Is the American Foxhound Better than the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog as a Pet? Our Answer.

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American Foxhound Versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog: Introduction

Are you thinking of getting a new pet dog, and you have narrowed down your choices to the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog? Well, you have come to the right place. Because in this article, we will provide you with a detailed comparison of these two dog breeds to help you decide which of the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog better suits you.

We will provide you a detailed discussion and comparison of dog attributes such as intelligence, price, general health, friendliness, etc, for both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

Furthermore, we will let you know which one of the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is better suited for new dog owners, for owners with kids, for owners that live in apartments, for owners with dog allergies, etc.

Importantly, we did some analysis and calculation and we obtained a number that we call the Better-Pet Score™ for both the American Foxhound and for the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. The dog breed with the higher Better-Pet score is the `better` pet. We hope that these Better-Pet Scores will provide you with more insight into deciding which pet to get between the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

Our only goal here is to help you make a well-thought-out decision on your next long-term companion, be it the American Foxhound or the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

American Foxhound versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog: Overview

A very important difference between the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is the size difference between the two dog breeds. The American Foxhound is a medium-sized dog while the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a giant-sized dog.

Furthermore, the American Foxhound belongs to the Hound Dogs group. Hound Dogs were bred to pursue and hunt warm-blooded animals. Hounds hunt by using their good sight or their good sense of smell. Dogs that belong to the Hound Group have strong prey drives and often will stop at nothing to catch what they are pursuing.

On the other hand, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog belongs to the Working Dogs group. Working Dogs were developed to assist humans in some capacity – including pulling sleds and carts, guarding flocks, guarding homes, and protecting their families. Breeds in the Working Group are known for their imposing stature, strength, intelligence, and fearless. Because of their size and strength, working dogs require a structured home life and firm, fair, consistent training by someone who can provide leadership without resorting to anger or physical force.

American Foxhound versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog: Comparison Table

The table below compares the American Foxhound to the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog based on different important factors such as Price, Health, Kid-friendliness, etc.

When a dog breed scores higher for a factor than the other dog breed, the box of the breed that scores higher is shaded green and the box of the breed that scores lower is shaded red. When there is no difference between the breeds for a particular factor then the box is shaded gray for both pets. Also, when the factor is not important in picking a pet, or when the factor cannot be compared between two pets, the box for the factor is shaded gray for both pets

Most of the factors in the table for each dog breed are ranked on a scale of 1 to 5. “1” means “worst”, and “5” means “best”.

However, some factors such as “Price”, “Average Lifespan”, etc. cannot be on a scale of 1 to 5, so they are not on a scale of 1 to 5 in the comparison table.

Later in this article, we will further explain each factor as it applies to the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

Factor American Foxhound Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Adapts Well To Apartment Living 1/5 1/5
Tolerates Being Alone 1/5 3/5
Does NOT Drool 5/5 5/5
Life Span 12 to 13 years 7 to 9 years
Good For Novice Owners 2/5 2/5
Easygoing 4/5 2/5
Easy To Train 2/5 3/5
Height 21 to 25 inches tall at the shoulder 23 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder
Does NOT Shed 3/5 3/5
Intelligence 3/5 3/5
Does NOT chew on things 3/5 3/5
Tolerates Cold Weather 4/5 5/5
Tolerates Hot Weather 4/5 1/5
Affectionate With Family 4/5 5/5
Friendly Toward Strangers 4/5 3/5
Low Prey Drive 2/5 2/5
Calmness/ Low Vigor 2/5 2/5
Weight 40 to 60 pounds 85 to 140 pounds
Kid-Friendly 5/5 5/5
Dog Friendly 5/5 5/5
Easy To Groom 5/5 5/5
General Health 5/5 2/5
Potential NOT to Gain Weight 1/5 2/5
Does NOT Bark or Howl 1/5 2/5
Tendency NOT to Wander 1/5 3/5
NOT Rambunctious 1/5 1/5
Minimal Exercise Needs 1/5 3/5
Potential For Playfulness 5/5 5/5
Average Lifespan 12.5 years 8.0 years
Average Price $460 $2650
Price Range $400 – $500 $2272 – $3500
Temperament Score 100.0 percent 82.8 percent
Common Health Problems and Recommended Health Tests No Data
  • Elbow Dysplasia
  • Eye Examination (Effective 7/1/15 the minimum eye exam age to qualify for CHIC is 18 months)
  • Hip Dysplasia
  • Shoulders
    		•

    Next, we added the scores of the factors that can be added together for the American Foxhound in the table (that is, `Ease of Grooming` score + `General Health` score + `Calmness` score + …etc) and we compared it to the corresponding total score for the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. We call these total scores the Better-Pet Scores, as we mentioned earlier. We called this score the Better-Pet score because the better dog breed will have a higher score. This is because the pet will the higher score will have minimal needs and be easier to have as a pet.

    The Better-Pet score for the American Foxhound is 74 out of 125 while the Better-Pet score for the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is 76 out of 125.

    Based on their Better-Pet scores, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is a better pet than the American Foxhound. So, you should get the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog!

    Although we have done our best to analyze these two dog breeds in a very unbiased way, however, we will like to let you know that there are some dog attributes that cannot be assigned a number for comparison. We cannot put a number on how cute a dog breed is, for example. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

    Also, the dog breed that best suits you will depend on your peculiar lifestyle, your taste, and your priorities, which we do not know. So, for you to decide on which breed is right for you, read through the rest of the article to further understand both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog so that you can make your own well-informed decision on which pet to get.

    The Most Remarkable Differences Between the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    Below is a list of where the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are most different:

    • American Foxhounds can tolerate hot weather. However, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.
    • American Foxhounds are very healthy. They do not suffer from a lot of health problems compared to other dog breeds However, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have the tendency to develop certain health problems.

    The Similarities Between the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    The American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are very similar in certain aspects. Below is the list of where the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are most similar:

    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog do not adapt well to apartment living.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog do not have the tendency to drool.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are not the best dogs for new dog owners.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are not easy to train.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog can tolerate cold weather.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are very friendly towards strangers.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog have a high prey drive. They do not get along well with other pets.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog do things with high intensity. They can be very forceful.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog get along well with other dogs.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are very easy to groom.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog gain weight easily. You need to pay careful attention to what you feed them.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog have very high energy levels. They need a lot of exercise time to release their high energy.
    • Both the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog are very playful.

    Size Comparison of American Foxhound versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    Now, let us discuss the difference in size between the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

    American Foxhounds weigh 40 to 60 pounds when fully grown. American Foxhounds are 21 to 25 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    On the other hand, Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs weigh 85 to 140 pounds when fully grown. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are 23 to 28 inches tall at the shoulder when fully grown.

    Lifespan of American Foxhound versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    The lifespan of American Foxhounds is between 12 to 13 years. The average lifespan of American Foxhounds is 12.5 years.

    The lifespan of Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs is between 7 to 9 years. The average lifespan of Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs is 8.0 years.

    American Foxhounds live longer than Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs.

    Temperament of the American Foxhound Versus the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    The American Foxhound has a better temperament than the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.

    This is because the temperament score for the American Foxhound is 100.0 percent while the temperament score for the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is 82.8 percent, according to the American Temperament Test Society (ATTS).

    The American Temperament Test Society (ATTS) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide fair and objective evaluations of the temperaments of dog breeds.

    Dog breeds with low temperament scores tend to show unprovoked aggression, they easily panic without quickly recovering from the panic, and they tend to avoid people. However, dog breeds with high temperament scores are not aggressive and are not shy. Also, these dogs are generally friendly and are protective of their owners.

    The average temperament score across all dog breeds (over 250 breeds) is 83.7 percent.

    With its temperament score of 100.0 percent, the American Foxhound has an above-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    With its temperament score of 82.8 percent, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog has a below-average temperament compared to other dog breeds.

    The ATTS obtained the temperament scores of the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog by measuring the temperaments of 2 American Foxhounds and 262 Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs.

    Price of American Foxhound versus Price of Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    The average price of the American Foxhound puppy is $460. The price of the American Foxhound typically ranges from $400 – $500. We obtained this price information by reviewing the prices of 11 American Foxhound puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The average price of the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppy is $2650. The price of the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog typically ranges from $2272 – $3500. We obtained this price information by collecting and reviewing the prices of 63 Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppies listed for sale from various sources.

    The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is more expensive than the American Foxhound.

    The charts below show the price distribution for the American Foxhound and Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. For different price points, the charts show how many American Foxhound puppies or how many Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppies are listed for sale at those price points.

    A breakdown of the prices of American Foxhounds. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of American Foxhounds. The typical price range is shaded Green.

    A breakdown of the prices of Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs

    A breakdown of the prices of Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs

    Note that a lot of factors determine how much you can expect to pay for the American Foxhound puppy or the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog puppy. This includes if health screening tests have been performed on the puppy, if the puppy is from a famous pedigree, the US State where the puppy is bred, etc.

    Nevertheless, when looking to buy a puppy, look at buying a puppy only from well-established breeders that breed puppies primarily for the love of dogs, and secondarily for profit. Do not buy a puppy from a puppy mill. Puppy mills mass-produce puppies in bad living conditions for maximum profit.

    You may also consider adopting a dog instead of buying a dog.

    Tolerates Being Alone: American Foxhound versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    American Foxhounds do not like to be left alone.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs can be left alone only for a short time.

    Do American Foxhounds shed more than Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs?

    American Foxhounds shed moderately.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs shed moderately.

    Which one drools more, the American Foxhound or the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    American Foxhounds do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs do have a very low tendency to drool.

    Which is Easier to Groom, the American Foxhound or the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog?

    American Foxhounds are very easy to groom.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are very easy to groom.

    Does the American Foxhound Have a Higher Prey Drive than the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog?

    American Foxhounds have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have a high prey drive. They have the tendency to chase after smaller animals and pets. They do not get along well with other pets.

    Do American Foxhounds Bark and Howl? What about Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs?

    American Foxhounds are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are highly vocal. They have the tendency to bark and howl.

    Can American Foxhounds Tolerate Cold Weather? And can Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs Tolerate Cold Weather?

    American Foxhounds can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs can very well tolerate cold weather.

    Wanderlust Potential: American Foxhound vs. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog

    American Foxhounds have a high tendency to wander. They are easily distracted by other animals or objects.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs have a moderate tendency to wander. This means that they sometimes get distracted by other animals or objects.

    Can American Foxhounds Tolerate Hot Weather? Can Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs Tolerate Hot Weather?

    American Foxhounds can tolerate hot weather.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs cannot tolerate hot weather. They are not suited for hot environments.

    Which Dog Breed is more Dog-Friendly, the American Foxhound or the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog?

    American Foxhounds get along very well with other dogs.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs get along very well with other dogs.

    Are American Foxhounds good family dogs? What about Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs?

    American Foxhounds are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are great family dogs. They are very affectionate with family.

    How Kid-friendly are American Foxhounds and Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs?

    American Foxhounds get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs get along well with kids. They are kid-friendly.

    Is the American Foxhound Easier to Train than the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog?

    American Foxhounds are not easy to train.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are fairly easy to train.

    Is the American Foxhound Better for Apartment Owners than the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog?

    American Foxhounds do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs do not adapt well to apartment living.

    Which is Better for New Dog Owners, the American Foxhound or the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog?

    American Foxhounds are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are not the best dogs for new dog owners.

    Conclusion: American Foxhound versus Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. Which One is a Better Pet?

    In summary, there is nothing like a better dog breed or a worse dog breed. The important question to ask is which dog breed better matches your interests and lifestyle. We hope our discussion above will help you in deciding which dog breed between the American Foxhound and the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog better suits you and your family.