The Leonberger is a large dog breed originating from the city of Leonberg in Germany. Male dogs stand up to 80 cm high and are coated with long thick fur and a beautiful mane, making for a striking and impressive sight.
Huge and powerful, these large dogs still manage to be full of grace and are surprisingly agile. The Leonberger has a long, water-resistant double coat which can be straight or wavy, with shorter hair on the muzzle and limbs, and a lion-like mane around the neck and chest. The colour of the fur is hues of gold, red and brown with a darker mask on the face. Leonbergers are large, gentle dogs which love human company. With good early socialisation, they make wonderful family dogs that are gentle with children and other animals in the household. This breed is naturally wary of strangers and may show aggression toward other dogs, so early socialisation is particularly important, especially given the strength and size of the Leonberger. Although laid back around the home, Leonbergers love to be outdoors and make fantastic hiking companions. They also like to swim and will enjoy activities such as agility, carting and sledding. Given their prolific coat, they need regular grooming. This imposing yet ultimately gentle dog makes a wonderful companion for the active owner or family who has good experience with large dog breeds.
History
According to history, the mayor of Leonberger wanted to create a dog that looked like a lion and played homage to the towns name and crest. What he created was a large dog with a tawny yellow coat and thick mane, which had been bred from a mixture of St Bernard, Newfoundland and Pyrenean Mountain Dog. Traditionally these dogs were kept as farm guard dogs and to pull carts. In more recent times they have been used as water rescue dogs.
