A dog like a lion: that was exactly what Heinrich Essig, a town councillor in Leonberg near Stuttgart, wanted. The lion appears on his town’s coat of arms, and Essig began crossing dogs in the late 1830s until he produced very large dogs with long coats. The Leonberger still combines imposing size with the composure its standard expressly demands.
| FCI | Group 2 (Pinscher and Schnauzer, Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs), Section 2.2 Molossoid breeds, Mountain type, Standard No. 145, without working trial |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Germany |
| Height at the withers | Males 72 to 80 cm (recommended midpoint 76 cm), females 65 to 75 cm (recommended midpoint 70 cm) |
| Weight | Not specified in the FCI standard |
| Life expectancy | Median 10,0 years in a British analysis of 584.734 dogs (McMillan et al. 2024) |
| Coat | Medium-soft to coarse, generously long, close-fitting, with good undercoat; mane around neck and chest |
| Colours according to the standard | Lion yellow, red, reddish brown, sandy and all combinations, always with a black mask; small white chest patch tolerated |
Origins
According to the FCI standard, Essig crossed a black-and-white Newfoundland bitch with a so-called Barry male from the Great St Bernard hospice, later adding a Pyrenean Mountain Dog. The first dogs named Leonberger were born in 1846. They were soon sold worldwide as status symbols; by the end of the 19th century, farmers in Baden-Württemberg kept them as guard and draught dogs. Breeding numbers fell dramatically during both world wars.
Temperament
The standard describes a pleasant family dog, particularly friendly with children, neither shy nor aggressive. It requires self-confidence and assured composure, a moderate temperament with a playful streak, willingness to obey, good learning ability and tolerance of noise.
Exercise and activities
It needs long daily walks, but no high-performance sport. Shared outings, scent work and obedience suit it. In warm weather, move long walks to the cooler hours.
Grooming
The long coat and undercoat need thorough brushing several times a week, daily during shedding. Expect hair around the home and a dog that takes up plenty of room, in the car as well as the hallway.
Health
Your time together is shorter than with smaller breeds: a median of 10,0 years (McMillan et al. 2024). Researchers at the University of Bern estimate an incidence of around 20 per cent for osteosarcoma, a bone cancer, in the breed (Letko et al. 2021). There is also an inherited nerve disorder, polyneuropathy. Two known gene variants explain around one in three cases and can be tested for (Becker et al. 2017). Eyes deserve attention too: in a British survey, 22 per cent of examined Leonbergers had a malformation of the drainage angle that can be associated with glaucoma (Fricker et al. 2016). Ask for the parents’ genetic tests and eye results.
Who does the Leonberger suit?
Families with space, time and dog experience or a real willingness to learn, who want a large, calm companion for many situations in life.
Who should consider another breed?
People in small flats without a lift, anyone unable to handle a very large dog safely, and anyone who finds dog hair around the home fundamentally bothersome.
Find out whether such a large dog fits your everyday life with our breed quiz, or explore the question more thoroughly in our book “Welcher Hund passt WIRKLICH zu dir?” (book in German). For those first weeks with a puppy, try our free Puppy Starter Pack. Find a picture of your Leonberger among our dog portraits, for example as a magazine cover on canvas.
Further reading
- Bernese Mountain Dog: why our time together is so short
- Is my dog overweight? How to assess body condition and ideal weight
- Puppy checklist: essential supplies and the first 3 days
Sources, accessed on 20.10.2026: FCI-Standard Nr. 145 Leonberger (fci.be, version dated 20.09.2002); Letko A et al., Genome-Wide Analyses for Osteosarcoma in Leonberger Dogs Reveal the CDKN2A/B Gene Locus as a Major Risk Locus, Genes 2021; Becker D et al., A GJA9 frameshift variant is associated with polyneuropathy in Leonberger dogs, BMC Genomics 2017; Fricker GV et al., Survey of the incidence of pectinate ligament dysplasia and glaucoma in the UK Leonberger population, Veterinary Ophthalmology 2016; McMillan KM et al., Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death, Scientific Reports 2024.
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