BBS Breed Spotlight: Leonberger
With the look of a lion and the heart of a teddy bear, the Leonberger is a true family companion. This dogs looks might fool you once, but once the kindness of the Leonberger shines, you’ll be a fan for life. BestBullySticks.com thinks you’ll fall in love quite easily. Read more about the Leonberger in the BBS Breed Spotlight!
History & Background: Leonberg, Germany is both the native city and namesake of the Leonberger breed. This dog was the product of the breeding a Landseer Newfoundland and a Saint Bernard predecessor, the “barry” by a prominent citizen of Leonberg, Heinrich Essig in the 1930s. Essig was very fond collecting animals and it’s even thought the dog was bred to resemble the coat of arms of the German town, which was the lion.
This dog was kept as farm dog and excelled as a watchdog and a draft worker. Famous owners of the Leonberger include Napoleon II, the Prince of Wales and other royalty. During the World Wars, this breed suffered greatly and only 5 survived WWI. Again during WWII this breed was almost lost into obscurity. In both wars this dog was used to pull ammunition carts, but was a service that almost cost this dog’s lineage. The modern Leonberger can trace it’s line back to the 8 dogs that survived the wars. Today the Leonberger is still used as a working dog in rescue saving missions.
Height: Males: 28 to 31.5 inches; Females: 25.5 to 29.5 inches
Weight: Males: 120 to 170 pounds; Females: 100 to 135 pounds
Coat: As with many working dogs, the coat is highly functional. The Leonberger has a very abundant, water-resistant, double coat. Shorter hair appears on the muzzle and limbs. The long, heavy coat is highly durable, straight, close-fitting and flat. The outer coat is medium length and soft to coarse in texture. Undercoat is soft and dense, but is less abundant in summer months. Leonbergers have a mane which stretches from around the neck to the chest. This dog sports feathering on the back of legs and ears and the tail is well covered in hair. Read more
