Group

Mastiff, Working Dogs

Origin

The Leonberger was created in the 1840s in Leonberg, Germany by Heinrich Essing a German breeder. The idea was to create a dog that would look closely like the lion in the town crest. It is a cross between a Newfoundland, St Bernard, and Pyrenean Mountain dog. They may also have used an other breed to develop the colour the colour of the Leonberger. They became very popular dogs and many distinguished people owned them, including Empress Elizabeth of Austria, Napoleon II of France, the Prince of Wales. They were also imported to Russia in the 19th century. However during World War I & II they almost died out as it was too difficult for people to feed them when the food was running out. In 1945, the remaining Leonbergers were gathered and the breed re-established. Today the Leonberger is still relatively rare but it is gaining in popularity especially in Europe.

The Leonberger was mainly used for guarding livestock, obedience and tracking. The also are great water-rescue dog are used in Germany for search and rescue.

Description

The Leonbergers have a broad head with a square muzzle. They are large and majestic dogs with a characteristic black mask up to the eyes or above the eyes. Their nose and lips are both black.

Their teeth meet in a tight scissors bite and their skull is rather domed. Their brown eyes are medium sized and have a gentle, kind expression.

The ears are high set, hanging close to the head, wide, long and well feathered. They have a very strong and long neck. They have a waterproof coat in tawny to reddish-brown and may have black tipped hair on the outer coat. Some might have a small white star on the chest and a little white on the tip of the paws. The coat should be fairly long, relatively soft and slightly wavy, never curly, with a good undercoat. Their thick mane give them a lion-like expression.

Their front legs are straight and well boned, the back legs are strong and muscular. Both are feathered.

They have a bushy tail that is set low and the feet have black pads. They have webbing between the toes to help them swimming.

The average height for a dog is 29-31 inches (74-80 cm.) and for a Bitch 27-29 inches (61-74 cm.)

The average weight for a dog is 130-170 pounds (59-77 kg.) and 100-130 pounds (45-59 kg.) for a bitch.

Temperament

The Leonberger is a gently giant. They are very affectionate, loyal and love their family. They have a lovely nature and are very calm and stable with a very friendly personality.

They have a sweet expression on their face and are highly intelligent. They need to be socialised early as they become large dogs very quickly.

They are not aggressive dogs and would rather walk away than get into a conflict. They are very patient and brave and they are the most agile of the giant dogs. They are very good with children and get on well with other animals.

Living conditions

They are not good for apartment life. They are relatively inactive indoors and need a large yard. They are more comfortable in a cooler climate. They can live inside or outside but need spend a lot of time with their family.

Grooming

They need to be brushed once a week or every day during the shedding season. The ears must be kept clean. Bathe only when necessary. It is better to dry shampoo. Check behind ears, feathering on legs, and tail for mats.

Exercise

The Leonberger need 40 to 60 minutes exercise a day. As a puppy this dog should not be over exercised or allowed running off the lead or running up and down stairs. When the bones are properly developed then the exercise can be gradually increased. As adults, they should have long walks. They love to run and play but their favourites is a good swim.

Health problems

The Leonberger is in general a healthy breed as long as they eat a correct diet to allow their proper growth there should not be too many bone and joint problems. But as with all giant breeds, they are prone to hip dysplasia, and other skeletal diseases/disorders.

Life expectancy

Leonbergers normally live eight to ten years.