Leonberger v. Bernsteinmeer
Standard
The leonberger came into existence with the cross-breeding of the Great-Pyrenees, Saint Bernard, Landseer and a possible fourth breed that was not named. The first leonberger was born 1846 in its home town of Leonberg, Germany. This breed was brought about by the work of Mr. Heinrich Essig, city council of Leonberg. His goal was to breed a dog that looked similar to the lion on the leonberger city crest.
The standard for today describes the leonberger as large, strong, muscular dog. It is elegant with a harmonious built and self-assured, lively temperament.
The leonberger is a pleasant and agreeable partner that with proper training can be taken everywhere without difficulties. It should not be shy or aggressive. As a companion the leonberger is a pleasant and fearless dog. They should be noise tolerant and have a good capability for learning.
The coat should be middle-soft to coarse, moderately long with a good undercoat. It is straight or slightly wavy. The male should have a mane. The colors range from lion-yellow to red and reddish-brown to sand-color. The mask should be black.
Males can reach a height of 72-80cm (28-31 inches) with a weight of 60-75 Kilo (130-165 lbs).
Females can reach a height of 65-75 cm (25-30 inches) with a weight of 45-60 Kilo (100-130 lbs).
In 1895 the German Club for the leonberger breed (DCLH) with its headquarters in Leonberg was founded. It is the recognized club of the leonberger breed that belongs to the Verein des Deutschen Hundewesens (VDH).