The Leonberger is known as the Gentle Lion because its appearance resembles that of the lion. It is a giant dog breed that originated in 1800s in Leonberg, a city in Germany. leonberger is one of the dog breeds that caught the attention of the German Artists. In effect, leonberger dogs were used as their models and were even drawn in various stamps within the continent.
It was in 1830s when a dog breeder named Heinrich Essig crossed a barry male from Great St. Bernard Hospice and Monastery with a female Landseer Newfoundland. The first leonberger was registered in 1846 and it became popular because of its unique physical characteristic, resembling it to the coat-of-arms animal, the lion. This dog breed was soon recognized as a farm, draft and family dog.
Leonberger was almost at the point of extinction because of the two World Wars. The dog breeders were killed and the dogs were left alone and later on they were used to pull ammunition carts. Only 8 of the Leonberger survived the World War II and they were the known ancestors of the Leonbergers at present.
On January 1, 2010, leonberger received recognition as a dog breed categorized under the working group by the American Kennel Club (AKC) and it was the 167th dog breed recognized by AKC.
Leonberger puppies are double-coated elegant puppies with balanced body type. It ranges from 25 to 31 inches tall at the shoulder. The head of Leonberger puppies is painted with black mask extending to the eyes. The coat of leonberger is long, relatively straight, durable and water resistant. This requires regular brushing to ensure cleanliness. There are different coat colors for a leonberger such as lion-yellow, red-brown, and black and tan. Leonberger puppies compete in working dog competitions like Cruft. They are known for their lion-like appearance but not in temperament because leonberger puppies are quiet and graceful in motion.
This dog breed exhibits intelligence and kindness. It is a multi-purpose dog because it can perform field tasks, be a family companion, or even a competitor at a dog show. Being a working dog and tracing its roots from its ancestors, they have the strength and elegance taken from their origin. Leonberger puppies are one of the best family companions because they have even temperament and gentle movement. They are calm and playful to the owner. Leonberger puppies are friendly especially to children and desire to get affection from their owner. They do not exhibit fear and is always watchful of the environment to protect its owner and his family. They are self-disciplined and behave well. They are adaptable to the environment and flexible in changing circumstances.
Leonberger puppies are easy learners. They posses the capacity to learn and when properly trained and socialized, they are loyal and confident in any situation. They can adapt to the modern way of living and will not have difficulty coping up with the environment. They are not naturally quarrelsome towards other people and do not show hostility to other dogs.
Leonberger Training & Care…
