Leonberger

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Leonberger
Leonberger
Country of origin	Germany
Nicknames	Leo
Traits
Classification & standards FCI Group 2 Section 2 #145 standard AKC FSS [? standard] The AKC Foundation Stock Service (FSS) is an optional recording service for purebred dogs that are not yet eligible for AKC registration. ANKC Group 6 (Utility) standard CKC Working Dogs standard KC (UK) Working standard NZKC Utility standard UKC Guardian Dogs standard

The Leonberger is a large breed of dog. The breed's name derives from the city of Leonberg in south-west Germany.

Contents 1 Description 1.1 Appearance 1.1.1 Size 1.1.2 Coat 1.2 Temperament 2 Health 2.1 Longevity and Causes of Death 3 History 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Description

[edit] Appearance

According to his original purpose, the Leonberger is a large, strong, muscular yet elegant dog. He is distinguished by his balanced build and confident calmness, yet with quite lively temperament. Males, in particular, are powerful and strong. Leonbergers love the water and can swim well.

Leonberger males are known to occasionally drool slightly.^[1]

[edit] Size

Height at the shoulders

males: 28.5 to 31.5 inches (72 to 80 cm)
females: 25.5 to 29.5 inches (65 to 75 cm)

Weight: Females appx 90-130 lbs; Males appx 105-165 lbs

[edit] Coat

The Leonberger has a medium length soft to coarse double coat that is very water resistant. Males often have particularly thick fur on the neck and chest creating the appearance of a mane. There is distinct feathering on the backs of the front legs and thighs. Coat color can range from lion yellow, red, reddish brown, and sandy. Black hair tips are permitted, but black must not determine the dog's basic color. All Leonbergers have a black mask. The Leonberger sheds very heavily.

[edit] Temperament

Leonbergers are very loving and great with children. They are very large and do not necessarily need a big garden and house to roam around. They are adaptable and do not take up much more space when curled up to sleep than any other medium to large dog. Like any dog they ask for nothing more than to have a daily walk and bit of brain stimulation. Aggression often comes from improper training when young or from bad experiences. A well raised Leonberger can provide loving and loyal companionship. Since World War II, the numbers and popularity of Leonbergers have grown and in Britain alone there are over 2,000 registered Leonbergers.

[edit] Health

[edit] Longevity and Causes of Death

Leonbergers in UK and USA/Canada surveys had a median lifespan of about 7 years.^[2], which is about 4 years less than the average purebred dog, but similar to other breeds of their size .^[3]

In a 2004 UK Kennel Club survey, the most common causes of death were cancer (45%), cardiac (11%), and "unknown" (8.5%) ^[4]. In a 2000 USA/Canada Leonberger Club of America survey, the most common causes of death were cancer (37%), old age (12%), cardiac (9%), and "sudden death" (8%) ^[5].

[edit] History

Heinrich Essig, a dog breeder and seller from Leonberg in southwestern Germany, originally bred the Leonberger from the Newfoundland (the Landseer type, with black/white marks), Saint Bernard, and Pyrenean Mountain Dog in the early 1800s, although it has been an established race in Germany only from 1846. The popular legend is that it was bred to resemble the coat-of-arms animal of Leonberg, the lion, but in fact the earliest Leonbergers were predominantly white and the coloring of today's Leonbergers, brown with a black mask, was developed during the 19th century, probably by introducing other breeds. [2]

The Leonberger was initially used to protect livestock and pull loads in West Germany and other European countries. Leonbergers were seriously affected by the privations of the two world wars. During World War I most Leonbergers were left to fend for themselves as breeders fled or were killed. Only five Leonbergers survived World War I and were bred until World War II when, again, almost all Leonbergers were lost. All Leonbergers today trace their ancestry back to eight dogs that survived World War II. [3]

[edit] References

1. ^ Leonberger Information and Pictures, Leonbergers
2. ^ http://users.pullman.com/lostriver/breeddata.htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Breed Data page. Compiled by K. M. Cassidy. Retrieved July 5, 2007
3. ^ http://users.pullman.com/lostriver/weight_and_lifespan.htm Dog Longevity Web Site, Weight and Longevity page. Compiled by K. M. Cassidy. Retrieved July 5, 2007
4. ^ http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/570 Kennel Club/British Small Animal Veterinary Association Scientific Committee. 2004. Purebred Dog Health Survey. Retrieved July 5, 2007
5. ^ http://www.leowatch.org/PDFfiles/FinalPrintLeoWatch2002.pdf Leonberger Club of America.. 2002. Summary of the 2000 Health Survey Findings. LEO Watch Volume 2, Spring 2002. Retrieved July 5, 2007

[edit] External links

• Clubs, Associations, and Societies
  • Leonberger Club of America - The first US Leonberger club, founded in 1985.
  • The Leonberger Club of the United States - A second club founded in 2003 by breeders seeking incorporation into the AKC.
  • Leonberger Club of Great Britain
  • United Kingdom Leonberger Association
  • International Leonberger Union
  • Deutscher Club für Leonberger Hunde - German Leonberger club (site in German).
  • Norsk Leonberger Klubb - Norwegian Leonberger Club, official site for Norway.
• Miscellaneous
  • Leonberger Health Foundation - A 501(c)(3) charitable organization raising funds for research that will improve the health of Leonbergers.
  • Leo Watch - Identifying, Researching, and Educating the public about health issues facing the Leonberger.
  • LeoWorld - Provides information on Leonberger breed of dogs.
  • Leonberger history - Short illustrated history of the Leonberger dog.
  • Leonberger breeder in Bourgogne - Marriage of Tanzanite-Jewel du Temple d'Artémis and Caspar H.Bora Miloticek at Jantonely.
  • Martenlake's Leonberger kennel - Leonberger breeder in Sweden.
  • Leonberger Puppies - Leonberger breeder in United States.