Strong herding instinct stems from the historical purpose of the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.
Though bred to function as a draft dog, the Swissy was truly multi-purpose and was also used to manage livestock (primarily dairy cattle) in the mountains of their native Switzerland. Swissies demonstrate these abilities through herding trials with various types of livestock.
Herding and the GSMD by the GSMDCA Herding Committee
American Kennel Club Titles
Herding Tested (HT)
Pre-Trial Tested (PT)
Herding Started (HS)
Herding Intermediate (HI)
Herding Advanced (HXA)
Herding Excellent (HX)
American Herding Breed Association Titles
Herding Trial Dog (HTD)
Herding Ranch Dog (HRD)
Ranch Large Flock (RLF)
Herding Trial Arena Dog (HTAD)
Herding Capability Test (HCT)
Junior Herd Dog (JHD)
Australian Shepherd Club of America, Inc.
Started Trial Dog (STD)
Open Trial Dog (OTD)
Advanced Trial Dog (ATD)
Post Advanced Trial Dog (PATD)
Ranch Trial Dog (RTD)
Farm Trial Dog (FTD)
HIGHLY ACCOMPLISHED HERDING GSMDs
- WTCH CH SunHaven's Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl CD RA CGCA NJP HSAsc HIAs TN-N DD NBDD WPDX HTADIIIs HTADIge HRDIs ATDsdc VGS "Linus"
- IntCH Seneca's Gypsy Boots CD BN RA CGC TKN NDD NWPD HTADIIIsd HTADIIsd HTADIsd HTDIId HTDIsd HRDIs JHD VGS "Gypsy Boots"
- CH Petra of Whispering Pine HSAdsc HXAsM WTD championship HRDIs HRDIIs HRDIIIs HTADIc HTADIIc JHDs RLFIs "Petra"
- CH Lone Star's Ace HRDIs HTDIs UD PT OA OAP OAJ DD VGSX "Ace"
- GCH Seneca's Day Tripper NWPD JHD HTADIs HTADIIs HTDIs HTADIIIs "Cutter"
- CH Frecajo's Ace of Base CD RA CGC WWD WPD JHD DD BDD HSAds STDds VGS "Fender"
- BISS IntCH GCHG RamsGate's Full Moon Rising JHD HTADIs HTADII HTADIIIs HTDIs "Luna"
- WTCH CH Breezy Ridge Notorious CGC PT HRDI-ge,s HTADI-t,c RLF-t ATDdsc HTADIII-d,ge,g HXAd NDD CD VGS “Hitch”
- HTCH WTCH WTCH-M FTCH CH Shamrock Practice What You Preach TKA RA HXAc HXAsM HXAdM HXDs HTADIIIsgec AFTD-Xsmcd ATDsdc ATD-Msdc ATD-Xd RTDcs PATDs DD "Bulleit"
- Oaswis Elmer Fudd HT PT HSAd STDd HTADIId "Elmer"
- MBISS GCHP Trout Creek's Written Onna Star JHD HTADIs WPD TKA VHMA CGCU CGCA RI BN ATT FDC ROM "Nash"
- GCHB Seneca's Ivy Incident at Prism CD BN RE PT HSADs MDD NBDD CGC TKA RATS VHMA VGS "Helix"
- Sunstone's Everest RN PT CGC HRDIs HTADIs "Max"
- GCH Pine Grove's The Man You Need CD RM CGCA CGCU RATI NWPD MDD HCT PT HSAs VGS "Collins"
- Aegis Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes CGC JHD-d,s HSAd OTDsc HTADI-g HRDI-ge HTADIII-d CD “Fendi”
- CH Prism's Constellation of Starlings TKI VHMP CGCA RATN BN FDC NWPD ACT1J RA DD PT HSAd CD VGS "Myna"
- CH Aegis Lions for Lambs CGC JHD-g HTADI-g,ge HSAd HTADII-d STDsc OTDd “Bob”
- Fireside's Putting The F In U-F CDX BN RM HSAs FDC DN CGC TKA MDD VGSX "Fletcher"