Leonberger
Appearance
The Leonberger dog is a relaxed, large, strong dog who likes to work. He has a proud head. His name comes from appearance of its hair on the neck and chest which is similar to a lion's mane. Although this dog is large it is quite agile. Originally this dog was either a draft, farm or family dog. This means that they have many excellent qualities, The Leonberger dog is obedient, confident and alert. He is a good hearted dog with intelligent eyes.
The Leonberger matures at 18 months, and the male is between 60.5 cm and 67.5 cm in height, while the female is between 55.5 cm and 65 cm. Leonbergers have a medium to long, which is water resistant, they have short fine hair on the muzzle and front of limbs. The color of the coat is yellow, ranging from golden to red and red brown, it is also possible that it be sand colored.
History
The history of this noble dog starts in the 1830's, with Heinrich Essig. He was a dog breed from Leonberg a town near Stuttgart in Germany. He created the breed by crossing a barry male from the Great St. Bernard Hospice and Monastery with a Landseer Newfoundland. Afterwards a Pyrenean mountain dog was added to the mix. There is a popular legend that the dog was created for its resemblance to the coat-of-arms animal of Leonberg. Modern Leonbergers tend to have darker coats and black masks. They were almost wiped out by World War I, then bred again then again almost wiped out in World War II. Only 8 dogs survived and they provided the blood line for the entire Leonberger breed.
Health
Leonbergers are fit and healthy dogs. Normally hip dysplasia is an issue with large breeds of dogs, but this is not present so strongly in this breed, as breeders tend to actively check for this problem and tend to not breed animals with this issue. The current rate of hip displacement is about 13%. Leonbergers also can have a number of diseases such as heart problems, Inherited Leonberger Paralysis, inherited Leonberger Polyneuropathy, hemangiosarcoma, osteosarcoma, digestive disorders, cataracts, perianal fistulas, eyelids dysfunction, progressive retinal atrophy, as well as thyroid disorders. It should be noted that the rumours that this breed suffers from a particular susceptibility to anesthetic has been largely discredited. Leonbergers in have a lifespan of approximately 7 years, which is about average for similar large dogs. As with other large dog breeds, bloat can be a serious condition, which can be fatal very quickly. Certain types of cancers are common with the Leonberger, as is Addison's disease. The most common cause of death is cancer.