Mainly bred for endurance and resilience, mountain dog breeds are well-suited for working in harsh environments. These dogs are mainly recognized for their formidable size and muscular build. They usually possess thick coats, which enable them to withstand extreme temperatures.
Most mountain dogs were bred as livestock guardians or for pulling carts. Their phyiscal and behavioral traits make them ideal for protecting flocks of sheep and cattle from furious predators like bears and wolves.
Mountain dog breeds are known for their unmatched stamina and incredible strength. They can be trained as loyal and loving family pets. These pooches also need regular exercise every day for physical and mental stimulation.
Have a look at 7 toughest mountain dog breeds.
Toughest Mountain Dog Breeds
1. Bernese Mountain Dog
One of the most popular mountain dog breeds, Bernese Mountain Dogs are calm and strong canines. Their strikingly beautiful, tricolored coat is moderately long and provides them adequate insulation against cold weather.
Berners are generally placid, but always up for a romp with their owner. They love to please their humans and are incredibly loyal to them. Their brain and brawn enabled them to multitask on the farms and pastures of Switzerland, explains the American Kennel Club.
Bernese Mountain dog gets on well with entire family, but are particularly good with children. They have an imposing size and maintain an aloof dignity with strangers. Berners are intelligent dogs who can be trained easily.
They need at least half an hour of moderate exercise every day for staying happy and healthy. Berners participate and excel in dog sports like agility, obedience, herding, and tracking.
2. Appenzeller Sennenhund
Also known as Appenzeller Mountain Dog or Appenzell Cattle Dog, Appenzeller Sennenhund lively and agile dogs. Their muscular bodies enable them to do well as driving, watch, guard, house, or farm dog. This medium-sized herding breed is suspicious of strangers.
Their high intelligence make them capable learners. Appenzellers Sennenhunds were used for pulling heavy carts which means they are quite strong. Their high energy levels and working roots mean they require ample amount of exercise every day for physical and mental stimulation.
Having an incredible speed, Appenzeller Sennenhunds need plenty of room to run. They for strong bonds with their people and have strong protective instincts. These territorial canines are quite high spirited and need a firm handler.
Due to their versatility and willingness, Appenzeller Sennenhunds excel at various canine sports including agility, obedience, and herding.
3. Caucasian Shepherd Dog
Caucasian Shepherd dog was originally bred as a livestock guardian and home protector. These fearless and bold canines have a long coat which provides them protection against cold weather. Their incredible endurance enable them to navigate tough terrains in mountainous regions.
Hailing from Caucasus mountain range, Caucasian Shepherd dogs make wonderful companions for walking and hiking. They have low energy levels and are better suited for families who like daily walks and have a large yard.
Caucasian Shepherds have a bold and independent nature, which means they are better suited for experienced handlers. Positive reinforcement methdos work best while training your Caucasian Shepherd.
They excel at activities like obedience training, agility, scent-work, fetch, and tug-of-war. Their double coat and large size mean they have plenty of fur, so grooming needs lots of time, explains PetMD.
4. Entlebucher Mountain Dog
Entlebucher Mountain Dogs are muscular and long-backed cattle drovers. This enthusiastic and smart pooch is the smallest and the fastest of the four Swiss mountain dog breeds. They needed speed for their primary job as a cattle drover.
They were also used as all-purpose farm dogs. Entlebuchers are intelligent and independent dogs, but highly devoted to their humans. They love to play and get along with children. These active dogs need plenty of exercise every day for physical and mental stimulation.
Their strong willed personalities can make training a bit challenging. Entlebuchers are surprisingly agile and quick dogs having a thick undercoat. They love having a job and boredom can lead to a destructive and unhappy pet. These loving canines need constant companionship.
Being alone for too long can make them vulnerable to separation anxiety. They are better suited for owners who live rurally and have an active lifestyle, explains Purina.
5. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Oldest of the four breeds hailing from Swiss mountains, these hardworking farm dogs were used as livestock guardians and herding dogs. They have a protective nature and tend to alert their owners when they sense the presence of a suspicious stranger near their property.
These devoted canines are family oriented and make faithful companions. This Swiss mountain dog breed is big and strong, but needs only moderate exercise for physical and mental enrichment. Taking them on a daily walk or hike is a great way to provide stimulation.
These dependable dogs will always get the job done, whatever the job is. Greater Swiss Mountain dogs make excellent guard dogs. Their thick double coat needs little grooming most of the year, explains WebMD.
These strong dogs have good endurance but are not built for long-lasting and fast-paced activities. Greater Swiss Mountain dogs make loyal and affectionate companions.
6. Tibetan Mastiff
Tibetan Mastiff is an ancient dog breed hailing from Tibet. Since they were bred to guard livestock, Tibetan Mastiffs possess natural protective instincts and make excellent guard dogs. They are aloof towards strangers and have a territorial nature.
Tibetan Mastiffs are calm during the day but more active at night. Their large size means they need lots of space to run. They are highly intelligent and learn quickly, but their strength and size demands an experienced hndler.
Despite their large size, they need moderate exercise for staying healthy and content. Recognized by their lion-like mane, Tibetan Mastiffs are incredibly loyal to their owners and form strong bonds with them. They need proper socialization and training to become well-bheaved pets.
These agile dogs are fast learners, but are strong-willed and can be stubborn at times. It makes them a less ideal choice for obedience competitions.
7. Newfoundland
Newfoundland dog is a strikingly large and powerful working dog of heavy bone and dignified bearing. Their size makes them look a bit intimidating, but they are quite sweet-natured dogs. Newfies have a strong affinity for kids.
Newfies are one of the biggest dog breeds in the world. They can do equally well on land and in water and are capable of navigating rugged mountainous terrains. Their powerful hind legs, webbed feet, and lung capacity make them excellent swimmers.
Despite being large dogs, Newfies are not overly energetic. They need only moderate exercise every day to stay happy and healthy. Newfies are outgoing and intelligent dogs whe need early training and socialization to turn into well behaved pets.
Conclusion
Toughest mountain dog breeds are known for their incredible stamina, unmatched endurance, and incredible strength. Their muscular bodies and physical prowess combined with their determination enable them to navigate rough terrains.
Most of them have thick double coats which provide protection against harsh elements. Many of them are large in size and make excellent watch dogs. Mountain dog breeds need regular exercise for physical and mental well being.
