How to buy a European Leonberger?

Big Dog | December 21st, 2009

leonbergerLeonberger’s are large dogs with big-boned frames. Coats are rough, medium in length and come in orange-brown or reddish-brown. Heads are big and slightly rounded with friendly brown eyes with black masks. Having a lion-like manes, Leonberger’s have a powerful and regal appearance. These are some of the few details stating how a genuine and pure Leonberger should look like. If one is interested in owning a canine that is patient, sociable and sensitive for its size, then studying the breed standard is imperative for spotting scam breeders that don’t follow quality. Here are some red flags to be aware of: Read the rest of this entry »

Leonberger Puppy Photo

Big Dog | December 5th, 2009

Leonberger Puppy Photo

This cute Leonberger pup is a little tired and sleepy. Isn’t he cute?

Save money on vet bills! Do the basic health check yourself.

Why spend money on vet bills, if you can do it too?

Leonberger Puppy

Big Dog | November 24th, 2009

Leonberger puppy

Too young to walk, but he just keeps trying! He will make a strong Leonberger.

Where can one get a Leonberger puppy?

Ann | November 9th, 2009

Dog lovers may want to get a particular dog when they get to see how wonderful they are with friends or family. But responsible owners are recommended to make the first step of getting a Leonberger by doing the math and on where reliable breeders are located. In 1985 there were approximately 100 Leongergers and by 1995, more than 800 were reported in the United States. However, many of them had cancer and hypothyroidism.

Leonberger puppy

There are chances that newspaper ads may be backyard breeders so best avoid them. The internet can provide many websites that can provide pictures and videos of their breeding areas so it’s best to try those. Reputable breeders make sure that their kennels are clean and that the puppies are correctly vaccinated. Since they are big dogs and may suffer from hip dysplasia, these kennels make sure that they have clear hips. It is also important to note the guarantee each breeder can provide.

What is a Leonberger?

Ann | October 26th, 2009

The Leonberger is a large and very energetic dog that resembles a lion. They are a versatile breed because they can function in areas such as hunting, herding and family companion. It is probably because they are a mix of Newfoundland, St. Bernard and Great Pyrenees. Adapting to almost any task is its characteristic. They have a very intimidating bark that makes them excellent watchdogs.  Apartment living may be manageable if access to a large yard.

Leonberger

Also, shedding may be a problem for they do shed heavily.  Their coats are of red, reddish brown or lion yellow color with an outer coat being long, rough and the undercoat is soft and dense. Both are weather resistant. What is unique about the mane is that it forms a mane around the neck of the male dog, giving it a similar imposing look as the lion. Females on the other hand have less-prominent manes.  The Leonberger can stand 29 to 31.5 inches high for males and 25.5 to 29.5 for females. They usually weigh anywhere between 105 or 132 pounds respectively.

Leonberger Dog Training

Big Dog | March 12th, 2009

Dogs have become such an important part of our society, that the need for them to fit in well with other human beings and not pose a threat or a disturbance is critical to their long term acceptance by our neighbors and others around us. Not all people are dog lovers and to make sure that they’re not inconvenienced by our pets, training is essential.

Also, dog training is an integral part of a working dog’s life for them to be able to assist humans in activities like hunting and police work. Training dogs is a specialized skill since the key difficulty lies in how to communicate efficiently with them.

All dog training is a repetition of the basic principle of reward and punishment in various forms and combinations. Communication of these signals is the key to proper training. One very important thing to remember is consistency of signals. The reliability of the training depends on how well a dog is able to be sure of what your signals mean.

It must also be mentioned that different dog breeds take to training differently. Dogs like the iconic German Shepherd are very easily trained due to their high intelligence. Another important factor is the emotional state of the dog. A dog that is frightened, anxious, or insecure doesn’t train well and this reflects the importance of factors like proper socialization of puppies.

A lot of studies have shown that proper puppy socialization goes a long way towards ensuring a good temperament and receptivity towards training. Lots of handling, petting and generally being around humans in their everyday life goes a long way towards making a dog well behaved and easy to train.

Training Leonberger puppies should not begin too early however, as there is evidence to show that before a certain age, the brains of puppies are not significantly developed enough to process complex learning.

Professional dog trainers are best when it comes to training your Leonberger as they will ensure that the proper habits are set for life, including how to behave around strangers. For the safety of your Leonberger, it is your duty as an owner to ensure that he or she is well trained.

Looking for the effective method to improve your dog’s behavior?

Formerly known as SitStayFetch, the product Secrets to Dog Training has sold over 200 000 copies. The worldwide success is explained by the proven methods the package includes to train any dog to behave well around people and other dogs and obey all of the owner’s rules and orders. Daniel Stevens’ Secrets to Dog Training will teach you how to:

  • curb your dog’s aggressiveness
  • make your dog understand what is right and wrong
  • house train your dog
  • stop your dog racing in the house
  • deal with a dominant dog
  • overcome separation anxiety
  • stop your dog jumping on people
  • apply the cutting edge Dog Whispering technique
  • deal with more than one dog in the house
  • stop the family cat being harrassed.

Visit Secrets to Dog Training official website for more information.

Leonberger Puppy…

D Dog Fan | April 11th, 2008

And to think this tiny Leonberger puppy will grow into a HUGE furry dog! Nature sure does work in mysterious ways :) You can already see he will be huge..look at the size of his paws!

Leonberger Puppy

Avoid unnecessary vet bills! Do your dog’s basic health check!

Why spend money on vet bills, if you can do it too?

Leonberger Poem

D Dog Fan | April 7th, 2008

A Leonberger Shares My Life

A Leonberger shares my life,
A dog that’s strong and true.
Affectionate and gentle,
Yet bold and fearless too.

A wonderful companion,
The very best you’ll find,
With a heart of purest gold,
This mountain dog of mine.

A friend that I can count on,
In which I can confide-
I can’t imagine life without
My “Leo” by my side.

- Anonymous

leonberger

Training versus Temperament….

D Dog Fan | March 19th, 2008

The Leonberger is an odd “kettle of fish”. One often thinks that all large dogs are ferocious. Well, in the case of the Leonberger, that is not true at all. This is a breed with a sweet disposition, albeit its large size. Aggression often comes from improper training, inadequate socialization as a puppy or from bad experiences. But this is all about socialization that is due to the care – or the lack thereof- offered by an owner. A well-raised Leonberger can provide loving and loyal companionship to any individual and family. If properly socialized, the inherent sweet disposition will come to the fore. Training is needed to make a large dog like this know his place in the family and in his home. A large dog like this can cause mayhem, without him even realizing it. Puppy training and obedience training will only emphasize the sweet disposition, and make this an extremely lovable family member, pet and friend.

Want to solve your dog’s behavioral problems?

Secrets to Dog Training covers all aspects of dog training, including behavioral issues that can ruin the relationship between dog and owner. If you have ever tried to train a dog, you know from experience what a challenge it can be. Here is what’s inside Secrets to Dog Training to help you avoid all the frustration and pain usually associated with training a dog yourself. Among many others, you will learn how to:

  • curb your dog’s aggressiveness
  • make your dog understand what is right and wrong
  • house train your dog
  • stop your dog racing in the house
  • deal with a dominant dog
  • overcome separation anxiety
  • stop your dog jumping on people
  • apply the cutting edge Dog Whispering technique
  • deal with more than one dog in the house
  • stop the family cat being harrassed.

Visit Secrets to Dog Training official website for more information.

Coat Care of a Leonberger….

D Dog Fan | February 7th, 2008

This gentle giant needs to be groomed regularly. Nature gave him a large and fluffy coat, that – like it or not- needs to be looked after and groomed. It is a good idea to remove the undercoat hair as well as all the dead hair so that the skin can be aerated and a new coat is given the chance to grow. Most Leonbergers love to be brushed or combed. If you are gentle, they are usually easy to handle. Take care not to pull their hair. It is a good idea to hand massage a Leonberger in order to remove the excess hair during the shedding season.

Only bathe your Leonberger when needed. The reason for this is that too frequent bathing will dry out the skin and coat. A good shampoo should be used; one that has been approved by your veterinarian. Another option is to dry bathe your dog. You can rub this dry shampoo into the coat, and then brush it out. If you give your dog a wet bath, keep it indoors and protect it from any drafts until its coat is fully dry.

If you are aiming to take your Leonberger to shows, then the grooming requires a bit more attention. Three or four days ahead begin with repeated brushings but no bathing. On the day of the show, brush the coat in a much lighter fashion. If you are planning on giving it a bathe before a show, take great care to dry the dog carefully and completely.

Coat care between you and your Leonberger can definately be a special time for bonding between the two of you!

Avoid unnecessary vet bills! Do your dog’s basic health check!

Why spend money on vet bills, if you can do it too?