Leonberger breed: the authoritative dog whose family is everything

For those who want a loving, furry giant as a companion, a Leonberger might be the ideal choice. A truly people-loving dog who puts his family first. His dignified appearance hides a sensitive heart.

The Leonberger’s very presence is enough to keep the bad guys away. The mighty giant is as respected as the man himself. Despite this, he is extremely affectionate around his master and very patient with children. He is intelligent, non-aggressive and will always be loyal to his family.

History

Leonberger comes from Leonberg, a small town near Stuttgart. At the end of the 1830s, there lived a Heinrich Essig a dog breeder who was one of the town councillors. He wanted to personify the lion in the town’s coat of arms in a special breed. He therefore crossed his black and white Newfoundland bitch with a black and white bitch called Barry. A few generations later, he added a Pyrenean mountain dog to the bloodline. And he crossed their offspring again with a Bernese mountain dog. The first litter from Leonberg was born in 1846. Soon afterwards, the breed gained incredible popularity, becoming a status symbol for aristocrats in many parts of the world. Queen Elizabeth had nine dogs of this breed. Her statue in Vienna depicts two Leonbergis. Napoleon III, Bismarck, Garibaldi and Richard Wagner, among others, also kept such dogs.

In 1889 Essig, the breeder, died. This caused the breed’s popularity to decline. The Leonbergi lost its prestige and was considered by many to be a common Bernathegy cross. It was no longer the dog of aristocrats, but rather of peasants. But they appreciated his talent and temperament. The two world wars only made his situation worse. Most people couldn’t even feed themselves, let alone such a huge dog. The German Leonberger Club was founded in 1948 by fans of the breed to ensure the survival of the Leonberger. Today, there are numerous breed societies and the breed has become a family dog all over the world. In 2006 a dog food company donated a life-size dog to the town of Leonberg a life-size bronze statue of a Leonberger. The sculpture was created by a Hungarian couple, Edit Nagy and Balázs Pintér.

Breed standard

The Leonberger is a huge, strong, muscular, yet elegant dog. His coat can range from medium soft to coarse, thick, long and smooth. The neck is often mane-like. Colours are lion yellow, red, reddish brown, sandy, and variations and combinations of these. The mask is always black. Margin height 65-80 cm depending on sex. Body weight 45-70 kg. Head broad, elongated rather than depressed. The nose is black. The jaw has a strong, regular scissor bite. Eyes may be light brown, but darker colour is desirable. Ears are high-pinned, drooping, medium sized and drooping. The gait is rounded and even. Expected lifetime 8-10 years.

Character

A Leonberger’s appearance does not necessarily reflect its soul. His imposing, lion-like appearance will scare any stranger away from the house. Nevertheless, he is not aggressive, he is calm and does not signal without reason. He is distrustful of strangers. Vigilant, always observing, but only acting when necessary. His soul is sensitive, his family is everything to him. Extremely affectionate and people-oriented. He loves to be close to his owner and is an endlessly loyal breed.

Smart, intelligent, positive feedback is not difficult to teach. It’s worth taking him to puppy school when he’s still a puppy, as the owner needs to learn how to control such a big four-legged friend. He is an excellent hiking companion and needs an hour of exercise a day. Also ideal as an assistance dog or rescue dog. He loves the water, often serving as a lifeguard in Germany and Italy. He loves children and is very patient with them.

Ideal environment

A small apartment is not ideal for such a huge dog. It needs space and exercise, even if it lives in a garden house. He needs at least an hour’s walk a day. He is very kind and patient with children and is a good playmate.

Care

The Leonberger’s thick coat requires daily brushing. It sheds all year round, but especially in autumn it needs a lot of attention. It’s worth getting him used to this as a puppy, and he will enjoy it later on.

Common health problems

A relatively healthy and very hardy breed. Due to his large stature, he is at risk of hip dysplasia (screened by genetic testing) and gastric torsion. It is not recommended to do much stair climbing or physical activity with him as a youngster, as his joints may be damaged. Extra attention should also be paid to the quality of his nutrition. Because of its huge size, it is recommended to feed it twice a day throughout its life.