Leonberger: breed features and rules of dogs

Leonberger is one of the oldest dog breeds, but despite this, it is not very well known to our compatriots. However, due to the growing interest of dog breeders to rare breeds, many breeders began to look closely at these unique dogs.

Leonberger belongs to those breeds that have experienced both dizzying ups and undeserved oblivion over the entire history of their existence. The breed managed to try on the role of the favorite of kings, to be a status dog in the circles of aristocrats, and to become the object of criticism and ridicule from dog handlers and dog breeders. In connection with such a rich history of ups and downs, the number of livestock then approached the mark of several million individuals, then suddenly rolled down and was on the verge of extinction.

It all began in the small German city of Leonberg, which translates as "the city of the lion." It was there, in the 1930s, that the cynologist Heinrich Essig had the brilliant idea to create a living symbol of the town. The main priority was to obtain a breed that looks like a lion, which would fully correspond to its name.

At the final stage of the experiment, Essig again attracts the St. Bernard, and then the Pyrenean mountain dog, for crossing. The result was not long in coming, and a large silver-gray puppy with a black head and the same ears was born. The newborn fully complied with the scientist's ideas about the new breed, which is why breeding experiments were discontinued, and in 1848 the breed was given the proud name - Leonberger. Then there was a rapid rise, a new breed quickly became popular and won the hearts of dog breeders throughout Europe.

However, the history of the origin of Leonberger did not end there, but received an unexpected continuation. Immediately after the death of the breeder, the German canine Ströbel questioned the participation of the St. Bernard in the formation of the breed. In his opinion, exclusively Alpine mountain dogs were used as ancestors, differing in their enormous size and attractive appearance. The opinion of Ströbel was shared by many reputable experts, including world-famous dog handlers Luket, Leonard and Likhbor.

However, this is not all. A third version appeared later, based on the story that three centuries earlier, similar dogs had been seen at horse fairs and were very popular among shepherds and peasants. This valuable information was obtained from the diary of a rich princess, who in her notes mentioned enormous dogs, according to the description resembling leonbergers. She wrote that animals were the favorites of the local nobility and were bred in elite nurseriesbesides, there is information that as early as the 18th century Marie-Antoinette became the owner of a huge lion-like dog.

However, in the 19th century, shortly before the start of the official selection experiments of Essig, a plague raged in Europe that struck a large population of domestic animals.The infection has not bypassed and huge beautiful dogs, of which only a few individuals survived, who lived in the nursery of the monastery. According to the third version, it was from these dogs that Essig restored the once existing breed, and did not create a new one. However, for commercial purposes, it was more profitable for the dog handler to position dogs as representatives of the new breed he had just created, and not the descendants of well-known and once revered dogs in Europe.

However, after Essig’s death, the breed’s popularity declined and, moreover, dog breeders began to mock her. Such events were due to the fact that the breeder did not leave not only the exact standard of the breed, but also documents confirming the results of breeding experiments, indicating the breeds of the parents and a description of the puppies received from them. This was quickly used by scammers who, under the guise of leonbergers, began selling various dogs with remote resemblance to the original and large sizes. As a result, the breed was in complete decline, and interest in it almost faded. But at the end of the XIX century, thanks to the creation of a tribal club, leonberger reappeared in sight.

However, after the sad events of the First and Second World Wars, the Leonbergers were again on the verge of extinction. According to German sources, in the world at that time only 3 purebred specimens survived, from which breeders managed to restore the breed.

In our country, the leonberger is still among the rarest dogs, however, the positive dynamics of population growth is still visible. Finishing the story about the history of the origin of this noble and original dog, it is impossible not to say that such outstanding personalities as Napoleon III, Prince of Wales, Nicholas II and Richard Wagner were in their time. And in the Austrian capital, a sculpture of the Empress Elizabeth of Baden with several leonbergers has survived to this day.

Leonberger is a large stocky dog ​​with a voluminous mane on its head and a black mask on its face. Externally, the animal resembles a small lion and looks pretty scary. The height of males varies from 72 to 80 cm, females - from 65 to 75 cm, which classifies the breed to the group of the largest dogs. The weight of adults is also impressive, and in large males it can reach 72 kg, in bitches - 60.

The head of the leonberger is rather large and corresponds to the body in the correct proportion., the length of the muzzle is approximately equal to the length of the skull, the foot is expressed smoothly, although it can be seen very clearly. On the wide and slightly convex sides of the muzzle, the cheekbones appear well, and the strong jaws have a set of 42 teeth. The bite in most individuals is scissor-like, with a dense overlap of the lower teeth by the upper ones, however, dogs are occasionally found with a direct bite. The lips of the leonberger have black pigmentation and fit snugly to the teeth. The nose is black and wide, the nostrils are open. Not too large oval eyes are always dark brown in color and set at the level of the foot. The triangular, fleshy ears are rather high, of medium length and hang freely.

In their constitution, leonbergers are square-format dogs, although they have a slightly elongated body, the length of which corresponds to the height at the withers as 10: 9. The dogs are well-built and have developed muscles, strong bones, a broad and even back, and elastic lower back.The withers are clearly visible, the chest is deep and wide, the belly is tucked up, the neck has no dewlap and looks slightly elongated. The tail of the leonbergers at rest is loose, rather long, and set below the hull line. When the animal is in motion, it rises and bends slightly, but in general it still remains below the back line. The long paws on the erect joints are arranged in parallel, the fingers are collected in a strong lump and have sharp claws.

Wool leonbergerov hard, not prone to decay into partings. On the tail, as well as in the area of ​​the head and chest, the length of the hair significantly exceeds their length in the rest of the body. Separately, it should be said about the color.

However, yellow-brown individuals, which outwardly resembled lions, were of great value. Over time, sandy and brown strands of shades were selectively fixed, gray specimens began to occur less and less, and in 1973 they were completely excluded from the main standard of the breed.

Currently, according to the classification of the International Cynological Federation, leonbergers belong to group 2, including pincher, schnauzer, moloss, mountain and Swiss cattle dogs, and consist of a section of moloss. The average cost of a puppy that does not have documents confirming the pedigree is 30 thousand rubles, a puppy of a pet class is 40 thousand, a brid class is 45, and a show class is 50 thousand rubles.

Leonbergers are dogs that have an awesome appearance that hides beneath a kind, calm disposition and phlegm. Dogs are completely devoid of aggressiveness and absolutely not prone to dominance. Pet will never resist the orders of the owner and fight with him for leadership. In relation to other pets, the dog is very peaceful and good-natured, and will never offend a cat or dog that has accidentally wandered into the yard. This is largely due to the complete absence of the hunting instinct and soft character.

Moreover, Leonberger has a fairly high intelligence, excellent security qualities and adequately assesses what is happening around. In the first place is his family, for which the dog feels a great responsibility. Therefore, if any danger arises, the pet quickly assesses the reality of the outgoing threat, and if necessary, immediately proceeds to protect the household and protect the household property entrusted to it. In order to repel an intruder, a dog often doesn’t have to do anything at all, since only the formidable look and impressive dimensions of a shaggy guard force detractors to flee.

Representatives of this breed need human communication, they know how to listen and empathize. If you don’t communicate with the dog for a long time, then it can become sluggish and detached, so when deciding to take a leonberger this moment must be taken into account. Just put the dog on the chain and force to protect the site will not work, since Leonberger, first of all, a companion, interlocutor and reliable friend, and only then the guard. Of particular note is the equilibrium of the leonbergers, which allows them to remain calm and calm, even if there is a lot of fun all around or a noisy event is being held. As long as nothing threatens his owners, the pet will lie serenely on the sidelines and carefully observe what is happening.

Separately, you need to tell about the attitude of Leonberger to children. The dog gently loves its little owners and is ready to endure their endless games and pranks. The dog allows the kids to drag themselves by the tail, pull at the ears and climb back, so in such cases you should worry more about the health of the dog than about the baby. However, letting a child openly mock an animal is impossible.

It should also be remembered that with great love and patience for children, only adult dogs are different. The puppy, having played, can upset the child or repel its excessive obsession. Many owners of Leonbergers say that dogs are kind to all children, including strangers, and every time they try to console a child with the sight of children's tears.

In this way, Leonberger is an ideal option for both a lonely person and families with children., and never will give its owners to doubt the correctness of the choice of pet. This is really the rare case when one dog harmoniously combines worldly wisdom and judgment, loyalty and devotion, balance and calm, sociability and listening skills, as well as high guard-guard qualities and love for children.

On average, leonbergers live from 9 to 12 years. Representatives of this breed are distinguished by good health and good immunity. However, like other dogs of the Molossian section, they often have diseases that are associated with high weight. This category of diseases includes dysplasia of the hip and elbow statutes and osteomyelitis, an infection of the bone tissue. Leonberber often suffer from periostitis - inflammation of the periosteum, arthritis and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. Breed diseases include conjunctivitis, cataracts, volvulus and skin diseases. There are also cases of oncology, Addison's disease - adrenal pathology, and hypothyroidism - a lack of thyroid hormones.

As seen, leonbergers are predisposed to a whole bunch of diseases. Diseases significantly reduce the life expectancy of the dog and reduce its activity. In order to avoid the appearance of such ailments, the puppy should be acquired in a good nursery, having previously read the case history of his parents. Such caution, of course, cannot completely eliminate the occurrence of these diseases, but can significantly reduce the risk of their occurrence.

Due to its thick and long hair, reaching 5-6 cm, leonbergers are quite suitable for outdoor use. However, due to the high need of dogs to communicate with a person, living on the street is not suitable for them. The ideal option would be a private house, where the animal will be able to spend some of the time indoors, and at the same time will not be limited to walking. If it is decided to keep the dog in the apartment, then here it should be remembered that due to its large size it requires space. For small apartments with small hallways, Leonberger is absolutely not suitable. You should also know that the dog needs long, slow walks twice a day. Therefore, if there is no one to walk with her every day for several hours, then it is better to opt for some other breed.

If the dog lives in a private house, then in the courtyard he should equip a shed where he can hide from the sun and wait out the rain. It’s categorically impossible to put a pet on a chain, since a leonberger is a companion dog that should always be close to the family, see and hear all its members, and not sit alone on a leash. In addition, there is no need for this: the dog perfectly obeys the owners and will not run into the garden or trampling the beds. If there is a need to limit the Leonberger geographically, then you can fence him a large area or build a spacious aviary.

Contrary to the expectations of the owners, who first took Leonberger, he eats no more than a sheepdog. You also need to keep in mind that portions should not be too large, since the dog can not be overfed. During the period of intensive growth, the puppy is fed 5-6 times a day, on reaching its age of 4 months they switch to four meals a day. From 7 months of age - three times a day, and from 12 months they feed twice a day. When calculating portions for dogs living on the street, it should be borne in mind that in winter they should be a quarter more than in summer.

The ration of a leonberger should consist in half of any lean meat: beef, rabbit meat, poultry, or horse meat, by-products can sometimes be used instead. The second half should consist of porridge: buckwheat, rice or pearl barley.

The diet should include boiled and fresh vegetables, seasoned with vegetable oil, dairy products - sour cream and cottage cheese, cartilage and large bones. As an additive to food should be given bone meal, gelatin and vitamin-mineral complexes. In addition, fresh drinking water should always be in the bowl.

If it is decided to feed the leonberger with ready-made feeds, then premium compositions for large breeds should be chosen., in which vitamins, microelements and useful substances are strictly balanced, and are present in necessary quantities. The type of nutrition a puppy should find out even at the stage of its purchase, and if a decision is made to transfer it to another feed, then it is necessary to act very carefully. It should also be remembered that mixing artificial food with natural is strictly prohibited, and you need to stay on one of them. The list of prohibited foods for dogs includes salty, fried and smoked dishes, baked pastries, fatty meats, legumes, sweets, small tubular bones, spicy foods and spices.

Leonberger is considered to be a rather unpretentious breed, but due to its rich coat, it requires a little more attention than smooth coat. The dog needs regular combing, which must be done at least 3 times a week. During the molting period, the pet must be scratched daily, and if the wool change is very intensive, then 2 or even 3 times a day. For this, it is recommended to use both traditional sweeper brushes, wool combing mittens and furmer. In accordance with the norm, molting occurs twice a year and is seasonal: animals “dress” for the winter, and closer to spring, on the contrary, shed their winter fur coat and acquire softer and breathable “clothes”.

However, it is not uncommon for a dog to moult from a seasonal transition into a permanent one, plunging the owners into slight bewilderment. The reason for this process is too dry air in the room where the pet lives. In this regard, it is necessary to take effective measures to humidify the room, using for this purpose humidifiers or installing containers with wet sand and river pebbles. Here it should be noted that the down of Leonberger is an excellent raw material for knitting belts, socks and mittens.

The second important step in the care of Leonberger is a regular inspection of the ears, teeth and eyes of the pet. The eyes are a problem area for most adults, their condition should be treated very carefully, and more often they should be cleaned with tampons dipped in special solutions. Ears also need regular brushing, which should be done as they get dirty. The length of the claws is checked once a month, and if necessary, sheared.

The next thing is to take care of the dog's ammunition. It is necessary that the collar, harness, muzzle and leash are always in a clean state. To do this, they are washed with antibacterial agents, and leather products are additionally smeared with cream.

It should also be noted that leonbergers love to swim in open reservoirs, and often serve as lifeguards on the beaches. Therefore, if there is an opportunity, then the dog should be taken to the river as often as possible. Moreover, active games in the water do not give such a large load on the joints, as games on land, but at the same time they strengthen and develop the muscles of the back and limbs much better.

If there is a forest nearby, then after his visit the dog is carefully examined for ticks, branches and thorns stuck in the wool, and if necessary, combed. Separately, it should be said about vaccinations. Vaccination of an animal should be carried out in strict accordance with the calendar, which will help to avoid many dangerous diseases. Moreover, puppies that do not have the first two vaccinations cannot go outside. Every 3-4 months, as well as 2 weeks before the next vaccination, it is necessary to carry out de-worming of the pet.

Leonbergers are very intelligent and intelligent dogs, so even a novice will cope with their upbringing. An important aspect of the training will be socialization, which must be started from 3 months of age. A puppy should be introduced to other dogs and taught to walk in busy places. The dog quickly gets used to the large crowds and noise of vehicles, and soon ceases to react to them.

When training Leonberger it should be remembered that brutal treatment and unfair punishment are unacceptable. Puppy on the fly seizes the mood of the owner and tries in every way to adjust to it. Many experts are similar in opinion that leonberger is one of the few breeds that do not need to learn certain commands.

If the dog lives in the yard or on the plot, then it must immediately define the boundaries of what is permitted, and in a strict voice prohibit approaching, for example, beds or berry bushes. Also in the house: Leonberger should clearly know where he can and where he can not, because later, when the dog reaches its maximum size, knowing his place will help avoid many problems. The general course of training can begin in 5-6 months. At the same time communicate with the dog should be respectful and calm. Raising the voice of a puppy, and even more so to beat him there is no need - the pet grabs everything on the fly and remembers the commands almost the first time. It should also be noted that leonbergers are dogs with a developed sense of justice, therefore they are perceived by shouts and undeserved punishments very acutely.

However, an adult leonberger sometimes suffers from the fact that the host’s duty teams, such as “sitting” or “lying down,” he can perform for a very long time, in the hope that the owner will change his mind and leave him alone. This quality of character is not explained by laziness or incompetence, but only by natural slowness and impressiveness of the breed. But as soon as it comes to some extraordinary situation, Leonberger instantly mobilizes and begins to act in accordance with his ideas about the protection of the owner.

When buying a leonberger in a thoroughbred nursery, the problem with choosing a nickname disappears by itself. Newborns already have a full name, which is compiled taking into account the pedigree and the regalia of his ancestors. However, you should not get upset in this case, as long, often consisting of several words, the names are well reduced to short and pleasant to the ear nicknames. Sometimes it happens that the breeder determines only the first letter of the nickname, and then it’s up to the fantasy and preference of the new owner.

When inventing the name of a Leonberger puppy, it is necessary to take into account that an enormous animal will grow out of a fluffy and funny bear cub, therefore, the nickname he must be appropriate. For such a dog, it is better to choose monosyllabic or disyllabic nicknames such as Bucks, Agora, Marven, Sarmat, and for bitches the names Alma, Vita, Shera, Yanka, Farry are suitable.

It is important that the name is not consonant with common commands. For example, a dog can take the nickname Fars for a “front”, and Accord can confuse his name with the command “aport”. Such confusion can lead to serious consequences, therefore dogs, which are supposed to pass early, do not call such names. You should also understand that leonberger is a rather serious dog, and his name should also be serious, therefore bagels, puhliks, bluegrads and Totoshki are categorically not suitable.

The boy can be called:

• Gold;
• Ador;
• Bart;
• Best;
• Damir;
• Heras;
• Zhus;
• Zagrai;
• Ilmar;
• Kraft;
• Kazar;
• Lars;
• Mars;
• Knox;
• Opal;
• Pirate;
• Pilot;
• Roy;
• Aloes;
• Fog;
• Ural;
• Urhan;
• Forest;
• Farhat;
• Cheran;
• Storm;
• Yutlay;
• Yardis.

For girls, good names are:

• Bertha;
• Gladys;
• Eve;
• Winter;
• Irma;
• Lima;
• Manon;
• Nancy;
• Pella;
• Ressie;
• Tilde;
• Urza;
• Chloe;
• Esta;
• Utah;
• Yassi.

Owners leonbergerov give them an excellent response. Almost all of them note a sharp mind and an extraordinary intelligence of pets, as well as the absence of aggression, not only to strangers, but even to neighboring cats. Many note the dog's strong friendship with all the familiar children, whom he tirelessly rolls on his back, and participates in all their games and pranks. The owners also like the absence of unjustified aggressiveness, which is caused by the rejection of too vicious individuals and their non-admission to further breeding. Attention is paid to the high security and guard qualities, because, despite the good temper and gentle nature, the protection of the property and the owners of the dog cope perfectly well.

Of the disadvantages are the huge size and large amount of wool in the house. Many owners write that with the advent of such a dog, it is necessary to perform cleaning twice a day, and during an intensive molt not to release the rag and vacuum cleaner from the hands at all. Walking the dog in the rain also creates big problems.

There is also pet slobbering, and although the saliva of them, like the bulldogs, does not constantly flow, such dogs have a habit of brushing off their faces after eating and drinking, because of which everything around them becomes spattered with saliva and food debris. About drinking should be said separately: leonbergers drink very carelessly, sweepingly, periodically raising their heads and shaking off their faces from the water. The water flows down to the floor and literally floods everything around. However, these domestic moments pale before the charm, intelligence and intelligence of the dog, and are not so critical as to refuse to acquire this noble and original breed.

In the next video you will find more information about the amazing breed of dogs Leonberger.