A new addition to our family

Yesterday we had our first opportunity to meet a new addition to our family – a gorgeous puppy. And I have a portrait to share with you – the first of many I suspect as I chart the progress of this adorable animal from cuddly puppy to full grown dog. This is an Entlebucher – a breed many of you will probably never have heard of. It’s not easy photographing a puppy, they don’t stay still for long. Constantly inquisitive, they advance on the camera determined to give it a good lick!

Sadly, this is not my dog. It belongs to our daughter and her partner who have, in the last few days, taken ownership of this 8 week old Entlebucher puppy, to be called Bertie.

This is a rare breed dog, the smallest of the four breeds of Swiss Mountain Dogs. The breed’s primary use in the past was for herding cattle, but that role has diminished rapidly with changes in farming practice. And sadly the breed numbers decreased significantly in tandem with those changes, putting the survival of the breed at risk.  Thankfully breeding programmes are now in existence to help restore the numbers.

As all members of our family are lovers of Switzerland it feels rather special to have now a particular attachment to something genuinely Swiss.

Entlebuchers are described as sociable, loyal animals developing strong links with their owners. They also have bags of energy. Their owners are likely to tire before they do! I now have an extra reason for keeping fit: I might even be invited to do some mountain walking with Bertie when he grows up, but by the sound of it I might have some difficulty keeping up with him.