The Leonberger Community

The Leonberger is one of the most striking and genuinely majestic of all dog breeds, a German giant created in the nineteenth century by Heinrich Essig, the mayor of Leonberg in the Kingdom of Wurttemberg, with the stated ambition of producing a dog that resembled the lion in the crest of his home town. Essig worked from the 1830s onwards, crossing Saint Bernards from the hospice at the Great St Bernard Pass with Newfoundlands and subsequently incorporating Great Pyrenees bloodlines, selectively breeding for the desired leonine appearance - the massive, dignified build, the thick lion-mane of longer coat around the neck and chest, and the characteristic black facial masking. The breed was publicly established by the 1840s and Essig presented dogs to several European royals. The Leonberger was recognised by the Kennel Club in the Working Group. The breed is very large, powerfully built and impressively handsome. The coat is long, thick and flowing, lion-yellow to red-brown in colour with a pronounced black mask and a substantial mane of longer darker fur around the neck and shoulders. Adults typically stand 65 to 80 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh 41 to 75 kilograms - females are smaller than males but both sexes are genuinely large dogs. The character lives up to the promise of the physical impression. The Leonberger is calm, gentle, confident and deeply devoted to its family. It is patient with children, sociable and generally good with other dogs, and has a steady, tolerant quality that makes it one of the more reliably gentle of all giant breeds. It is alert and will notice the arrival of strangers but is not aggressive or sharp. The breed is affectionate and people-oriented and does not thrive in isolation or kennelling. Despite the gentle character, the sheer size of the Leonberger demands early and thorough training in basic manners. A Leonberger that has not learned loose-lead walking, impulse control around food and basic obedience is a genuinely challenging animal for any owner to manage, regardless of its good-natured intentions. Training from puppyhood with positive reward-based methods, combined with wide and varied socialisation, is the foundation of a well-mannered adult. Health considerations are significant and require careful attention. Leonberger Polyneuropathy (LPN1 and LPN2) is a debilitating hereditary neurological condition for which DNA tests are available - no responsible breeder should produce puppies without clear DNA test results for both conditions in both parents. Hip and Elbow Dysplasia scoring is standard for KC Assured Breeders. Osteosarcoma and heart conditions are also documented. The Leonberger is a short-lived breed relative to smaller dogs - average lifespan is 8 to 9 years - and prospective owners should approach this honestly. Purchase prices from KC-registered, health-tested breeders range from £1,500 to £3,000. Monthly running costs are substantial given the size: £150 to £250. The Leonberger Club of Great Britain and the British Leonberger Club are the primary resources for breed information, health testing, responsible breeders and rescue contact.