It’s hard to get past the eyes of a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Its breed standard describes breed expression as “animated and gentle. We describe it as the “we’re in love with this dog” effect. We don’t know how breed owners avoid succumbing to every whim of their dog. Side of beef? Sure, which part? Play until sundown? Why not? I can have that job interview another time. A taste of the Jimmy Choo Tropica Knotted Leather Flat Sandals that cost $495 but I got them on sale? Ummmmmmmmmm. Ok, but just a lick.
There are other things going on with a Swissy’s face, however, that are interesting landmarks (read: good places to plant a kiss): White markings on the head and muzzle are typical of the breed, and each is called a “blaze.” A blaze can be thin or wide, and both are acceptable, but symmetry is desired. The blaze can run over the top of the dog’s head and meet with a white patch or neck collar, or it can just barely make it to the stop. A blaze is a nature’s way of setting off the breed’s sweet expression.
Over the top of each eye is a rust spot, and like other breeds that have a similar marking, many people call this a “thumb print.”
It is important that the top of a Swissy’s ear be level with the top of his skull. Set too high and the dog looks perpetually surprised. Set too low, and in our view, the dog looks “houndy.” Add pendulous lips to low set ears, and the dog looks really houndy.
Another aspect that makes a difference in Swissy expression is the dog’s muzzle. It’s big. It’s blunt. It’s straight. What it isn’t is pointed. Put your thumb over the muzzle of the dog in this photo and try to imagine it with a pointy nose. Different dog, right? As the breed study handout writes, “The head of a GSMD should not resemble that of a Collie, Rottweiler, Hound or St. Bernard.”
The aforementioned traits are, we believe, critical elements of breed type, and type, as we all know, is what makes a Swissy look like a Swissy and not a Appenzeller Sennenhund which has it own set of breed type traits.