Description. The Leonberger is a big dog standing some 29-31 inches in height and weighing 130-170 pounds for the male dog and the female bitch being a little smaller at 27-29 inches in height and weighing in at 100-130 pounds. They are an obviously well muscled working dog.

They have a large rectangular shaped head which is not as wide as it is deep. They have a black colored mask and nose. Their mouth is large and their teeth should meet in a level or scissor bite. The ears are of a medium size and hang close to the head, extending down to be level with the corner of their mouth.

They have a double coat that is long and ample. The male dogs have a pronounced mane, which becomes full at about 4 years of age, the females also have the mane but it is less obvious. They can have webbed feet but this is not always the case.

History. As the name suggests this breed were founded in Leonberg (in 1846) which is in the Wurttemburg region of Germany. Their origins lie in cross breeding the St Bernard, Great Pyrenees and the Newfoundland. It was the original intention to breed a dog that similar to a lion in appearance. The breed was very popular and they were kept by many reigning Monarchs, throughout Europe. As with so many breeds the Leonbergers numbers suffer tremendously during the two World Wars. A group of dedicated German breeders managed to re establish the breed from the few that were left in 1945. The popularity of these dogs has increased in Europe and other countries since and they are now far from an endangered breed. The first standards were drawn for the breed in 1949, although it was 1971 before the first dogs were imported to the USA. The uses for this breed are varied and they have been successful in search & Rescue, water rescue, tracking the guarding of livestock and obedience. They also make an excellent family pet.

Temperament. The Leonberger is an affectionate loyal dog that is also intelligent lively, and brave. As a breed they tend to like pretty much everybody they meet, and they have a high intelligence level. They love their family and are extreme in their loyalty. They have unending patience and will be good with even the most irritating of people or children. Unlike a lot of dogs the Leonberger will walk away from trouble rather than dive in and make it worse. They do train well and learn fairly quickly, you may find they ignore some training if you try to teach them pointless tasks. As an intelligent breed they may decide what they want to do, so be aware if there is no point to what you are asking they may ignore it. Their training must be calm and interesting. Firm handling without harshness is essential. Because of their affection for everyone it may be necessary to train them if you want them to be a watchdog; otherwise they may just play with any intruders.

Health issues. A Leonberger can suffer hip dysplasia, as can most large dogs. They are also prone to other bone related problems. There are possible eyelid issues as well. Their life expectancy is 8-9 years.

Grooming. As a general rule the Leonberger will require brushing weekly, this may increase to daily when they are shedding. It is important to check ears for any signs of infection weekly.

Living conditions. The Leonberger is not recommended for apartment life as they require space. They will need a large yard or garden. A Leonberger is capable of living outdoors as long as there is adequate shelter, but prefers to be with the family. They prefer a cooler climate.

If you can't find a local breeder in your area don't worry, many breeders are using the major airlines like American, Delta, Continental and Northwest airlines for shipping their puppies.

At this time the airlines will ship puppies to the following States: Alabama AL - Alaska AK - Arizona AZ - Arkansas AR - California CA - Colorado CO - Connecticut CT - Delaware DE - Florida FL - Georgia GA - Hawaii HI - Idaho ID - Illinois IL - Indiana IN - Iowa IA - Kansas KS - Kentucky KY - Louisiana LA - Maine ME - Maryland MD - Massachusetts MA - Michigan MI - Minnesota MN - Mississippi MS - Missouri MO - Montana MT - Nebraska NE - Nevada NV - New Hampshire NH - New Jersey NJ - New Mexico NM - New York NY - North Carolina NC - North Dakota ND - Ohio OH - Oklahoma OK - Oregon OR - Pennsylvania PA - Rhode Island RI - South Carolina SC - South Dakota SD - Tennessee TN - Texas TX - Utah UT - Vermont VT - Virginia VA - Washington WA - Washington, D.C. - West Virginia WV - Wisconsin WI - Wyoming WY - Hawaii HI.