Size
Height at the withers:
Dogs: 28.5 to 31.5 inches (72 to 80 cm)
Bitches: 25.5 to 29.5 inches (65 to 75 cm)
The female Leonberger can weigh up to 132 lbs (60 kg)and the male up to 200 lbs (90.9 kg) but most of them are lighter.
Coat
The Leonberger has a medium length soft to coarse double coat that is very water resistant. Males often have particularly
thick fur on the neck and chest creating the appearance of a mane. There is distinct feathering on the backs of the front
legs and thighs. Coat color can range from lion yellow, red, reddish brown, and sandy. Black hair tips are permitted, but
black must not determine the dog's basic color. All Leonbergers have a black mask.
TEMPERMENT
Leonbergers are very loving and great with children. They are very large and don’t necessarily need a big yard and
house to roam around. They are adaptable and don’t take up much more space when curled up to sleep than any other medium
to large dog. Like any dog they ask for nothing more than to have a daily walk and bit of brain stimulation. Aggression comes
with improper training when young or bad experiences that they may have had. Treat them right and you have a wonderful, loyal,
loving friend. Since World War II, the numbers and popularity of Leonbergers have been growing, and in Britain alone there
are over 2,000 registered Leonbergers
Heinrich Essig, a dog breeder and seller from Leonberg in southwestern Germany, originally bred the Leonberger from the
Newfoundland, Saint Bernard, and Pyrenean Mountain Dog in the early 1800s. The popular legend is that it was bred to resemble the coat-of-arms animal of Leonberg, the lion, but
in fact the earliest Leonbergers were predominantly white and the coloring of today's Leonbergers, brown with a black mask,
was developed during the 19th century, probably by introducing other breeds into the mix.
Leonbergers were seriously affected by the privations of the two world wars. During World War I most Leonbergers were left
to fend for themselves as breeders fled or were killed. Only five Leonbergers survived World War I and were bred until World
War II when, again, almost all Leonbergers were lost. All Leonbergers today trace their ancestry back to eight dogs that survived
World War II
