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Pronunciation

This is a very large, muscular, working dog. The head is rectangular shaped and deeper than it is broad. Males heads are generally larger than female heads. The skull is somewhat domed. It has a black mask and a rather long muzzle. The black mask should not extend above the eyebrows; the mask can be up to the eyes or above the eyes, but never over the entire head. The large nose is always black with clearly outlined nostrils. The lips should be black, and are usually tight and dry. In males with a very majestic male head slightly loose flews and sometimes slightly open hooks of eyes, are often found. Loose flews collect saliva, so some males might drool slightly. The teeth should meet in a scissors or level bite. The medium sized ears are triangular in shape, fleshy, hanging flat and close to the head. The tips of the ears are level with corners of the mouth. The neck is muscular, and strong with no dewlap. The medium to long, water resistant, double coat comes in lion-yellow, golden to red, red-brown, sand, cream, pale yellow and any combination of those colors, always with a black mask. All colors may have shorter, medium or long black tips on the outer coat. There may be a small stripe or white patch on the chest and some white hairs on the toes. There is always discussion about the amount of white aloud. FCI standard states "like the palm of a hand". But it all depends on who's hand you are referring to. The Leonberger's thick mane creates a lion-like look. The mane in males can take up to 4 years to develop; the mane in a female is less obvious than in a males. Rear dewclaws are sometimes removed. The front and rear legs are feathered. The bushy tail hangs straight down. The pads of the feet are black. They often have webbed feet.

Temperament

The Leonberger has a lively nature, brave, intelligent, steady and affectionate. It has a sweet expression. Loving and steadfast, stable and calm, the Leonberger just loves everyone. Their intelligence is extraordinary; their loyalty and love for their families is unparalleled. He has a friendly personality. A well balanced Leonberger will be highly trustworthy and have incredible patience, even with the most obnoxious children. With most of these dogs, if the situation becomes too intense, instead of showing any aggression, the Leonberger simply walks away. Most of these dogs can take bad behavior in their stride. The Leonberger does not respond very well to harsh training-methods; training requires patience. Owners need to be firm, but calm, confident and consistent. Proper human to canine communication is essential. To be an excellent watch-dog it requires some special training. Often called a gentle giant. The Leonberger is serious, eager and willing to please, responding well to training. The Leonberger can get along with other dogs. Socialize and train early, as this puppy will become a very large adult. Teach them to respect humans by training them not to jump, to heel on the lead and to enter and exit all door and gateways after the humans. The Leonberger is more active and coordinated than many other giant breeds.

Height, Weight

Health Problems

Living Conditions

Exercise

Life Expectancy

Grooming

This breed was established in 1846 in Leonberg, Germany in the region of Wurttemberg by the German breeder Heinrich Essing from a crossing of the Newfoundland, St. Bernard, and the Great Pyrenees. Heinrich Essing's goal was to create a breed that would closely resemble the look of a lion. Leonbergers have been owned by many royal families including Napoleon II of France, Empress Elizabeth of Austria, the Prince of Wales, Emperor Napoleon II, Bismarck, and Italian King Umberto. In the nineteenth century many Leonbergers were imported to Russia. Like many breeds, the world wars almost brought it to extinction. By the end of World War II, only a few dogs remained. In 1945, several Germans gathered some of the few remaining Leonbergers and re-established the breed. Today the Leonberger has regained his popularity in Europe. The official standard was set in 1949. The first Leonberger was imported to the United States in 1971. This versatile breed has been successful for guarding livestock, search and rescue, obedience, water-rescue, tracking and as a family companion.

Group

FCI = Fédération Cynologique Internationale
KCGB = Kennel Club of Great Britain
NKC = National Kennel Club
CKC = Canadian Kennel Club
CKC = Continental Kennel Club
NZKC = New Zealand Kennel Club
APRI = American Pet Registry Inc.
ACR = American Canine Registry
DRA = Dog Registry of America, Inc.

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