The Leonberger is a giant mountain breed, some say originating from the
foothills of the Black Forest in Germany. They are affectionate, loyal and
love to be wherever the family are.
One of the ‘legends’ on how the Leonberger originally came about is the
story of Heinrich Essig. Dating from around the mid 19th
Century, the story goes that Essig, from a combination of the Newfoundland,
the Pyrenees and the long-haired St Bernard, created the Leonberger, in
order to look like a lion to represent the crest of arms of a small town
called Leonberg, just outside Stuttgart in Germany.
The first Leonbergers were very different from the modern Leonberger and the breed has evolved and developed over the years to what it is today.
The first breed standard was written in 1895. The Leonberger is defined by its black mask, they have a mane on their chest and throat, which is more prominent on the males. They can be lion yellow, red, reddish brown and occasionally a sand colour. They have a long bushy tail and fluffy feathers on their hind quarters.
Their coat can be course or soft in texture and is of medium length. The Leonberger has a double coat and requires regular grooming. If you want to wear black then don’t get a Leo!
Leonbergers do not drool like a many other giant breeds, but that is not to say that they won’t bring half their water bowl to you and give you a nice wet kiss anyway!!
As a giant breed, the Leonberger matures slowly and therefore needs gentle exercise whilst growing and does not need excessive exercise when full grown.
They are just as happy with a 10 minute swim as a few mile trek. Leos love water, have webbed feet and are therefore excellent swimmers.
Leos have been trained in search and rescue, as therapy dogs and guide dogs in various parts of the world.
The Leonberger breed almost died out during both WWI and WWII and would have done so had it not been for lovers of the breed.
I read a wonderful story on the Petplanet news archives website several years ago on how the Leonberger breed was revived in England, in part, during WWII. Unfortunately the link is no longer there, so I have added the story here and hope that the original writers of this article do not mind.
