Treeing Tennessee Brindle 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.

There doesn’t seem to be 100% clarity on how the dog came about but it originated in USA. It appears as though it was only since 1995 that records have been maintained through the American Kennel Club's Foundation Stock Service Program.

A Reverend Earl Phillips, who was a writer for a hunting magazine became aware of a Brindle Cur with a brown coat and tiger stripes. In fact ‘treeing’ is a type of hunting, where the dog chases an animal into a tree to escape. He heard about the dog’s amazing hunting skills.

In the early 1960s, he later formed The Treeing Tennessee Brindle Breeders Association, designed to protect the breed. It was in 2013 that the dog got foundation stock status with the American Kennel Club, but isn’t registered with the American Kennel Club.

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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 Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a medium sized, deep chested breed of Cur, descending from the Old Brindle Cur dog.

These strong dogs have a short, smooth brindle coat that is fairly soft to the touch. The coat's color is a mix of tan, black and a little bit of white.

He stands at between 41 and 61cm in height and weighs between 14 and 23kg both male and female. The Treeing Tennessee Brindle has a loud bark and it is best that this dog lives on a farm or in the suburbs as opposed to living in a small space in the city.

Temperament:

The Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a friendly, social dog and this is why he doesn’t make a particularly good watchdog.

He gets on well with children in the home as well as other dogs, not showing any aggression towards them.

They’re intelligent dogs and it will be a good idea to have them trained and socialized to make them well balanced and well behaved.

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 brindle-colored cur dog is brave, intelligent and lively and his temperament allows him to be a good companion for his human family.

Even though they are friendly around strangers, they still make good watchdogs and will alert you to all kinds of visitors to your property. They do best in a home with large grounds and an active family where they can explore and sniff around. At the end of the day, they love to lie contentedly at your feet, a loyal, loving 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 Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a robust, healthy breed. You’re not likely to battle with too many health issues with him.

Watch out for ear infections which are more common in floppy eared dogs. Other common dog diseases that you need to know about -

Canine Distemper:

This is a viral disease which is highly contagious and with no known cure. It’s why there is a vaccine against it. Coughing, lethargy, high temperature and loss of appetite with vomiting are symptoms of this disease.

Canine Influenza:

This is another highly contagious respiratory viral infection transmitted between dogs in close proximity to each other, like in kennels for instance.

Symptoms include coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, breathing difficulties, lethargy and loss of appetite. It’s important to get veterinary assistance as pneumonia could set in.

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.

Grooming:

A brush once or twice a week will be sufficient for this dog. Look inside his ears for signs of redness which could indicate an ear infection. Make sure his eyes are still bright and not red and with a pus discharge. Trim his nails too.

Exercise:

The Treeing Tennessee Brindle is a high energy dog and he is going o want more than just a walk every day, although he will love that and rely on you for this daily outing.

He will also want ball games and hide and seek games.The breed needs an active owner who will take him on long walks and hikes.

Diet:

Whenever you opt to give a dog commercially manufactured dog food, you need to check that the dog food is made with high-quality ingredients which are mostly made up of protein or meat.

Certainly a puppy will need protein in his food for proper growth and he will require 4 bowls of food a day. An adult dog will require 2 bowls of food a day.

The type of commercial dog food you buy will depend on the age of your dog as well as his activity levels. If your dog has a known allergy or illness, there are dog foods manufactured with that in mind.

Try and in include some homemade food into his diet. Nothing spicey and exotic as this can cause stomach problems. A good guide is boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables.