JOTUNHEIM Great Swiss Mountain Dogs
Contact me
  • Home
    • Background and Breeding Philosophy
    • Jotunheim Family & Friends
    • News
  • Breed Information
    • So you think you want a Swissy?
    • GSMD Standards & Breed Education Links
    • Swissy Growth
    • Worthwhile Reading
    • Links
  • Health
  • My Swissies
    • Girls >
      • Doobie >
        • Doobie x Tazz Litter 2017 - Reefer Madness
        • Doobie x Titan Litter 2018 - Midsummer Nights Dream
      • Phatti >
        • Phatti x Bruno Litter 2021 (Phatti's Phoursome)
      • Luna >
        • Luna x Theo Litter (Pioneer Explorers)
        • Luna x Blaze Litter (Notable Writers)
      • Phranki
    • Boys
    • In Loving Memory >
      • Oola >
        • Oola x Bowie Litter 2010 - Great Painters
      • Frida >
        • Frida's Puppies >
          • Frida x Max Litter 2005 - Secular Holiday Songs >
            • Boo's Puppies
            • Klara x Sully Litter 2009 - Night On The Town
          • Frida x Cab Litter 2006 - Photographers
          • Frida x Bosley Singleton 2007 - The Explorer
          • Frida x Jagger Litter 2008 - Rolling Stones
          • Frida x Bowie Litter 2010 - Artesanal Chocolates
      • Mia >
        • Mia x Boo Litter 2011 - Cartoons
        • Mia x Hero Litter 2012 - My Heroes
      • Abbers
      • Rio >
        • Rio's Puppies >
          • Blaze
      • Cho >
        • Cho's Puppies
    • Jotunheim titled Swissies
    • Swissies over the years
  • Litter Information
    • The Costs of Swissy Ownership
    • Joining the Jotunheim Pack
    • Upcoming Breedings / Current Litters
    • Past Litters
    • Puppy Application

Growth and Maturity

Below you will find photos illustrating the growth and maturity of a GSMD Dog and Bitch.

Swissies vary in size and as per the Breed Standard, can range in height.


There are no weights defined in the standard but since the GSMD was bred for all purpose farm work,
 
including pulling  dairy carts and droving cattle.

Dogs and bitches should both have the substance and bonenecessary to perform such work.


A typical  Swissy should not appear "weedy" (light boned) or resemble a Sporting or Hound breed.

The Standard reads " the GSMD is a WORKING breed and should structurally appear as such".

We must remember it is a "Grosser Schweizer Sennenhund" which translated from the German

is "the largest of"  <the Sennenhunden>

Thus, the ideal Swissy should not be the size of a Labrador but typically the same size or larger than a Bernese Mtn Dog

It is important to remember that the GSMD like many other breeds in the WORKING Group, are MOLOSSERS

  believed to have descended from the Tibetan Mastiff.


​That being said, bigger is not always better.

Swissies should have good bone and substance but the well balanced dog of healthy body condition is always

preferable over a bigger dog who might be overweight or structurally unsound.

"Breed type"  is the combination of traits which make a dog recognizable as a particular breed.

​Thus a Swissy whose body profile looks more like a Smooth Collie,  hound or sporting dog, does not carry desirable  breed type. 

Though an important factor in overall soundness <in many breeds> , top line and  side gait alone do not  define breed type!  

Keep in mind that level top lines and fluid movement can be found on many dogs including mixed breeds .


The ideal GSMD should have level top line and balanced movement  along with all the other traits that make him recognizable as a

GREATER Swiss Mountain Dog.


 

Swissy Dogs

Picture
YOGI - 8 weeks
Picture
PHREDDI - 8 weeks
Picture
YOGI - 6 months
Picture
YOGI - 9 months
Picture
PHREDDIi - 8 mos
Picture
YOGI - 15 months
Picture
PHREDDI - 12 mos
Picture
YOGI - 2-1/2 yrs


 Swissy Bitches

Picture
OOLA - 5 weeks (11lbs)
Picture
PHATTI - 8 weeks
Picture
PHRANKI - 8 weeks
Picture
OOLA - 4 mos. (55 lbs)
Picture
PHATTI - 5 months
Picture
PHRANKI - 5 months
Picture
OOLA - 8 mos. (90 lbs)
Picture
PHATTI - 12 months
Picture
PHRANKI - 8 months
Picture
OOLA - 16 mos (103 lbs)
Picture
PHATTI - 17 months
Picture
PHRANKI - 12 months
Picture
OOLA - 22 mos (110 lbs)
Picture
PHATTI - 24 months
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES may photographs or content be copied, borrowed, used , reproduced or taken from this website 
without the owner's permission
COPYRIGHT - 2021 Jotunheim Great Swiss