Fun Leonberger Facts For Kids

A Leonberger is not a natural dog breed. It was the result of experiments conducted by a breeder from Leonberg Germany, Heinrich Essig. In the 1830s, he began mating female Newfoundland dogs with male Saint Bernard’s.

He further developed the breed by using a Pyrenean Mountain Dog in later phases. The final result was Leo, a Leonberger puppy named after its original location in Leonberg, Germany. Heinrich Essig is hence considered the first breeder to register this species.

This giant, guardian dog breed became quickly popular among aristocratic families in Europe, including Germany, Italy, and France. When these countries were ravaged during the first world war, Leo dogs were used as water rescue dogs, and to pull ammunition carts.

They were eventually abandoned by their owners by the end of the war. In fact, it is believed that only 5 Leonberger dogs survived the war. Fortunately, they were actively bred after the war to increase their numbers.

The present-day Leonberger, with its lion-like mane, water-resistant double coat, and black mask, is believed to have been bred after the second world war. Today, this domestic breed is recognized by kennel clubs across the globe, including the Leonberger Club of America.

At Kidadl, you can explore several other fascinating types of dog breeds, including the jackapoo and the mastiff.

‍

Leonberger Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Leonberger?

A Leonberger is a domestic dog breed.

What class of animal does a Leonberger belong to?

Leonbergers belong to the Mammalia class.

How many Leonbergers are there in the world?

The exact count of Leonbergers isunknown. Although experts estimate that there are thousands of domestic Leos bred all over the world.

Where does a Leonberger live?

The Leonberger is a large dog that thrives outdoors. It is also an excellent rescue dog and a great family companion. Healthy Leos are most comfortable living with human families – on a rural farm, or in an urban house with a large backyard.

What is a Leonberger's habitat?

A Leo was originally bred in cold European countries like Germany and France. To adapt to this climate, the dog has a lush, reddish-brown outer coat, and a lion-like mane between its head and shoulders.

This thick double coat also makes it difficult for Leonbergers to survive in hot temperatures. The coat also requires frequent grooming in order to protect it from skin disease and other health ailments.

Leonbergers are large dogs with a high energy level, and hence require at least one hour of exercise every day to enjoy peak health. So they do well on farms, houses with a large backyard, or even with regular walks in the park.

But if these dogs are cooped up in cramped spaces, they can develop health problems like hip dyslexia, obesity, cardiac disorders, etc.

Who do Leonbergers live with?

Leonbergers are gentle dogs who are most comfortable living with humans. They thrive as a family companion but can get out of sorts and destructive when left alone. They are also great guard dogs. With early training, you can have a pet dog that is friendly with its family but can still be wary and cautious of strangers.

How long does a Leonberger live?

A Leonberger dog has a muscular build. It needs an active lifestyle with regular exercise to maintain its health. With this, a healthy Leonberger has an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. Also, the oldest dog in this breed lived up to 13 years.

How do they reproduce?

Leonbergers are large dogs. So it is important to supervise the mating of dogs in this breed (by quality breeders), to avoid health issues like hip dyslexia, inherited paralysis, etc.

Dogs in this breed achieve sexual maturity before they turn one year old. Adult females come into heat and are ready for mating twice a year. Breeders will allow mating only once a year, every two or three years, in order to maintain the health and quality of the breed.

Adult females also have a small window of time used by breeders, to mate with high-quality Leonbergers. Female deliver an average litter of four pups. Breeders will also start training the puppies when they are three weeks old, so they can be easily sold as a pet.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of Leonbergers is of Least Concern.

Leonberger Fun Facts

What do Leonbergers look like?

Leonbergers look like a friendly cross between a golden mountain dog and a Saint Bernard. They come in shades of brown and carry the signature lion-like mane and black mask.

They have triangle-shaped ears that flop on either side of their mane. Leonbergers were also used as rescue dogs, so they are active and surprisingly quick on their feet despite their large size.

Their thick double coat protects them from colder temperatures while making them vulnerable in hotter temperatures. Finally, Leonbergers are mostly friendly, even if the males tend to look more aggressive in nature than females.

How cute are they?

Leonbergers are incredibly cute, just like Labernese dogs. Leonbergers have a gentle face, with ears that flop adorably on either side. They also have a high energy level and love to exercise, so they can easily keep up with active children. They are also safe as a family companion and make for great watchdogs to protect their human family.

How do they communicate?

Leonbergers are loud dogs, tending to bark when they sense stranger danger. They are also friendly dogs who love to showcase their happiness with a wagging tail!

When adopted as a pet, Leonbergers will provide both verbal and non-verbal cues to communicate their mood. For instance, they do not like to be left alone and will sulk when the family gets back. On the other hand, they will shower you with love and friendliness when you exercise them regularly and keep them happy.

How big is a Leonberger?

Leonbergers are large dogs with a muscular physique. The average Leonberger dog size is 30 in (76 cm), with a weight of more than 110 lb (50 kg). With this, the Leonberger dog breed is 10 – 14 times the size of the average house cat.

How fast can a Leonberger run?

These large dogs can be surprisingly active and fast due to their high energy levels. They can run at speeds between 16–27 mph (25.7–43.4 kph).

How much does a Leonberger weigh?

Leonbergers are giant dogs and hefty in nature. So the Leonberger size ranges between 100 – 170 lb (45 – 77 kg ). Also, the weight of male dogs can be 20-35 lb (9–15.8 kg)  more than females in the Leonberger dog breed.

What are the male and female names of the species?

Both males and females are known by the same name, Leonberger. However, they do exhibit sexual dimorphism traits that make it easy to distinguish the gender in this dog breed.

For instance, adult males are always heavier than adult females. Adult males also tend to look more muscular and aggressive, with a pronounced lion-like appearance.

On the other hand, adult females tend to look more gentle and graceful. Regardless, both genders carry the signature black mask and triangle-shaped ears. They also have the same gentle personality so they can be easily adopted as a pet.

What would you call a baby Leonberger?

As with all small dogs, a baby Leonberger is called a pup, or a Leonberger puppy.

What do they eat?

Leonbergers are omnivores. These dogs can be given canned dog food, rice, and vegetables.

Are they slobbery?

Yes, Leonbergers can be sloppy with a relatively high drool quotient! These are not your ideal pet if you are a neat freak. If you don’t mind your dog licking you when you return home, then this is the perfect gentle companion to shower you with love!

Would they make a good pet?

Leonbergers make excellent pets, provided you can keep up with their needs. They are active dogs with high energy, and hence require daily exercise (at least one hour per day).

They need weekly grooming to keep their thick coat healthy and disease-free. They also thrive in company and do not do well when left alone. Finally, these are clever rescue dogs and respond quickly when you start their training early.

Did you know...

Leonbergers are the 13th biggest dog breed, among giant dog breeds in the world. The Great Dane is the biggest dog breed. Both breeds can surpass a human’s height when they stand up on their hind legs.

Characteristics and health issues

Leonbergers are known for their paradoxical traits. Males may look like aggressive giants, with their lion-like mane and a black mask. But both males and females are equally gentle with a friendly temperament. They make a great companion to their human family, but can be scary watchdogs with strangers.

Also, their large size exposes them to potential health problems, including hip dyslexia, obesity, heart problems, inherited paralysis. So it is important to pick a high-quality dog from an established breeder when you adopt a Leo as a pet.

Having your own Leonberger

Here are five important Leonberger dog facts to know, that will come in useful when having your own Leonberger pet.

The giant Leonberger dog is a fantastic pet, with a gentle personality and friendly temperament. These traits make this dog a great family companion. But Leos do not do well when left alone.

It can work as an active, high-energy, water rescue dog. For this, it is important to begin training this dog breed when it is still a puppy.

Leonbergers are giant breeds and need an active lifestyle with plenty of exercise. This dog breed does not do well in cramped spaces.

Leonbergers also have a lush double coat that sheds when seasons change. While this offers protection from cold weather, the coat also needs weekly grooming in order to protect these dogs from skin disease.

The Leonberger price ranges from $1,000 to $2000, based on the quality of the Leonberger dog, Leonberger puppies. A Leonberger mix will be on the lower end of this scale, while a purebred German Leonberger puppy will be on the higher end of this scale. Also, Leonberger mixes are more popular outside Germany.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out toy poodle facts and Cane Corso facts!

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our Leonberger coloring pages.