It has been thought that in the mid 1800's, Heinrich Essig (1809 - 1889) from the town of Lenberg, Germany, originally founded the breed we call a Leonberger. He crossbred a Landseer Newfoundland with a long haired Saint Bernard, then outcrossed with a yellow & white Saint Bernard , then a white Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Many of these dogs, after generations of breeding, found thier way to the King's & Queen's castles around Europe and were exported to places such as Japan & the United States. Leonbergers were originally used as both a livestock guardian & companion dog.
After World War I, the breed was almost lost. Through the hard work of two men, Herr Stadlemann & Herr Otto Josenhans, they brought the Leonbergers together and formed the Leonberger Hunde Club and the official Breed Registry. In the 1950's the first standard was written. In 1975, the German Club founded the International Union of Leonberger Clubs in order to protect the health & quality of Leonbergers as we know them today.
Origin The Leonberger breed has existed since 1846. It is a loyal intelligent, easy learning, weather-resisting and very child-loving dog. It is especially appropriate for watching larger premises such as farms, factories, villas as well as the whole family.
General Appearance The Leonberger is a big, strong and muscular dog with well proportioned form and self-confident tranquillity, combined with a lively temperament.
Colour Lion colour, yellowy gold to red-brown with a black (dark) mask. Dark to black hairtops are admissible. Sand-coloured specimens with dark hairtops occur as well. The absence of the black mask is allowed but not desirable. A small white star on the chest can be allowed, as well as light to white hair at the paw-tips. Light badger-coloured tails are allowed. The collar at the throat, the fur of the fore-legs, as well as the under side of the tail may be somewhat brighter, but should not disharmonize with the total colour.
Shoulder-height Males must have at least 72 cm and at most 80 cm of withers' height, bitches at least 65 and at most 75 cm. The desirable average size is 76 cm for males and 70 for bitches.
Legs No high legs; muscular and strong bones. The pads of the feet are always black.
Forelegs Straight, normally posed, well-haired, paws well-closed, rather round. The paws are always interlinked by swimming webs (as a rule, the Leonberger likes water and is a very good swimmer). Elbows are close to the chest and stretch out slightly beyond the lower rim of the chest. The shoulders are slanting. The pads of the feet are always black.
Hindlegs Strong, muscular thigh-bone and well pronounced knee-joint. Muscular spring-joints, well angled and not slanting. Bowlegs and knock-knees are serious faults. The hind claws must be removed painlessly in the earliest youth (14 days). The pads of the feet are always black.
Trunk Slightly longer than the withers; height. Strong in the kidney area. The chest is deep but not too tubby. A strong back is required.
Tail Very richly haired (broom-tail), always held half-lowered, never too high or even rolled over the back.
Head and Neck The upper head is slightly arched, not as high and as wide as with the St. Bernard dog. The jaws are not strongly developed, so that the back of the head does not seem essentially wider than the head is at the eyes. The head as a whole, is more compact towards the sides, so deeper than wider. Modest forehead. The back of the nose is equally large, always in one line, but rather slightly bowed (ram's nose). The fore-nose is deep black and must never be brown. The same goes for the lips, which must also be pigmented black; any other colour disqualifies. The skin of the head and face must be tight no folds in the forehead. The strong neck shows much nobility. The head is held proudly high. Neck-skin and lobes are faults.
Ears Planted high, close to the head, falling.
Mouth Moderately deep, rather equal, never ending pointed. Lips are close together, no open corners of the mouth, so that no saliva leaks out. Open corners of the mouth degrade. The teeth are strong and form a well closing, complete scissor-like denture.
Eyes The eyes must be light to dark brown, the darker the better. Middle-sized with intelligent, good-natured expression. The eyelids close well and show no conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is white. "Bird of Prey" eyes, too small eyes (Bull terrier) or too full eyes (French Bulldog) are not desirable and degrade.
Fur Medium soft to hard, very long, lank, never parted, and showing the form of the dog in spite of good under-hair. The fur is always lank, slightly curled hair is allowed, but locks or rolling hair are rejectable. At the throat and at the chest, the Leonberger has fancy manes.
Principle Faults Bright eyes, "bird of prey" eyes. Much white (large white spot on the chest, white at the paws). Clearly rolling hair. Strongly curling tail. Very shy and malicious animals. Very incorrect position of the legs. Males without two visible testicles. Too prominent upper or lower teeth, and other faulty dentures. The grown-up dog has 42 teeth. Brown fore-noses, brown pads, and brown lips.
Disqualifications Brown pads on feet.
Health
(From the Leonberger Club of America site)
The very strict breeding guidelines and the diligent oversight of our national Leonberger Club have been successful to date in preserving the general health of the breed.
However, there are special medical problems, most of which are associated with large breeds in general, that every breeder, owner, and potential owner should be aware of.
Hip Dysplasia: Hip dysplasia is unfortunately found in almost all breeds, especially the larger ones. The Leonberger is no exception. Hip dysplasia (HD) is an hereditary developmental disease. HD is a result of abnormal development of the "ball-and socket" joints of the hips. Severity covers a wide range from slight abnormality to very severe dislocation. Dysplastic dogs are born with normal hip joints which undergo changes as the dogs mature. Although the cause is hereditary, the disease can be made worse by environmental factors such as rapid growth, overfeeding and excessive exercise. Keeping the incidence of the disease to a minimum depends on accurate X-ray diagnosis, accurate breeding records and strict breeding regulations that allow HD free dogs to breed.
Osteochondritis Dessicans (OCD): The LCA Breeding Committee is controlling for OCD and other joint diseases by requiring not only clear hips, but also clear elbow x-rays, before dogs can be bred. OCD is found in all large breeds that experience rapid growth, and is therefore seen in the Leonberger. OCD is a condition where an area of cartilage dies and falls into the associated joint. It sometimes revives and grows to form a loose lump called a "joint mouse." This rubs on the joint, causing swelling, pain and limping. It is treatable with surgery. There are a variety of causes for the condition.
Eosinophilic Panosteitis: "Pano" is a disease with no known cause that resolves without, or in spite of, treatment! It is a generalized inflammation of the bones that is commonly referred to as growing pains. A healthy puppy suddenly develops an acute and painful lameness with no known history of trauma. The lameness often shifts from one limb to another. It is easily diagnosed by veterinarians. Anti-inflammatory drugs may be prescribed, and attempts to slow the rate of growth of the puppy are usually recommended. The good news is that Pano is self-limiting and does not seem to result in any long-term damage.
Addison's Disease: Addison's disease is a rare hormonal disorder of the adrenal glands. It has been diagnosed in both European and American Leonbergers. It is serious and can lead to death if undiagnosed. However, if diagnosed correctly, it can be very successfully managed with medication. Affected dogs often have periodic vomiting and diarrhea, lethargy, exercise intolerance, and weight loss. Symptoms come on gradually and become worse with time. It is typically a disease of young to middle-aged female dogs. It can be definitively diagnosed with blood tests. The bloodlines that have shown evidence of Addison's disease are being carefully monitored in the United States by the LCA's Heath Committee.
Bloat: Also known as gastric dilation, bloat can occur in any breed. In deep-chested breeds, like the Leonberger, the stomach can fill with gas and twist trapping the gas inside. This is a life-threatening event which must be treated immediately. As a preventative measure, Leos should be fed at least twice a day and should not be vigorously exercised or stressed for at least one hour before and after feeding.
Entropion and Ectropion Eyes: Some Leonberger lines are known to carry the genes for ectropion and entropion (inverted eyelids). These can be corrected with a relatively minor surgical procedure. This condition is considered a major fault, however, and affected dogs are not allowed to breed.
Osteosarcoma: Bone cancer is a frequent cause of death in giant breeds, and Leonbergers are no exception. However, it usually does not strike until dogs have passed their seventh year and frequently much later. Osteosarcoma is a a highly destructive tumor state which spreads rapidly to other organs, particularly the lungs. Treatment often requires amputation of the affected limb combined with chemotherapy.
For detailed information regarding various ailments that can affect Leonbergers, visit the LCA Health Committee's website at www.leowatch.org
