It seems a truism to us that while whales, gorillas, and dolphins captivated modern researchers, the ubiquity of dogs led to their oversight in early scientific study. It was not until the 19th century that more individuals, especially outside England, began documenting dog breeds. One such figure was Friedrich von Tschudi.

Friedrich was born in 1820 in Glarus, Switzerland, into a prominent patrician family known for its intellectual legacy, and Friedrich did not disappoint. He had developed a fascination with the Swiss Alps’ flora and fauna, and his studies, likely grounded in natural sciences, were shaped by the 19th-century rise of scientific naturalism, which emphasized empirical observation and classification of species.

At age 33, he published Tierleben der Alpenwelt (Animal Life in the Alps), a richly illustrated account of the region’s wildlife and ecological relationships. Of special note is his description of a “high-pitched barking, short-haired, medium-size, multicolored cattle dog of quite even Spitz type,” believed to be the first scientific record of the Appenzeller Sennenhund. Though brief, this passage has become foundational, cited by authoritative bodies such as the AKC, Canadian Kennel Club, and FCI in their breed standards, underscoring Tschudi’s lasting influence on formalizing recognition of one of Switzerland’s iconic working dogs.

Beyond this, Tschudi’s extensive explorations spanning South America and Europe established him as a key figure in 19th-century natural history. He blended verifiable observation with the century’s expanding drive toward scientific classification and cultural documentation, work that reflected an important transition from informal familiarity with dogs to actual scientific interest in their breeds and roles. Dog lovers today owe a debt to pioneers like Tschudi, who, 172 years ago, first recorded the existence and significance of breeds such as the Appenzeller Sennenhund.

Image of an Appenzeller Sennenhund by cynoclub/iStock