Now, I am not going to pretent to know everything about Leonbergers, but what I can provide is some real life experiences and perhaps some tips if you are intending on purchasing a leonberger. There are people out there who know much more about the breed than I do and to some extent, it feels like I am trying to teach everybody to suck eggs, but I am intending it to be a starting reference point for the absolute novice, looking for inspiration as opposed to, further reading for the more knowledgable owners.

I am however, fully open and willing to accept any help, tips, knowledge and guidance or criticism from anyone with any valuable knowledge.

Before I purchased my first leonberger, I spent over 8 months trying to research the breed and try and find out as much as possible about them, because I had never even heard of them until I stumbled across them in a dog breed encyclopedia. I was looking for a breed which I could be relatively happy with around young children and also about the size of a German / Belgian Shepherd as we had previously had these breeds before and I wanted something around the same size ( Ok I know Leos are somewhat bigger than GSD's but you get the general idea ! )

Firstly, I would suggest that you research the breed fully prior to parting with your hard earned cash. A Leonberger from a reputable breeder will cost in the region of £1000, so they are not cheap, but In my opinion worth every penny if the breeder has tried his/her hardest to ensure that Health and temperament are at the top of priorities when breeding.

Things to consider when you are looking at purchasing a puppy are firstly, the environment in which they have been bought up in, the people, the health backgrounds of both the Sire and Dam including, hip scores, elbow scores and eyes. If possible, also look at the parents mother and father / brothers and sisters as this could also highlight any strong / weak points in the line.

Hip and elbow scores as well as eye test need to be viewed to make sure verything is ok.  The hip scores of the parents does not also guarantee that the puppies will also achieve the same hip scores when they are measured around 12months of age, but it increases the possibility slightly (as long as they are looked after whilst they are young) and goes with any other precautions which I may mention later on trying to ensure that any puppies have the best possible scores

If you intend showing your Leo than there are some other points to look out for such as the way the dog holds its tail, any markings, lack of a black mask etc but most of these things can change as the puppy grows. Dark eyes are also worth looking for as well as overall size and build

When you purchase your puppy, the breeder should be able to provide copies of the pedigree for both Sire and Dam going back at least 3 Generations if not 5. They should also be able to provide hip score certificates, eye scores, elbow scores etc and any awards the dog may have won including good citizens etc. as this helps in ascertaining the general temperament of the parents and to some degree the pups.

There should be a contract stating the limitations (if any) on the Kennel Club registration of the pups such as breeding and showing, exporting etc, there may also be a tattoo certificate if the pups have had ID's tattooed on the ears. All these things need discussing and change of address / owner details need completing on a successfull purchase. Something worth asking is which diet they have been fed on and how much, which worming tablets and how often etc

Our dogs have been fed on the BARF diet which consists of mainly raw meat and bone, RAW chicken carcases, raw fish, goats milk, raw eggs - complete with the shells for calcium, various organs and green tripe etc He also tends to have natural yoghurt, some James WellBeloved biscuits, and raw veg (liquidised), we don't however feed him any Pig meat as it tends to upset their stomachs and can cause more serious problems (AGAIN THIS IS PERSONAL PREFERENCE AND NOT STRICT BREED, OR CLUB GUIDELINES)

You can feed your Leo dog food if you so desire but I would strongly suggest reading what goes in it first, as most of the time, the only way I can describe its contents, is as SHIT ! One thing to remember though if you start one diet be careful if you decide to change in the future as there will almost certainly be a period where the dog wont eat and will be sick until he /she gets used to the new diet. I however, would not encourage changing diets unless absolutely necessary due to weight or health problems. Our Leos seem to thouroughly enjoy the diet and I am sure if we changed them to some of that dried crap he would certainly let me know !! Both the BARF Raw food diet and the dried food diet have their plus points and minus points but as far as I am concerned only one has nutrients etc as they would expect to find in the wild  - this is a choice you will have to make !

When you have purchased your puppy, although it is hard, try to refrain from running to its every cry, much the same as you would do for a young child, as this teaches them that crying gets your attention and puts them in control. Leos are pack dogs and generally form a level if hierarchy fairly early on in their lives, so we should do the same. Things like not letting you dog barge through the doorway before you, sleeping in your room or on your bed, eating before you or with you, sitting with you on the sofa etc. part from being general obedience,  it teaches them early on that you are "above" them in the hierarchy., as well as the hierarchy thing you will also quickly find out that especially Leo males, tend to out grow armchairs and look towards sofas and beds, when they are fully grown and weigh approx 12 stone even the most determined man is not going to move them, so these simple lessons whilst you can still pick them up is worth it in the long run !!

There are some goods books which go into this subject in more depth and more accurately than I could and should be consulted if you require further info.

If you enjoy having immaculate gardens which the neighbours / friends thouroughly enjoy looking around, and a house which is spotless and free from dog hair, nice clear door ways and sparkling clean windows, think hard before buying a leonberger.

a couple of points to take on board:-

1/ Leonbergers tend to always lie across door ways, meaning you are constantly trying to step over them.

2/ They thrive on wiping their noses across freshly polished windows

3/ They love digging in the garden and burying your gloves, tea towels, shoes, remote controls, toys, dustpans, digging up small shrubs, large shrubs and just about anything you leave lying around (BE AWARE IF YOU LIKE NAPS IN THE GARDEN !! )

4/ They LOVE water ! They drink it, sit in, roll in it , lie in it and then walk through your house. Leos tend not to "drool" like some other breeds but they do like any presence of water, so don't be surprised if it is raining and your Leo prefers to run around the garden trying catch rain drops and run and jump on your lap in the lounge and share it with you !

5/ Leos are very affectionate ! they love nothing more than nudging your hand out the way and parking their arse on your lap or sitting on your feet (just as you are about to walk off ! )

6/ They thrive on being part of the "family" and do not fair well being left alone all day.

7/ They can be stubborn and a good traininging regime will keep them on their toes !

8/ Leos are a Large breed dog with Large paws, large amount of fur and just about larger everything. It also comes with larger vets bills, insurance and the requirement for more room in your car ! 

9/ Leos are tall dogs and their Tails are just the right height to clear a coffee table of everything on it in one quick wag - Dont say you were not warned !

10/ Finally, but certainly not least ... I call them the "Pringles" amongst dogs. Once you have had one you have got to get another ! There is nothing more regal in seeing a large 'pride' of Leonebergers all together !

The above are just a few points to be aware of and are by no means a way of putting you off buying one, in fact we are actively looking for another one as we speak and would be absolutely lost without our Leos, they are very addictive and you will not want to stop at just one !!!! Be warned ! get ready to knock down the granny flat and extend the garden for another Leo !!

We have two young boys and they are anything but gentle ! They play with Khan and Sahara all day and they jump around together and roll around the floor. Khan gets his tail pulled, his ears pulled and gets shoved from pillar to post (Well he did until he put on a growth spurt!!! ) when he had had enough of that he just walked off, they have a tremendous temperament on the whole and welcome most people into the home (with the owners permission) They love being made a fuss of ( Who doesnt ??) Talking about attention if you don't like it don't get a Leo, a normal walk to the shops maytake you 5 minutes, but take a Leo with you and you can add 30mins at least to that. People stop and ask what it is, how much it eats, have you got a saddle for it , etc etc and then spend ages making a fuss, and like a pig in shit they love it !

Leonberger's don't need long walks and in fact would probably prefer a short run around the beach, dunes, or meadow which is ever at hand and if there is water around, rest assured he will find it, jump in it, and then promptly cover you in it ! Leos Love swimming in water and is probably the best exercise they can get as it exercises almost all muscles and doesn't put excessive strain on hips etc whilst they are young.

They don't require brushing everyday, but we have got into the habit of doing it a couple of times a week as he enjoys it so much and it gives an opportunity to make a fuss and keep a check on claws and keep is fur on his feet in trim etc Whilst you brush you should also keep a look out for any irritation or rashes. Our Leos have a lot of bones and we find that their teeth stay in excellent order and very rarely need brushing but it is always worth keeping an eye on them just in case.

As a Guard dog, their bark alone would put doubts in the mind of most unwanted guests and if that didnt work, a twelve stone walking carpet which stands over 6f feet tall on his back legs, running towards you at speed, will almost certainly nessitate an underpants change !

This is intended to be a "warts and all" view and doesn't entirely reflect the views of the leo Club GB or the Breed Standard, All the above are my own personnel views, real life experiences, if they offend in any way I suggest you don't read them, and try a site on my links pages.

Leonbergers are a fantastic breed and I wouldn't be without one now, I have never owned a dog so faithful, obedient, and affectionate. They really are like a human being (apart from the two extra legs, tail, floppy ears, toilet habits, washing techniques .......etc )

Bear in mind though they are a very powerful, strong willed, dog and very large in size and equally as stubborn, and do not appreciate being left alone for long periods of time which will not suit some people.

Read into this document what you want and feel free to contact me if you have any further questions, I will try to answer them as best I can and if i cant I know someone who most certainly will be able to ! - one thing i can tell you for sure though once you get one you would wonder why you didn't get one sooner and will more than likely start looking for another one !