Their natural intelligence and tireless willingness to cooperate make them very teachable. They love movement, activities such as dogdancing, flyball, agility, and various games. They are able to learn a lot with quality training. The Appenzeller loves long walks and needs physical activity, it rarely gets tired. It’s not suitable for people, who will not have the time required for training. Although a house with a garden is ideal, an Appenzeller can live in a flat or an apartment, but only with an owner, who has enough time for walks.
The Appenzeller is a bot willful and headstrong. It often acts on its own, but that can be suppressed with thorough training. It is absolutely needed to give this breed enough attention and training, otherwise the dog might redirect its energy towards inappropriate behavior. Its huge potential and unique abilities need to be supported and developed – the dog cannot be left without any training at all. You also shouldn’t underestimate the dog’s social life from early age. Appenzellers need to come into contact with people often, because otherwise they will become distrustful when they get older, especially with strangers. The more the dog experiences at a young age, the simpler things will be for you in the future.
