GENERAL APPEARANCE
Shoulder height: 65-70cm (26”-32”).
Colour: Light yellow, golden to red-brown. Black mask.
Coat: Medium length - thick undercoat. Good mane on the neck and chest and the tail is bushy. Gait: Strong,firm with a good drive.
This big dog is extremely muscular but at the same time elegant. The skull is moderately domed but in size must never approach the length and depth of the head of the St. Bernard. The muzzle is moderately deep and the skin on the whole head should never be wrinkled nor carry dewlap. The eyerims should be tight, medium sized and dark. The high set ears lie close to the cheek. The body is slightly longer than the height at the shoulder and the chest reaches below the elbow. Well angulated fore and hindquarters and the legs should be parallel and end with tightly webbed feet. The bushy tail is carried at half mast and must never be carried over the back.
CHARACTERISTICS AND CARE
Like so many of the larger breeds, the Leonberger is a faithful, amenable and intelligent dog. He is neither timid nor aggressive and never appears to be in a hurry. This breed was developed from other caring or guarding breeds and as such makes a good protector of people or stock. The coat will need periodic brushing with a firm brush that reaches through to the thick undercoat, in order that it not become tangled or too curly.
HISTORY
The Leonberger is a breed evolved through selective breeding by Herr Essig, a resident in the town of Leonberg in Wurttemberg, Germany. The breed’s origins lie with the St. Bernard, the ancient Tibetan Mastiff and possibly with an infusion of some Pyrenean Mountain Dog and Newfoundland. Due to the difficulty in establishing a distinctive breed type the first official breed standard was not published until 1949.