All of the Sennenhund breeds are believed to be descended from large molossers brought to Switzerland by the Romans in the first century B.C. However, the Entlebucher was only described as a separate breed 1889, although for many years little distinction was made between the Appenzeller Sennenhund and the Entlebucher Sennenhund. In 1913, four bobtail Entlebucher Sennenhund were shown to Albert Heim, an advocate for the increasingly rare Sennenhund breeds. The breed was entered into the Swiss Kennel Club stud book, but World War I intervened, and at first after the war no examples of the breed could be found.
The first breed club was not formed until 1926, sixteen dogs of the type were found in 1927, and the breed slowly was restored. Although originally kept for guarding and herding, today the breed is usually kept as a lively companion.