Appenzell Cattle Dog

Present day types

Appenzell Cattle Dog (Appenzeller Sennenhund) FCI-Standard No 46

Origin:
Switzerland

Date of Publication of the valid Original Standard:
April 12, 1993

Utilization:
Driving, watch, guard, house and farm dog. Today also a versatile working and family dog.

Brief historical summary

In 1853 an "Appenzeller Sennenhund" was first described in the book "Tierleben der Alpenwelt" (Animal Life in the Alps) as "a clearly barking, short haired, medium size, multicolour cattle dog of a quite even "Spitz type", which can be found in certain regions and is used partly to guard the homestead, partly to herd cattle". In 1989 the "Appenzeller Sennenhund" was designated a separate breed. The first breed standard was confirmed with the collaboration of the breed's great promoter, head forester Max Si ber and the breed was introduced with eight dogs at the first International Dog Show held in Winterthur. Thanks to the instigation of Professor Albert Heim, who was greatly concerned with Swiss Cattle Dogs and with them the "Appenzeller", the "Appenzeller Sennenhund Club" was founded in 1906. Its purpose was to preserve and promote the breed in its natural state. With the compulsory registration of puppies in the "Appenzeller Dog Stud Book", the aim of pure breeding was begun.
The original breeding territory was the Appenzell region. Today the breed is distributed all over Switzerland and beyond its borders and bred in many European countries. The notion "Appenzeller Sennenhund" is clearly outlined nowadays and the breed, as such, quite distinct from other Swiss Cattle Dogs. Although the "Appenzeller Sennenhund" has found many admirers, the breeding stock is still very small. It is only by responsible and careful breeding that it will be possible to establish and consolidate its natural and outstanding hereditary qualities.

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Historical pictures (View more historical pictures...)

The official standard for the Appenzell Cattle Dog may be downloaded at the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) web site . Go to «Standards and Nomenclature», then to group 2, section 3.

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