Leonberger Breed Guide

Dog Breed:

Leonberger

Breed Group:

Working Dogs

Characteristics:

Friendly, playful, patient, gentle and smart.

Height:

25-32 inches

Weight:

90-170 pounds

Life Span:

9 years

Coat Colors:

From lion-yellow through to golden and red-brown colored.

Area of Origin:

Germany

Best For:

Large living spaces/Not too house proud/Owners committed to training and exercise

Adult Food:

Best Dog Food for Leonbergers

Puppy Food:

Best Puppy Food for Leonbergers

Friendliness

Intelligence

Good for First-Time Owners

Good with Children

Easy to Train

Exercise Requirements

Ease of Grooming

Amount of Shedding

Amount of Drooling

Tendency to Bark

While known for their elegance and grace, there’s no getting away from the size and power of the Leonberger. The breed is instantly recognizable, not only for their size but also because of the lion-like mane across the chest and neck of male dogs.

The Leo is a friendly dog, but they’re also a watchdog and excellent all-round workers. Not too surprisingly, this is not a candidate for apartment or condo living. And unlike many other giant breeds, the Leo is still athletic, enjoying long walks and the opportunity to run off-leash.

With all that coat, this is not the choice for hotter climates unless you can provide continuous access to air-con and then take extreme care as to when they receive exercise. Cooler climates, however, are no problem for the Leonberger, they’ll thrive amidst the cold weather.

Heinrich Essig was an animal trader and politician who lived in the Leonberg region of Southern Germany. in 1846, Essig declared that he had created the Leonberger. It later came out that he had crossed a black-and-white female Landseer with a long-haired Saint Bernard, which resulted in black and white puppies. He then crossed his dogs to a yellow and white Saint Bernard and a white Pyrenean because at that time, he as trying to develop an all-white dog.

He toured the country displaying his dogs, and they quickly became favorites of German artists and royalty. It wasn’t until Essig’s death in 1889 that the breeding became much more consistent in the dogs that were produced, and puppies began to display the characteristic tawny-colored coat and black mask.

By the turn of the century, two Essig bred dogs called Caesar and Sultan were touring the US, staring in theater productions. Then, come the late 1800s and early 1900s, Leonbergers were being entered into dog shows across the eastern United States.

World War I and World War II resulted in the breed coming close to extinction, but a few Leonbergers survived, and the German Leonberger Club was formed in 1948. In 1975 the International Union of Leonberger Clubs was formed, representing 18 national clubs, including the Leonberger Club of America. This international union meets every year in Leonberger to preserve and protect the breed.

The Leonberger is a giant breed with males measuring 28-31.5 inches at the shoulder and weighing between 110-170 pounds. Females are smaller, being 25.5-29.5 inches at the shoulder and weighing 90-140 pounds.

While the Leonberger is known as being a gentle breed, their size and power mean that it requires some very careful consideration as to whether they might be the right breed for you.

An adult well-trained Leonberger is generally a calm and well-natured dog. They are loving to their family and adore being with them as much as possible. This does mean that they don’t do well when left alone for long periods or resigned to living in the yard. In those situations, it’s highly likely you’ll come back to a scene of destruction or your yard remodeled!

Despite the calmness of the adult dog, do be aware that Leo puppies and teenagers are high energy, and with hormones soaring, they can be quite a handful for their first few years.

The Leonberger is a smart dog, they were bred to be allrounders from pulling drafts through to farm work and being a family companion. This does then mean that training needs to be a focus from being a young puppy.

Leo’s get on well with other dogs as long as they received appropriate socialization when young and have the opportunity to meet lots of other friendly dogs. While the Leonberger will love being around the family children, care is needed to provide constant supervision. This is a dog who may be heavier than an adult, and so they can easily and accidentally send a child tumbling in play.

The Leonberger, as with many giant dogs, has a relatively short lifespan. This then means that it becomes essential that breeders have their dogs screened for the following medical conditions:

• Hip and elbow evaluation to check for any problems with the joints which can cause pain and lameness.
• Ophthalmologist Exam carried out by a veterinary ophthalmologist to identify any eye problems and determine if they can be inherited.
• Thyroid Evaluation to check for hypothyroidism, which can cause a decrease in metabolism.
• Leonberger polyneuropathy, which is checked through the LPN1, LPN2, and LEMP DNA Tests. This is a hereditary collection of diseases that affect the dog’s neuromuscular system.

The Leonberger doesn’t generally need professional grooming, but they do need daily brushing. Their heavy double coat can become matted and tangled if not taken care of. Leo’s do shed their coat, and with this size of dog, that means a lot of hair flying around the home.

With large and strong adults and high energy youngsters, this is a breed whose owners need to commit to socializing and training throughout their dog’s life. Leonbergers are smart though, they quickly pick up new behaviors quickly and will love the chance to spend time with their family learning new things.

Leo’s are known for their versatility, and the breed club runs a Working Program. This scheme recognizes dogs for accomplishments in a wide range of performance sports, including drafting, water work, tracking, and flyball.

Prey drive seems to vary enormously between individual dogs, with some happy to share their home with small furries while others want to chase anything that moves. The Leonberger does not tend to be a vocal dog, and when they do bark, they only need to do it a few times to catch everyone’s attention!

Even though an adult Leonberger is generally a calm individual, they do need to have the chance to get some good exercise each day to keep fit and healthy, Young Leos are well known for their high levels of energy and exuberance, but care is needed not to over-exercise their developing bodies. Check with your vet or breeder for advice on appropriate exercise for your young dog.

The adult Leonberger can be a great jogging or trail walking companion. Tall, sturdy fencing around a large garden will provide the Leo with somewhere to let off some steam.

There will be times when a Leonberger needs a new home. If you’re interested in rehoming a rescue dog, we recommend speaking to the following breed rescue organization for more help and advice:

Leonberger Rescue Pals – https://www.leonberger-rescue.org/

For additional information on the Leonberger take a look at the website of the Leonberger Club of America: https://www.leonbergerclubofamerica.com/