Name of the breed | Leonberger |
Country of origin | Germany |
The time of the birth of the breed | November 1846, XNUMX |
A type | Companion |
The weight | 45 – 80 kg |
Height (at the withers) | 65 – 80 cm |
Lifespan | Up to 9 – 12 years |
Price of puppies | From 40 thousand rubles. |
Most popular nicknames | Leon, Barney, Rain, Puma, Cleo, Hera |
History of origin
For the fact that the world saw these beauties, we can thank one person – the German breeder Heinrich Essing from the city of Leonberg, who in the middle of the XNUMXth century came up with the idea to breed a dog that would become the living embodiment of the coat of arms of the city with the image of a lion. Moreover, it had to be similar to this beast, not only externally, but also in size. To do this, he crossed two shaggy giants – St. Bernard and Landseer (a black and white variety of Newfoundland), and then added the blood of a Pyrenean mountain dog to the new breed. And the result exceeded all expectations – Essing turned out to be luxurious sandy-colored giants, which absorbed all the best from three breeds.
The fashion for leonbergers (that is, dogs from Leonberg) quickly spread throughout Europe, and now all the cream of society is ready to shell out a tidy sum for a big fluffy puppy, because after Napoleon III himself acquired several dogs, having a leonberger became a sign of good taste. The great composer Richard Wagner, who was at the peak of popularity at that time, also acquired a new breed.
Having passed the finest hour, the breed also knew its fall, which occurred after the Second World War – in those days, everything German was generally considered, so to speak, non grata. And it got to the point that by the 50s of the last century there were only a few dogs of this breed in the world.
Fortunately, enthusiasts have corrected the situation – these “dogs” are painfully beautiful and friendly. And today the breed is quite popular all over the world. True, in our country the first dog appeared only 30 years ago, but now it has more and more fans and quite a few breeding clubs.
Breed description
A large and very beautiful dog, at the same time similar to both the St. Bernard and the Newfoundland. The head is massive, the muzzle is not long, shaped like the head of a Pyrenean mountain dog and a landseer, but unlike the St. Bernard, these dogs have almost no frills (drooping lips), and saliva does not flow from the mouth all the time. The eyes are small with an attentive and friendly expression. Ears hanging, triangular in shape, small. The paws are powerful, their length is proportional to the size of the body. The tail is saber-shaped, carried either down or (when the dog is in good spirits) raised to the level of the back, but never carried over the back.
The coat is coarse, very thick, with a powerful undercoat. Such wool is more appropriate to call a fur coat. It is rather short on the muzzle, and it is longest on the neck, where it forms a lion’s mane, on the tail and on the paws.
Color sandy, red, reddish-brown, murugy on the front of the body (red with blackening at the tips), with a mandatory black mask at sea. Small white spots on the chest and on the fingers are acceptable.
Photos
Character
A big, fluffy and kind dog is the dream of every child. This is the Leonberger. From his St. Bernard and Newfoundland rescue ancestors, he inherited good nature and phlegm, and fearlessness from Pyrenean mountain dogs. Leonberger is the perfect nanny. He is ready with stoic calm to endure any childish pranks (even if the baby tries to ride him), he will never snap and never bite. At the same time, this dog is perfectly aware of its dimensions, so it will not harm children even by accident. But he also rushes around the yard after the ball, like retrievers, if he does, then not for long, preferring to watch the games lying somewhere in the shade.
Leonbergers are loyal to other pets, they never bully dogs, and they are ready to babysit kittens, as well as children.
These lions of the canine world are wary of strangers, but without open hostility – they will not growl or rush at anyone who entered the house, but they will also not rush towards them, whining and wagging their tail, because their love is undividedly given to the one and only owner.
Care and maintenance
Of course, such a large and shaggy dog will feel better in a private house, having at his disposal a yard where he can stretch his paws. Thanks to a luxurious fur coat, they endure cold more easily than heat, and are able to live in an aviary all year round. However, this does not mean that the dog should not be walked. On the contrary, possessing remarkable strength, the Leonberger needs long walks, where he could enjoy the world around him and learn a lot of new things. These are very intelligent dogs, and their intellect, like their body, needs constant exercise.
So that red shreds do not roll around the house, the dog needs to be combed out as often as possible (by the way, then very warm things can be knitted from this wool). But these dogs do not need frequent bathing, and it is not so easy to get their fur coat wet (another gift from the Newfoundlands).
Otherwise, the Leogberger is just an ideal family dog.
Education and training
When starting to train a Leonberger, it is worth remembering that this giant first thinks over all the information that it receives, and then decides what to do with it. Therefore, if he does not immediately learn new commands, this is not because something has not reached him, but because he has not yet decided whether he needs it. And he remembered everything from the first time.
And although Leonbergers are recognized good-natured people, this does not mean that they do not need to take obedience and training courses, because even the most docile dog must be manageable. And besides, if you do not show yourself as a leader from the very beginning, the pet runs the risk of growing nervous and naughty, because it is very important for these social animals to clearly know their place in the pack.
By the way, even if you are a huge fan of this breed, you should not take two puppies at once, so that they do not become isolated in communication with each other and exclude you from their circle of interests.
In general, the training of the Leonberger is an interesting and calming process. The main thing is to never turn to raised voices and violence, because this can turn even the kindest dog into an evil and hysterical creature.
Health and disease
The Leonberger is a large and heavy dog, and all the diseases that happen to him are connected precisely with this. Most often, they are susceptible to damage to the musculoskeletal system (osteomyelitis, joint dysplasia, and even osteosarcoma). Eye diseases are also not uncommon. However, it is not at all necessary that the dog will fall ill with any of the above, especially if the owner feeds it properly and does not subject it to nervous shocks (it should be remembered that dogs are very sensitive to an unfavorable psychological climate in the family).
Unfortunately, Leonbergers are not among the longest-lived breeds, but whether the dog will live happily all the years allotted to it depends only on the owner.
Word to the breeder
Liya Khusainova, breeder and owner of the Teffills kennel shares:
– Leonberger presents no difficulties as a domestic dog, and his love for children makes the breed an ideal companion for a modern family. This is a pleasant in communication, completely devoid of aggression domestic dog, a true friend and ideal companion for all family members, young and old. He has an excellent memory, a lively mind. These dogs are happy to obey their owners, they are calm, immune to noise and perfectly trained. In short, the Leonberger is an ideal family friend.
Popular questions and answers
We talked about the content of Leonbergers with zoo engineer, veterinarian Anastasia Kalinina: