If you’ve taken a stroll around Flying Horse lately, you might have crossed paths with one of the community’s most cherished furry friends —Piz Palü, the 7 ½-year-old Greater Swiss Mountain Dog that residences with Wes and Jennifer Phillips. Known for his gentle demeanor and love for people, Palü is more than just a pet; he’s a neighborhood favorite who’s made quite an impression since moving to Colorado.

Named after the stunning Piz Palü peak in the Swiss Alps, this big guy carries a name as grand as his presence. “We can’t imagine our lives without him,” says Jennifer, his devoted owner. “He believes he’s our favorite out of the three Swissys we’ve had over the last 20 years.”

Palü’s journey to Flying Horse has been as unique as he is. Raised in an office at Bothell City Hall in Washington, Palü was the unofficial Chief Morale Officer. “Every time the elevator pinged, he’d get ready for a visit. People would call out ‘Paaaluuuu!’ and he’d get so excited to make their day a little brighter,” Jennifer reminisces. His mornings started with greeting the front desk staff, then making his rounds to the Police Station and Fire Headquarters, where he was always met with happy pets and hellos.

But it’s not just his past that makes Palü special. In Flying Horse, he’s known for his friendly greetings during his daily walks. Jennifer shares, “The community is so dog-friendly, and everyone is so nice. He visits all his dog friends along the way, which makes the walks that much more fun.”

Palü isn’t just a local traveler, either. This well-traveled pup has road-tripped through California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Utah, Canada, and even made international trips to Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and — his personal favorite — Switzerland. “Traveling with Palü is like being with a movie star,” Jennifer laughs. “People constantly stop to ask about him. Most think he’s a Bernese Mountain Dog with a haircut, but we get to explain he’s a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog—a rare breed and the largest of the four Swiss Mountain Dog breeds.”

Owning a Swissy like Palü comes with its challenges, though. The family notes, “Swissys are willful and take a strong Alpha leader in the family to train them. Even with several training classes, if they don’t want to do something, making a 120-pound dog do it is highly unlikely.”

Despite the challenges, the rewards are clear. Palü has not only enriched the lives of the Phillips family but has also become a beloved part of the Flying Horse community. He’s known to brighten the mornings of neighbors like Frank, who never misses a chance to greet him.

For anyone considering adding a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog to their family, Jennifer and Wes offer some advice: “Training classes are a must, and lots of socialization is needed when they’re puppies. Swissys are inherently shy and need to get out and meet people and experience lots of different noises and environments, otherwise they can be reserved and overprotective. And remember, they’re expensive to feed!”