Breed Info

Characteristics & temperament, socialisation, training, health

Leonbergers belong to the so-called giant breeds. They grow up fast and become rather big!

                  female puppy, 7 wks. age                                     female puppy, 9 wks. age                     boy and girl, 3 months age

Puppies are adorable, cuddly teddy bears – but always remember: they become very big teddy bears in a comparatively short time while still remaining dogs in need of proper socialisation!
= girl 11 months

”Leos” – as lovers of the breed call them - can become great friends and companions. They make ideal family dogs. But no dog is born that way.
To bring out their best qualities a lot of socialisation with people and other animals, as well as obedience training, is recommended. Introduce them to friends and strangers – gently at first at home on their own territory, then with more confidence outside the home
at different locations.
3 boys, 1 adult male, 1 senior male, 1 puppy-boy 4 ms.
Involve all family members in socialisation and training units and work best by using positive reinforcement.
Always give plenty of praise for the “Do’s” and ignore “Don’ts” with patience.

All puppies can be rather destructive and a Leo-puppy is no exception. Be sure to provide lots of suitable toys and spend enough time playing with the puppy– as playing alone is boring. Integrate small training-units and your puppy will learn without stress. Leos love to play as adults and we know even “seniors” who still enjoy playing with toys.

Like all giant breeds, Leos should grow slowly and must not be overfed. Growing too fast in combination with too much weight can result in skeletal disorders. Leo’s reach about 85% of their final size within the first year of life and the growth process puts great strain on the juvenile metabolism.
We recommend weight control (at least monthly) to avoid skeletal disorders as well as panosteitis (also known as growth disorder). Do not worry, your Leo will reach its genetically determined size – but the slower the better for its health.

Leos can sometimes react sensitively to some drugs, (such as tranquilizers and anaesthetics). In the past, the amount of anaesthetic-medication was measured according to weight. Leos respond to less: e.g. a 70 kg-Leo might already respond to the amount of anaesthetic for a 45-kg-dog. Most veterinarians are aware of this problem and with new anaesthetics only very rarely have problems been reported.

Leos should never be kept solely outside, never kennelled. They must be integrated within the family. They will demand a lot of time and attention, but only that way they will develop the “true” characteristics of the breed.
A Leonberger kept alone outside, even on a large property, will never be a happy dog.
 
adult male - girl 7 ms. - senior 11 yrs.                               senior 10 yrs., female 8 yrs., male 6.5 yrs

Leos enjoy being part of a "pack" of dogs and they also get on well with other animals (cats, horses, birds).

Most Leos are very fond of children, provided their previous experiences with children have not been negative ones. Never leave your Leo puppy or adult alone with children you don’t know– until you are absolutely sure, we recommend monitoring both of them.

 Dogs love to dig – and Leo’s are no exceptions. So it’s best to reserve a small part of your property for such activity. They are also “very fond of water” (although there are a few exceptions who do not like swimming) and “water” can mean a river, a lake, a pool or a dirty pond. So you have to be prepared for some dirt and mud in the house and hairs on your carpet and furniture. If you find this a big problem, a Leonberger might not be the “ideal” breed for you.
                    
1 adult male, 1 senior male enjoy to swim in a river                senior male & puppy playing together

Some Leos may demonstrate shy or timid behaviour, mainly around puberty. Help your Leo-Teenager during this phase of development with reassurance, positive reinforcement and training in all situations which might “frighten” the youngster (could be skateboards, bikes, traffic, strangers, noise etc.).

Leos – according to the breed standard - are said to have a “medium” energy level and temperament - but we know many highly energetic dogs. The Leos we know are very intelligent. Depending on the time an owner can and is willing to afford, they might qualify for obedience, as therapy dogs, for water rescue work, drafting and other outdoor activities. But all these activities require lots of patience, training and work and therefore a great deal of time.

senior male and senior female enjoy to play in the snow

Agility, however, we would not recommend for the simple reason that a giant breed is usually far less suited than a medium-sized breed, even if some individuals do amazingly well in agility training. 

Enjoy the company of your Leo, but never forget: even if it is a GREAT breed,
 “it's still a dog”.

 

Proper socialization, training, patience, appropriate nutrition and health-care
as well as lots of love provide the best ways of being HAPPY
with your Leo and enjoying its company for a long time!

senior male - 11 yrs., 11 y 3 ms., 11 y 4 ms.

for more info pls. go to breed-info-site

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