# leonbergers- Pros and Cons



## elliewall1 (Jul 29, 2012)

Hello :

I am thinking of getting a leonberger pupper later this year, Ive done a lot of research on the breed but have only met one owner  so personal recommendation and tips have been few and fair between. 

I was hoping if any owners or ex-owners could give me some tips on keeping them, what to look for when buying one, and any warnings about the breed. 

Thanks Ahead 

Ellie x x


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## hayleyth (May 9, 2012)

I have worked in kennels with this breed and had a rescue but not owned. 

As you know they are a very large breed, and i found they do not drool! Lovely waterproof coat and very thick! 

They are very gentle and calm, never known a aggresive one, they tend to walk off and ignore rather than showing aggresion. Great with children. Ive found that you have to be extremely patient when training this breed, also early socialising is vital in this breed to be good with other dogs. 

They tend to be very strong minded as puppies untill about 12 months. Also this breed gets very attatched to its owners an does not like being left alone for long. 

Ive also heard alot of people say they will often try to challenge its owner For the dominant role if not trained correctly with positive reinforcement. 

As i said i have owned this breed so some of this may differ but i experienced these with the rescue i owned and through speaking with owners and working in rescue kennels.


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## rona (Aug 18, 2011)

Beautiful breed that dies far too young


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## gesic (Feb 19, 2009)

They love water!
They do have the usual health issues ie HD etc but also laryngeal paralysis, poly neuropathy, dilated cardiomylopathy and lately glaucoma is becoming a problem.
Please ensure you choose a breeder who does everything in their power to avoid these problems.
As Rona said they do not live long enough


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## Baileys Blind (Jan 23, 2012)

My SIL had two, sadly lost one to bloat last year  She got him as a Pup from a good breeder and he was an absolute dream of a dog, brilliant in every way :thumbup: 

The other Ruby she kinda rescued, got her from a home that didn't have a clue, she joined my SIL and family at a year old and hadn't had the best start in life and she's very reactive to other dogs, due to her size and weight she has been known to pull my SIL over and drag her down the street  but she's brill with humans

Like any dog if they get given a chance then they are great but under different circumstances . . . :arf:

My SIL says the only down side is the hair when they moult, there's tons of it


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## elliewall1 (Jul 29, 2012)

Thanks everyone, I cant wait until I get one now. Its not for a while as we have a few bills to pay off before we commit. 

How do people find feeding them? Ive met one owner in town who had a 3 month old and told me to be prepared for a large food bill. I heard as well not to feed them for rapid growth when they are a puppy/ growing. What have people fed their leos at a young age? 

Another question grooming- I think I wouldl like to keep their natural coat and 'mane' however I just worry for them during the summer days what with their coat being just so thick. Does anyone get them in for a hair cut during the summer? Or do they grow a summer coat where the heat is not too much of an issue. 

Sorry if these are basic questions but obviously its better to ask now before I have one 

Ellie 
xx


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## Magnus (Oct 9, 2008)

Leonbergers are high maintenance dogs!

Be prepared to brush them every day; this is very tiring as their coats are very thick. Keeping on top of the grooming is one way to help them stay cool in the summer but access to plenty of water to drink and play in helps too. Do NOT cut their coats. The long thick hair also provides protection against heat and the sun.

As for not living long enough; they are quite long-lived for a giant breed with Leo's regularly reaching 10, 11 and 12 years old. Admittedly the average is probably around 9 or 10. That said a year with a Leo is worth 2 years with any other breed (I'm biased of course) 

The breeder will advise you on what to feed when you get your pup but as soon as I could I put Bear onto a mainly raw diet. He has pre-mixed raw chicken and lamb meat and bone minced with butternut squash, sea kelp, salmon oil etc. We buy this online and a big Leo (Bear is 80kg) will get through about £60 per month on that. We then also feed him raw lamb bones which we get for free from our butcher and he probably gets through £15 worth of "snacks" each month too.

Vet's fees are high when your dog is so large and if he needs antibiotics where the dosage is based on weight £70 or £80 is not unusual. Thankfully Bear is a very robust and healthy chap so visits to the vet are only occasional.

Leo's love people and don't like to be alone for long. I am lucky enough to be able to take Bear to work with me every day and we have an hour in the woods at lunchtime for him to stretch his legs (or more accurately spend an hour just mooching about looking for wildlife!). At home he has about one and a half acres to explore but he's just spoilt; I would say that a decent sized secure garden is a must for a Leo unless you have very close access to parkland etc.

Bear is particularly friendly with other dogs and seems to have zero aggression (good job really ) This, and the novelty value of having a dog the size of a small horse, can make short walks very lengthy jobs. "Have you got a saddle?", "Is it a lion?", "I bet he eats a lot?" "Look at the size of his feet!" etc. etc. etc.

It is worth noting that the difference between the sexes in Leonbergers is more marked than most other breeds; bitches are much smaller and have a totally different shape to their face and head being much narrower. The dogs are mostly square jawed and exceptionally powerful.

Get a Leonberger if you have the time to look after one properly; at least half an hour per day grooming.
Get a Leonberger if you don't mind that your house will be full of hair and muddy paw prints.
Get a Leonberger if you don't mind being stopped by everyone you meet to talk about your dog

Get a Leonberger and enjoy a decade or so of the single most delightful breed of dog ever. He will talk like a Wookie to you while walking backwards shaking his head and wagging his tail - they all do this for some reason!
He will pin you to the floor and wash your face with a huge wet tongue - whether you like it or not.
He will dig up your garden and bring most of it inside.
He will bring in a veritable zoo of insects and slugs which have become stuck to him whilst he was exploring a hedge or some undergrowth.
He will sleep in doorways rendering you trapped in one room.
He will sneak onto your bed and snore like a Bear.
He will love you unconditionally and forever.

Get a Leonberger and watch it grow......


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## leannelatty (Aug 14, 2009)

Magnus said:


> Leonbergers are high maintenance dogs!
> 
> Be prepared to brush them every day; this is very tiring as their coats are very thick. Keeping on top of the grooming is one way to help them stay cool in the summer but access to plenty of water to drink and play in helps too. Do NOT cut their coats. The long thick hair also provides protection against heat and the sun.
> 
> ...


He is the MOST handsome dog ever!!!! I fell in love with this breed when I met a breeder in the city centre a few weeks back while he was having a coffee with with his amazingly well behaved 6 Leo's and i just sat in the middle of them and cuddled all the bears - HEAVEN :001_wub:


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## Skoust (Feb 12, 2012)

I would also recommend going to some shows to meet some breeders/more leos. Another idea could be contacting breeders to just ask to meet their adult dogs to learn more about the breed. 

That is what I did when I wanted to learn more about newfs since they're not necessarily a dog you'll encounter frequently on walks


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## cavmad (Jan 27, 2009)

I have had two bitches Tasha lived to 13yrs and Indie was 14yrs 5months so i was lucky with both of my old girls.
As said before the worst thing is the grooming as mine were speyed they always seemed to moult then twice a year i got carrier bags of hair out of them.They also love water so dont expect to come home with a dry dog after a walk even in a drought.
Mine loved gardening and were especially good at digging then lying in the holes and if it had been raining and the holes had water in them it was even better. Also every twig and general garden rubbish gets caught in their coat so you find halve the garden in your front room.
As with all dogs it is important to socialise them as being so big they can drag you if they want to get to another dog. My girls were gentle and Tasha helped me hand rear two kittens letting them sleep in her fur and cleaning them after i had fed them.Indie was 13yrs when i got my 1st chi and she loved him and they always slept with Ike on her back.
They are brilliant dogs that have the usual big dog health problems eg hip and elbow displasia and are prone to bloat but i never had any problems but Indie brother bloated three times and the last time didnt make it.
Indie oh her 14th birthday









Indie with Ike


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## CockersIndie (Dec 14, 2011)

I walk with one occasionally and he is stunning! Very gentle but generally not interested innthemdogs- preferring to mooch around and sniff out the woods  small gene pool so I guess seek out a low COI (in-breeding) score  (any planned matins can be scored on the KC website) 

Other than that- keep us posted, truly stunning breed!!


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