Leonberger's origin story, external standard, behavioral traits and health, care tips, training, interesting facts. Purchasing a puppy. These dogs seem to be specially created for paintings. Their bright, imposing appearance is breathtaking, and at the same time alarming. But in fact, they are huge, kindest, playful, fluffy animals that love people very much. Due to their gigantic size, animals are excellent guards. They also take part in rescue operations.
The history of the origin of the Leonberger breed
In the South-West of Germany, in the unification of the lands of Baden-Württemberg, each city has its own rich history, objects of pride and centuries-old secrets. Images of lions in Leonberg at every turn and even on his heraldry. This symbol gave the name to the Leonberger breed, which appeared here in the 19th century - a giant variety of the Great Dane. She went through ups and downs. First, the favorite of monarchs, the object of desires of aristocrats, then complete oblivion and disappearance. And as a result, world recognition, love and respect of admirers.
There are several options for the emergence of the breed in their homeland. The official version says that the councilor of the city magistracy, Duke Heinrich Essing, was entrusted with the authority to glorify the name of the city. This honorable city dweller was an ardent dog fan and a wonderful breeder. There is an opinion that he took the famous St. Bernard named "Barry" as his base, who saved many people in the Alpine mountains. The story is certainly beautiful, but in 1814 the dog died, and at that time Henry was only 12 years old. Therefore, this is only a legend.
There is also another variation. According to the research of Professor Schulmatz, the Leonbergers were already much earlier than the birth of the esteemed Essing. Somewhere 200 years before his appearance, the paintings contained images of dogs guarding the Austro-Hungarian royal family. They were very similar to today's Leonberger.
German dog handlers claim that there were no St. Bernards in the blood ties of this species, but there were balancers - the current Newfoundlands. The heirs of several tribes of litters were brought together with Pyrenean shepherd dogs, and only then, with a golden St. Bernard. Step by step, the shade of the hairline changed from black and white to silver gray, and then to fiery. Only the black mask on the head of the animal remained unchanged. At first, these dogs were lighter in color, but later, their shade changed.
In the diary of the Mettermich family of the 17th century, a record was preserved that on their estate, to protect livestock from thieves, canines similar in type to the Leonberger were used. Around the same time period, in 1701, a one meter tall specimen was donated to Marie Antoinette. Now these two theories are merging. Shortly before the beginning of the life of Duke Heinrich Essing, there were already canines that looked like Leonberger.
Over time, they have undergone changes for the worse. Then Essing used the surviving specimens of the representatives of the breed in his breeding activity. He managed to revive and restore the breed. Research by geneticists confirms this. It is also indisputable that the St. Bernards participated in breeding. The Leonberger were the descendants of two bitches sent to the Leonberg monastery nursery in 1820. So the basis for the creation of the species was a dog from this city. The Duke still managed to immortalize his name!
He presented his pets to famous and talented musicians, artists, politicians, titled persons. These dogs were owned by Richard Wagner, Napoleon III, Queen Elizabeth of Austria. There is a photograph showing the last Russian emperor Nicholas II with Leonberger. They also lived at the court of the Japanese emperor Hirohito. The turning point in the existence of the species came after the death of the duke. He left no documents describing their standard. On the wave of demand, people who were not clean on hand, under the guise of a Leonberger, sold any large dogs and over time, they were no longer considered an independent breed. But in 1895 Albert Kul writes the breed standard and practically revives it.
Now these dogs live in different countries of the world. According to the official version, there are about eight thousand of them, but in fact, the number is much higher. The popularity of the animals is so high that people feel as if the city was named after a dog, and not vice versa. In 2005, the residents of Leonberg held a competition to design a sculpture in honor of their favorite breed. Hungarian sculptors Nadi and Balash won.
External standard leonberger
The first thing that catches your eye is the massive body. The weight of this dog can be up to 76 kg. At the withers, males reach up to 80 cm, and females from 65 to 75 cm. The animal must be harmonious. Males have a courageous head. And bitches should be feminine. A large, powerful and elegant dog. Very strong, creates a feeling of absolute comfort. Gives the feeling that you can go anywhere with them. Dogs should give an absolute sense of confidence and reliability, obey the owner. It is normal to react to touch - to allow yourself to be stroked and not to be fidgety.
- Head deep, extended. The cheekbones are moderately developed. The skin fits well over the entire head.
- Muzzle - long, massive, equal in length to the skull. The transition to the forehead is moderate. The bridge of the nose is flat and wide. Lips tightly closed, black pigmentation. The jaws are developed, the bite is scissor. Canines are white, large, erect. It should have 42 teeth.
- Nose - the lobe is large, only black.
- Eyes leonberger harmonious fit. Oval, medium in size. Eyelids tight, dark pigmentation. The white of the eye is slightly visible. Eye color from amber to hazel and dark saturated brown, almost black.
- Ears set high but not far back. Medium in size, well filled, drooping, close to the cheekbones.
- Neck - muscular, with a well-developed withers with a smooth curve, without dewlap. In males it is more pronounced.
- Frame powerful, muscular, with a straight back. The loin is broad, the croup is softly rounded. The chest is oval, wide. The belly is slightly tucked up.
- Tail - long with lush hair. Looks smart. Set neither high nor low. When moving, it bends slightly above the spine.
- Front limbs Leonberger's lines are parallel to each other. Medium set. The shoulders are at an oblique angle. The hind ones are upright. The thighs are mesomorphic musculature, long, set obliquely. Form a pronounced angle with the shins. Dewclaws are removed.
- Paws. Stand straight. They have jumpers making them great swimmers. The toes are well-knit and well arched. The pads are developed. Nails with black pigmentation.
- Coat dense, with long guard hair. The coat is long enough, moisture resistant, with undercoat. It fits well, but the outline of the body is visible. In structure, from softer to hard, it can be slightly wavy. A lion's hair collar is clearly visible around the neck. Good feathering on the forelegs. On the back - fluffy pants. The tail is smartly dressed.
- Color from golden like a lion to reddish brown. The tips of the hair can be black in any base color. Be sure to adorn the face with a black mask. The ears are black.
Leonberger's character
Pets are just made for family life. They are great help in everyday life. Living with these dogs is about gaining a certain amount of experience. They can be different: alert, kind, obsessive, overly calm. The embodiment of a canine mighty fighting force, with the loyalty of a kind servant.
The specificity of Leonberger's behavior is such that they always insist on their own. The attitude towards children is special. A dog will never offend a child and will always protect even a stranger. The boys can do whatever they want with her: pull by the ears and tail, ride a horse. "Leon" will bravely endure all their pranks.
Leonbergers grow up late, so they love to play throughout their lives. This is a very important area of their life, and they pay a lot of attention and time to this. If they need something, they lightly take a person's hand with their teeth, and take them away as needed. As a true giant, the dog is strong in spirit, but knows the value of words. Dogs are quite silent - they rarely bark. They give a voice only when they want to ask or ask for something - in extremely urgent cases. They are incredibly responsive to communication. They can be understood without words. You just need to truly love Leonberger and be able to find contact with them. Affectionate kind and gentle giants.
Leonberger health
Leonberger is a large dog, therefore, unfortunately, it does not live very long - up to 8 years. For good development, and in order to avoid further diseases, they need to be fed well and in a balanced way. It is imperative to enrich the diet with all the necessary spectrum of vitamins and minerals. In no case should you underfeed or overfeed your pet. This will negatively affect the skeletal system of the animal.
These dogs have the following genetic diseases: hip dysplasia, cancer, nervous disorders. Disorders of the limb's musculoskeletal function are most common in large dogs. Many believe that to a greater extent it is not only a genetic predisposition, but also a poor diet and improper physical activity.
Cancer is an oncological disease that causes involuntary cell growth in various organs of the dog's body. Until now, they cannot determine exactly what factors influence its development. It is believed to be inherited. Treatment depends on the degree of the disease, and has a very wide range of manipulations. The neglected forms are subjected to surgical intervention.
Leonberger are very sensitive animals with fine nervous organization. Families in which there are constant scandals, quarrels and fights, in no case should they start. They react very sharply to the influence of environmental factors. In an unfavorable environment, they may fall into depression, do not eat. They behave very extraordinary.
Leonberger care tips
They are large dogs that require careful grooming. And it takes a lot of time to devote to this. Even redeeming such a colossus is worth something.
- Wool. They bathe the Leonberger as it gets dirty. After all, this is not a small animal and bath procedures require a lot of effort, time and money. Wash their coats with branded shampoos and conditioners. After manipulation, they must be thoroughly wiped off. The dog is not dry yet, is in a warm room, without drafts. They have abundant, long hair with a thick undercoat, so it is better to brush them every day. This is done with a slicker. You can complete the procedure by combing the animal with a metal comb.
- Ears. To reduce the accumulation of dirt, and the ear canal is not so clogged, it is better to pull out the hairs inside the ear. This will improve ventilation in the ear canal, and it will have to be cleaned less often.
- Eyes. They are looked after only in case of emergency. Wipe with sedatives if necessary. For this, decoctions or pharmaceutical preparations are used. Wipe your eyes only towards the inner corner.
- Teeth. To prevent plaque build-up, they must be cleaned regularly. Prevention is better than cure. Purchase a variety of natural and artificial chew bones for your pet.
- Claws. If during walks they do not grind, they are cut. The manipulation is carried out as the claws grow with special scissors.
- Feeding. Leonberger is fed both natural food and ready-made concentrates. It all depends on the preferences of the breeder. Solid food and canned food should only be of high quality. Natural food is 80% lean meat and 20% fiber. But no matter what your pet eats, it is necessary to enrich its diet with vitamins that are appropriate for the age and state of the dog's body.
- Walking. Having got a Leonberger, do not forget that these dogs are very playful and active. In order for your pet to maintain good spirits for many years, he needs to at least just play with his fellow tribesmen. In a cheerful, "shaggy" company, your pet will frolic and get a charge of positive emotions. Such active walks guarantee good physical and psychological shape for your four-legged friend.
Leonberger training
Leonberger shows miracles in training. They grow up late enough. They have very flexible brains. They quickly remember what they were taught. It is easy to work with them, but it is worth remembering one rule - learning takes place during the game. You should never shout at them. It is important to establish close contact with the dog.
Of course, they are not so easy to educate, but there is no talk of an impossible task. Commands: sit, lie down, place, they are not a problem. Speaking about dog training in Germany, it should be noted that the Germans begin to train dogs early, and require from them not only obedience, but strict discipline.
Leonberger animals are diverse. Until the end of the 19th century, and after the end of the Middle Ages, in cities they were often used as horse-drawn transport. They transported goods on small carts, guarded houses, looked after children. Real all-rounders that have retained their qualities to this day.
In Italy and Germany, they are attracted to the rescue of drowning people. They have an ideal sense of smell, which makes them irreplaceable assistants to mine rescuers. Until now, in all countries of the world, they are used as guard dogs. Animals of great physical strength. However, they are light and bouncy. Oddly enough, they are considered the favorites in agility.
Interesting facts about Leonberger
Dogs quickly learn the habits of their owner. Depending on the situation, they can increase their attention or calmly accompany you around.
In 2009, a new birth rate was set in the United States. A bitch named "Riela" gave birth to 18 puppies, while females of large dogs give birth no more than 6-8.
Purchasing a Leonberger puppy
Of course the Leonberger is a great dog, but you need to think carefully before adopting it at home. First, it's huge. A city apartment is not the most suitable place for them, you need to have a country house. Life expectancy is no more than eight years. In addition, they may have health problems. When it comes to grooming, be careful - they are champions in shedding. Intelligent animals, well trained. They are very sensitive, react sharply to family quarrels. Despite its impressive size, it is difficult to find a more loving dog. A great option for those who want to have a huge good friend.
To get a well-bred Leonberger puppy, you need to go to professional kennels. The best breeding pets are in Germany. As a result, you will get a healthy dog, with a stable nervous organization, with all the planned vaccinations, treated against parasites and meeting the standard. Along with this, you receive a veterinary passport, KSU metrics, free consultations on growing and show career of a pet throughout its life.
The cost of a puppy depends on why you need a pet. A puppy for a show or breeding activity is expensive. When you just need a pet, you can buy a puppy with slight deviations from the exterior - it will cost less. The average cost of a Leonberger puppy is from $ 500 to $ 1,500.
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