Published Thursday, January 26, 2012, 1:15 PM
At this year's edition of the Westminster Kennel Club (WKC) Dog Show (February 13-14 at Madison Square Garden in New York City), six breeds will be making their debuts.
In other words, these breeds have been recognized by the American Kennel Club and thus made eligible for competition in conformation shows.
One of these breeds is the Entelbucher Mountain Dog.
Like Finnish Lapphunds, another debuting breed, Entelbucher Mountain Dogs are part of the Herding group. (The other six groups -- as people who diligently read what will be regular features about the WKC Show will soon know by heart -- are Hound, Toy, Working, Terrier, Sporting and Non-Sporing.)
According to the National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Association, the Entlebucher Mountain Dog, which is also known as the Entlebucher Sennenhund or Entlebucher Cattle Dog, is the smallest of the four Swiss Mountain Dogs. The others are the Appenzeller, the Bernese Mountain Dog, and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
According to the WKC: "Purpose and heritage have resulted in an unusually intense bonding between the Entlebucher and his master. Prized for his work ethic and ease of training, he can transform from a high-spirited playmate to a serious, self-assured dog of commanding presence. The Entlebucher should not be considered a breed for the casual owner. The guardian traits of this breed require thorough socialization, and he will remain an active, energetic dog for his entire lifetime."
As for the descent of these four breeds, they were bred from Molossus type dogs brought by the Romans as they passed through Helvetia over two thousand years ago.
The slideshow attached to this article will give a better visual-at-least sense of what these dogs are like.
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