Leonbergers: What's Good About 'Em, What's Bad About 'Em

Noble and powerful, a good Leonberger is calm and steady, yet bolder and more athletic than most giant breeds.

The Leonberger enjoys swimming, tracking, agility, therapy work, pulling a cart or sled, and weight pulling -- all productive outlets for his energy. Fetching a ball or Frisbee, however, is not a natural activity for this breed.

The Leonberger is a loving, steadfast dog who thrives on being made an integral part of the family. Though protective instincts develop at maturity (three to four years) and he becomes more discriminating with strangers, he should never be aggressive.

His deep, imposing bark and confident presence should be enough to deter intruders. This stability, however, assumes early and ongoing socialization and a sound-tempered bloodline. Some Leonbergers are unfortunately shy and/or sharp.

Dog aggression can be a problem, and two Leonbergers of the same sex should not be kept together.

Obedience training should start at three months old. Heeling is imperative, because these powerful dogs can literally pull you off your feet. His determination to jump up into your face and lean against your leg (leading to the affectionate nickname "Lean-on-berger") can be disconcerting.

During adolescence, his hormones will kick in and he might start to test his owner, who must respond with consistent leadership and more training. This is especially true of Leonberger males.

Leos can be messy: Their huge paws track in mud; they may drool if stressed; and most play in their water bowls, dunking their heads and coming up slobbering. It is said that their natural look is slightly damp with leaves stuck to their coats.

If you want a dog who...

Keep in mind that the inheritance of temperament is less predictable than the inheritance of physical traits such as size or shedding. Temperament and behavior are also shaped by raising and training.

• You can avoid some negative traits by choosing an ADULT dog from an animal shelter or rescue group. With an adult dog, you can easily see what you're getting, and plenty of adult Leonbergers have already proven themselves not to have negative characteristics.
• If you want a puppy, you can avoid some negative traits by choosing the right breeder and the right puppy. Unfortunately, you usually can't tell whether a puppy has inherited temperament or health problems until he grows up.
• Finally, you can avoid some negative traits by training your Leonberger to respect you and by following the 11-step care program in my book, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy.

More traits and characteristics of the Leonberger

If I was considering a Leonberger, I would be most concerned about...

1. Providing the proper balance of exercise. Young Leonbergers need enough exercise to keep them lean and healthy, but not so much that their soft growing bones, joints, and ligaments become over-stressed and damaged. Adult Leonbergers need more exercise to keep them in shape, but not in hot or humid weather for fear of overheating. The proper amount of exercise can be difficult to regulate in giant breeds.

   Since you need to minimize their exercise, young Leonbergers can be very rambunctious. They will romp with uncoordinated gawkiness all over your house. You need to substitute extra quantities of companionship and supervision. Otherwise, left alone, young Leonbergers become bored and destructive.

2. Providing something for them to do. There's really no point to getting a breed that loves doing activities....but then not pursuing any of those activities that the dog loves! You should be an outdoors lover – your Leo is. Engage his intelligent mind with activities such as backpacking, carting, sledding, weight-pulling, tracking, or a similar dog sport, to keep both his body and mind exercised.
3. Providing enough socialization. Many Leonbergers have protective instincts toward strangers. They need extensive exposure to friendly people so they learn to recognize the normal behaviors of "good guys." Then they can recognize the difference when someone acts abnormally. Without careful socialization, they may be suspicious of everyone, leading to either aggression or shyness.
4. The strong temperament. Leonbergers are not eager-to-please Golden Retrievers. They have a strong mind of their own and are not pushovers to raise and train. Some Leonbergers, particularly adolescent males, are willful, obstinate, and dominant (they want to be the boss) and will make you prove that you can make them do things. You must show them, through absolute consistency, that you mean what you say.

   To teach your Leonberger to listen to you, "Respect Training" is mandatory. Read more about Leonberger Training.

5. Animal aggression. Many Leonbergers are dominant or aggressive toward other dogs of the same sex. Some Leonbergers will chase and seize cats and other fleeing creatures.
6. Slobbering. Leonbergers are not supposed to be droolers, but those with loose lips will slobber when food is present, or when stressed. And most Leonbergers are messy drinkers who slobber water everywhere. This is not a dainty dog for fastidious housekeepers.
7. Heavy shedding. Leonbergers shed a lot. You'll find hair all over your clothing and furnishings.
8. Health problems. An alarming number of Leonbergers are crippled by bone and joint diseases and/or succumb to cancer in middle age. Read more about Leonberger Health.
9. Finding one and paying the price. In the United States, the Leonberger is hard to find and very expensive.