Gull Dong vs Entlebucher Mountain Dog - Breed Comparison

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is the smallest of the Swiss Mountain Dogs, but he is still a powerful dog used to herd cattle. The four breeds are the Bernese Mountain Dog, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, the Appenzeller Mountain Dog and the Entlebucher. It was though that these dogs came to Switzerland with the Romans over 2 centuries ago. The Entlebucher was put to work guarding and herding sheep, pulling carts and flocking cattle. Toward the end of the 19th century the breed was on the edge of extinction because many were breeding them with German Shepherds. So, Franz Schertenleib, in 1889 brought all the existing Entlebuchers together and bred them. He is credited with keeping the breed alive.

It is believed that the breed comes originally from a valley in the District of Cantons Lucerne and Berne, called Entlebuch. They were considered the same breed as the Appenzell Cattle Dog until 1913 when they were classified as a Mountain Dog – the fourth breed of Mountain Dog. The AKC did not recognize the breed until 2011.

The Gull Dong dog is thought to come from British Colonial India during the 1900's. The area later became known as Pakistan, and this is where the dog originated from.

Known also as the Bully Gull Terr, the dog came about by crossing Bully Kutta (Pakistani Mastiff) with a pure bred Gull Terr. The breeders wanted a dog that had the best features and characteristics of both the 2 dog breeds.

They were looking for particular characteristics such as size, strength and speed. This is a rare dog breed and he isn’t associated with any kennels or clubs, so not many records have been kept regarding their origin and development.

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The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a muscular, compact, and medium sized dog. Their heads are square, and the skull is flat. He has dark eyes that are alert and expressive in a friendly way. Their ears are triangular and hang on the side of his head. With compact feet, a muscular body and well angled hocks, he is a good looking dog and ready for his jobs.

His coat is striking, and it is familiar in its closeness to the other Mountain Dogs coats. Yet he has some distinctive differences that tell you this is not a Bernese or a Swiss, it is an Entlebucher.

The deep chested Gull Dong is a large dog and stands at 76 – 106cm in height and weighs in the region of 40 – 63kg.

He has a short, smooth coat in various colors such as white, grey, black, brindle or bi-color such as white with black spots. He is a muscular, powerful breed dog and his ears are mostly cropped, but when left they are short and floppy. His tail can be docked but these days it tends to be left long. He has a huge head, and similar to bulldogs, this mastiff dog has loose skin around the jaw and neck.

Temperament:

This is a strong-willed dog who is also intelligent. Just his sheer size will require that you have him trained and socialized. It is actually important to train and discipline this dog as he is strong willed. He is intelligent and learns easily.

After training, he will require a strong, firm and consistent owner. He is fairly suspicious of strangers and won't take kindly to anyone who tries to come onto his properly. He is a dominant, aggressive dog and while he is a loyal, loving pet with his human family, he isn't an ideal dog to have with small children in the home.

The Entle is a happy, clever dog that needs a job. They are intelligent and physical. They love people and throw themselves at you when they see you. They are loving and loyal but again he has to have a job.

He makes a great watchdog, therapy dog or companion for your children. He only barks when he has to but is wary of strangers and he is territorial.

This is a powerful, intelligent dog and with training and socialization he is capable of becoming a loving, protective pet who listens to you.

He does tend to be aggressive and therefore people who are buying a dog for the first time might battle with the characteristics of this dog. He will certainly need a firm, strong, patient owner. He isn't the wisest choice for when you've got small children in the house, though well trained dogs and children are able to get along well together.

When your heavy, muscular Gull Dong is handled in a firm, kind manner, he is well exercised and fed and treated firmly and kindly, he is able to make a great, loyal companion.

The Entlebucher is prone to:

Hip Dysplasia

Common to large dogs. Can cause lameness and arthritis.

Hemolytic Anemia

The immune system destroys its own blood cells.

PRA – Progressive Retinal Atrophy

This is inherited and causes degeneration of the retina. There is new medication for this.

The Gull is a fairly healthy dog, and with good care he can reach 10, 11 or 12 years of age.

Deafness:

If you choose to own a white one, you will know that he is susceptible to deafness and skin problems. White coated dogs battle with deafness, and the reason for this is that they carry the piebald gene. The piebald gene is a result of the absence of melanocytes – those cells which create pigment.

The ability to hear comes from a layer of cells within the inner ear which come from the same stem cell source. Without this stem cell, the dog isn't able to make this specialized layer of hearing cells.

Hip Dysplasia:

With hip dysplasia, the head of the thigh bone doesn’t fit properly into the hip socket, resulting in the bone wearing away and arthritis settling in. Your dog can experience pain and stiffness and he can become lame. You'll notice he is no longer enthusiastic to join in with games and exercise.

Hip dysplasia can be managed with medication while some dog owners, if they can afford it, turn to surgery which can be very costly.

Bloat:

He is a deep chested dog and this means you need to be aware of the risks associated with bloat, an emergency gastrointestinal syndrome which can be life threatening and where your dogs stomach becomes hard and bloated.

Feeding

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is a large working dog. He needs good solid food, but he doesn’t need to be overfed. Give him about 2-3 cups per day fed in 2-3 meals. Be careful of Bloat in the large dog.

Health issues

The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is prone to these issues as well as those mentioned earlier.

1. Entlebucher Urinary Syndrome
2. The Ureter is misplaced.
3. Luxating Patellas
4. Movable kneecaps
5. Exercise and games

Entlebucher Mountain Dogs love to play, to work and to exercise. They are great with people who want to walk them every day, run with them, ride bikes or hike. They can play for hours or work for hours. They need a lot of activity every day and excel at tracking, obedience, herding and agility.

Exercise:

Plenty of room to run around in is important for the Gull Dong as he is a working breed who is used to having a job to do. You will certainly need to take him on walks or play rope- and ball games with him.

Grooming:

The Gull will require brushing twice a week as he is a short haired dog and an average shedder.

Diet:

This is a large energetic dog and you will need to feed him a high quality food specially for large, energetic dogs. He needs his full quota of minerals and vitamins in his food. Provide him with homemade food such as cooked chicken, rice and vegetables and some raw meat from time to time. Never leave him without a constant supply of fresh, cool drinking water.