiss mountain dogHailing 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.

Description

barbet puppy - descriptionThe Barbet is a medium-sized breed of French water dog, measuring anything between 52–66cm in height. The dog is known for his thick, curly textured coat and even the head and tail are covered with this dense hair. His coat is waterproof.

The coat can vary in color and these colors can be brown, grey, white, fawn or black. The dog isn’t a heavy shedder. The Barbet’s tail is long and somewhat raised but not erect. He has long, wide pendant ears set at eye height, the skull is broad and the neck short and strong.

A Kindly Expression

With his kind brown eyes, it simply adds to the kindly expression of this attractive gun dog. He is a friendly, fun-loving dog, and makes a great family pet. He loves to swim and in fact has webbed paws to assist him with his swimming. Some dog owners say that this intelligent active breed can be a great watchdog, while others say the being a guard dog isn’t a particularly strong characteristic.

greater swiss mountain dog puppy - descriptionSwissies, 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.

Characteristics

barbet dog - characteristicsMost Barbets do superbly well with children and are naturally gentle with them. It is always important to teach children to respect animals and to be kind towards them. Even a gentle dog like the Barbet can turn aggressive if taunted beyond their endurance.

Barbets are social, good mixers and they get on well with other pets in the family, more so when they have been properly socialized. As a Sporting breed, the Barbet is energetic and loves to be involved in games and activities. He is such a versatile dog – gentle and friendly and he makes a wonderful devoted pet. Of course, he is also suited for use as a working dog, after all this breed was originally used for hunting waterfowl.

Treat him well and the thanks you’ll get will is unconditional friendship and loyalty.

greater swiss mountain dog dog - characteristicsThe 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.

Health Problems

barbet puppies - health problemsThe Barbet is a rare breed and therefore not much is known about particular health issues affecting him. Some health issues that you will need to be alert about with your Barbet are ear infections, hernias and hip dysplasia.

A veterinarian should be consulted if your dog shows signs of these ailments. The risk of a Barbet developing any health condition can always be significantly reduced by making sure you buy your Barbet from a reputable breeder. If he is fed well and taken to the vet when he does get sick, he can live to be 13 to 15 years of age.

greater swiss mountain dog puppies - health problemsThe 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.

Caring The Pet

Grooming

barbet dogs - caringThe Barbet’s coat is longish and curly, much like a poodle, and long, wooly coat This being the case, moderate maintenance is required. Brushing and grooming twice a week will be necessary to keep the coat from matting too much. In fact, some Barbet owners prefer to keep their Barbets professionally groomed so that the thick hair is fairly short all over.

The dog’s ears will also need to be kept clean and dry.

Food/Diet

If your Barbet is a farm dog, used for hunting or working purposes, make sure to buy dog food formulated for active dogs. Your Barbet puppy up to the age of 3 months will require 4 meals a day. When your Barbet reaches a year of age he can be fed one or two bowls of food. Speak to your veterinarian about top-quality wet- and dry foods. Every dog will require raw meat added into their food once in a while.

Make sure there is a constant supply of cool, fresh water and also wash his food and water bowls regularly.

Training

The Barbet is an intelligent breed and therefore trainable. Dog owners who care for their pets, see to it that they are trained and have been socialized. This makes dogs much nicer to live with as they get on well with children and other pets and they don’t bark incessantly.

Exercise

The Barbet is a working breed so you can’t just leave him in your back garden day after day. To stay healthy and happy, he will need to be played with, taken for walks and exercised regularly.

Diet:

greater swiss mountain dog dogs - caringThe 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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  2. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  3. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  4. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  5. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  6. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  7. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  8. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  9. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  10. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  11. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  12. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  13. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  14. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  15. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  16. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  17. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  18. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  19. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  20. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  21. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  22. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  23. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  24. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  25. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison
  26. Barbet vs English Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  27. Barbet vs German Shepherd - Breed Comparison
  28. Barbet vs Golden Retriever - Breed Comparison
  29. Barbet vs Labrador Retriever - Breed Comparison
  30. Barbet vs West Highland White Terrier - Breed Comparison
  31. Barbet vs French Bulldog - Breed Comparison
  32. Barbet vs Beagle - Breed Comparison
  33. Barbet vs Yorkshire Terrier - Breed Comparison
  34. Barbet vs Poodle - Breed Comparison
  35. Barbet vs Rottweiler - Breed Comparison
  36. Barbet vs Boxer - Breed Comparison
  37. Barbet vs English Pointer - Breed Comparison
  38. Barbet vs Siberian Husky - Breed Comparison
  39. Barbet vs Doberman Pinscher - Breed Comparison
  40. Barbet vs American Bully - Breed Comparison
  41. Barbet vs Abruzzenhund - Breed Comparison
  42. Barbet vs Affenpinscher - Breed Comparison
  43. Barbet vs Afghan Hound - Breed Comparison
  44. Barbet vs Aidi - Breed Comparison
  45. Barbet vs Airedale Terrier - Breed Comparison
  46. Barbet vs Akbash Dog - Breed Comparison
  47. Barbet vs Akita - Breed Comparison
  48. Barbet vs Africanis - Breed Comparison
  49. Barbet vs Askal - Breed Comparison
  50. Barbet vs Atlas Terrier - Breed Comparison