What's a Leonberger?
The Leonberger is a giant breed of dog. The breed derived its name from the city of Leonberg in south-west Germany. Due to this breed's large size, its love of water, and the amount of attention and exercise it needs, the Leonberger is not commonly seen in large cities or towns.
Appearance
The Leonberger is a large, strong, muscular, yet elegant dog. They are distinguished by possessing a balanced build and confident calmness, yet with quite lively temperament. Males, in particular, are powerful and strong.
Unlike most large breeds, they have a dry mouth and do not drool.
Size
Height at the withers:
Dogs: 28.5 to 31.5 inches (72 to 80 cm)
Bitches: 25.5 to 29.5 inches (65 to 75 cm)
The female Leonberger can weigh up to 132 lbs (60 kg)and the male up to 176 lbs (80 kg).
Coat
The Leonberger has a medium length soft to coarse double coat that is 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 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 its coat frequently but their are measures owners can take to reduce this.
Leonberger Temperment Leonbergers are very loving and great with children. They are very large and don’t necessarily need a big yard and house to roam around. They are adaptable and don’t 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 human interaction. Generally speaking, Leonbergers are non-confrontational and will retreat rather than stay their ground. If you treat them right...you'll have a wonderful, loyal, loving friend that wants to be everyone’s friend.
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