> jump to Revised FCI standard translated by LCA
At the end of the thirties, beginning of the forties of the 19th century, Heinrich Essig, Town Councillor in Leonberg near Stuttgart, crossed a black and white Newfoundland bitch with a so-called "Barry" male from the monastery hospice Grand St. Bernhard. Later a Pyrenean Mountain Dog was added. The results were large dogs with predominantly long, white coats. Essig's aim was for a lion-like dog. The lion is the animal pictured in the Leonberger coat of arms. The first dogs called "real" Leonbergers were born in 1846. They combined the excellent qualities of the breeds from which they stemmed. Only a short time later, many of the dogs were sold from Leonberger as status symbols all over the world. At the end of the 19th century, the Leonberger was kept in Baden-Wuerttemberg as the perferred farm dog. His watch and draft abilities were much to be praised. In both World Wars and in the needy post war times, the number of breeding stock reduced dramatically. Today the Leonberger is an excellent family dog which fulfills all the demands of modern life.
Due to his original use, the Leonberger is a strong muscular, yet elegant dog. He is distinguished by his balanced body type and confident calmness, yet lively temperament. Males, in particular, are powerful and strong.
Height at the withers to length of body: 9 to 10. Depth of chest is nearly 50% of height at withers.
As a family dog, the Leonberger is an agreeable partner for present day dwelling and living conditions, who can be taken anywhere without difficulty and is distinguished by his marked friendliness towards children. He is neither shy nor aggressive. As a companion, he is agreeable, obedient and fearless in al situations of life. The following are particular requirements of steady temperament: self-assurance and superior composure. Medium temperament (including playfulness). Willing to be submissive. Good capacity for learning and remembering. Not sensitive to noise.
On the whole deeper than long and elongated rather than stocky. Proportion of muzzle to skull region about 1 to 1. Skin close fitting all over, no wrinkles.
Skull - In profile and seen from front, slightly arched. In balance with body and limbs, it is strong but not heavy. The back part of the skull is not substantially broader than near the eyes.
Stop - Clearly recognizable but moderately defined.
Nose - Black.
Muzzle - Rather long, never running to a point; nasal bridge of even breadth, never dipped, rather slightly arched (roman nose)
Lips - Close fitting, black, corner of lips closed
Jaws/Teeth - Strong jaws with perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, in which the upper teeth close over the lower without any gap and the teeth are placed vertically in the jaw, with 42 healthy teeth, according to usual tooth formula (missing M3 tolerated). Pincer bite is tolerated; no constriction of canines in lower jaw.
Cheeks - Only moderately developed.
Eyes - Light brown to as dark as possible, medium size, oval, neither deep set, nor protruding, neither too close together nor too wide apart. Eyelids close fitting, not showing any conjunctiva. The white of the eye (the visible part of the sclera) not reddened.
Ears - Set on high and not far back, pendant, medium size, hanging close to head, fleshy.
Flowing without break to the withers in a slight curve. Long rather than stocky, without throatiness or dewlap.
Withers - Pronounced, especially in males.
Back - Firm, straight, broad.Loins: Broad, strong, well muscled.
Rump - Broad, relatively long, gently rounded, flowing to merge with tail set on; not in any way overbuilt.
Chest - Broad, deep, reaching at least to height of elbows. Not too barrel shaped, more oval.
Lower Profile - Only lightly tucked up.
Very well furnished; while standing, it hangs down straight; also in movement it is only slightly curved and preferably should not be carried above the prolongation of the topline.
Very strong, especially in males.
Legs - Straight, parallel and not too close.
Shoulder/Upper Arm - Long, sloping, forming a not too blunt angle, well muscled; elbows close fitting.
Pastern - Strong, firm; straight, seen from the front. Almost vertical seen from side.
Forefeet - Straight position (turning neither in nor out), rounded, tight, toes well arched; black pads.
Legs - Position when seen from rear, not too close, parallel.
Hocks and Feet - Turned neither in nor out.
Dewclaws - Must be removed.
Pelvis - Slanting position.
Upper Thigh - Rather long, slanting, well muscled. Upper and lower thigh form a distinct angle.
Hocks - Strong, distinct angle between lower thigh and rear pastern.
Feet - Standing straight, only slightly longish. Toes arched, pads black.
Ground covering even movement in all gaits. Extending well in front, and good drive from hindquarters. Seen from front and behind limbs move in straight line when walking or trotting.
Hair - Medium soft to coarse, profusely long, close fitting, never with a parting, letting the form of the whole body be seen despite the thick undercoat. Straight, slight wave still permitted; forming a mane on neck and chest, especially in males; distinct feathering in front legs and ample breeches on hind legs.
Colour - Lion yellow, red, reddish brown, also sandy (fawn colour, cream colour) and all combinations in between, always with a black mask. Black hair tips are permitted; black must however not determine the dog's basic colour. Lightening up of the basic colour on the underside of the tail, the mane, feathering on front legs and breeches on hind legs must not be so pronounced as to interfere with the harmony of the main colour. A small white patch or stripe on chest and white hair on toes will be tolerated.
Dogs - 72 to 80 cm (recommended average 76 cm), 28.5" to 31.5" (recommended average 30.0")
Bitches - 65 to 75 cm (recommended average 70 cm), 25.5" to 29.5" (recommended average 27.5")
Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree and consider how much the essentials (in particular temperament, type, balance and movement) are affected.
Shy and aggressive dogs. Severe anatomical fault i.e., pronounced cow hocks, pronounced roach back, very hollow back, extreme turning out of front feet. Totally insufficient angulation of shoulder, elbow, stifle or hock.Absence of teeth (with exception of M3). Over- or undershot or other faults in the mouth. Distinct ring tail or tail forming too high a ring. Cords or strong curls. Faulty colours: Brown with brown nose and brown pads; black and tan; silver; wild-coat colour. Complete lack of mask. Brown nose leather, brown pads. Very strong lack of pigment in lips. Eyes without any brown. Too much white (reaching from toes to pasterns, white of chest larger than palm of hand, white in other places). Entropion, Ectropion. N.B.: Male animals must have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.
In existence since 1846, the Leonberger was originally bred for its impressive beauty and resemblance to a lion as found on the city crest of the German town of Leonberg. They are loyal, clever, easily taught and weatherproof. An excellent family dog, Leonbergers are especially gentle with children. The Leonberger is a versatile working dog with a natural ability for a range of different skills, from guarding, tracking and rescue to companion and therapy duties. They are particularly fond of water. The Leonberger is a large, strong, balanced and elegant dog of good proportions, possessing self-confident calm with a lively temperament. They are intelligent and good-natured. Clearly shy or aggressive behavior toward people is a disqualification.
The well-balanced head shows much grace and is always carried proudly. The head appears wedge-shaped with a slightly domed skull. The occiput is not distinct. The skull is in total deeper than wide. The length of the muzzle is equal to the length of the topskull, measuring from the stop to the back of the occiput. Cheek bones shall not protrude. The back of the skull is not wider than at the cheek bones. The head has a moderate, sloping stop. The muzzle narrows very little as it approaches the nose. The top of the muzzle, when viewed from the front, is broad. The bridge of the muzzle, when viewed from the side, is straight or slightly arched. Nose and outer lips must be black; any other color is a disqualification. The head of the male is more masculine, and the female head shall always be feminine. Both exhibit an array of facial expressions. Jowls and flews are tight so the dog does not drool. Drooling is a fault; excessive drooling, especially in cold weather, is a disqualification. Desired color of gums is black; some pink is permissible.
Good strong jaws with all teeth properly aligned, scissors bite and complete complement of 42 teeth is required. One or more missing teeth is a disqualification. Undershot or overshot bite is a serious fault.
Light brown to dark brown, with dark preferable. The medium-size eyes are in perfect harmony with the head. Eyes have an intelligent, friendly appearance, and lids fit tightly. Loose eyelids are a fault; clearly entropion eyelids are a disqualification. Pig eyes or protruding eyes are not desirable. Yellow, piercing eyes are a disqualification.
Neck is powerful and muscular giving the impression of strength and dignity. The neck is long enough for proud head carriage and blends cleanly into the shoulders. Dewlap is undesirable.
The topline is strong and level from the withers to the croup. The body is slightly longer than tall. The chest is deep and roomy with well-sprung but not barrel-shaped ribs. Brisket reaches at least to the elbows, and the loin is strong. Slightly arched tuck-up is especially pronounced in males. The croup slopes slightly. The tail set follows the natural line of the croup. Missing testicles are a disqualification.
Are well-muscled with good bone. When viewed from the front, the forelegs are straight and parallel from the point of the shoulder to the ground, elbows pointing directly to the rear. The shoulders are well-muscled and well-laid back. Pasterns are strong, sturdy and slightly sloping to allow for correct flexibility and spring. Dewclaws are usually present.
Are powerful and well-muscled with good bone. When viewed from the rear, the legs are straight and parallel. The thighs are well-muscled and fairly long. When viewed from the side, the stifle should be moderately well-angulated, line from hock to ground being perpendicular. Front and rear angulation are in proportion. Cowhocks and barrel-shaped hind legs are faults. Dewclaws are removed.
Are moderately rounded and tight with firm, arched toes. Hare feet and splayed toes are undesirable. Toes are webbed. Pads of feet must be black. Any other color but black is a disqualification.
Is long, the bone reaching the hock or below. Shorter tails are a fault. The tail is carried low and straight down when the dog is relaxed; the end may have a slight outward curve. When the dog is excited, the tail may be carried high with a moderate curl. Tail always carried over the back is a disqualification. Kinked tail is a fault. The tail is well-feathered and bushy.
Is medium-soft to coarse, medium-length, straight and sleek and showing the outline of the dog's body in spite of a good undercoat. Males tend toward longer coat than females. Waviness is allowed. Excessive curly coat is a disqualification. At maturity, especially with the male, a heavy mane develops. Forelegs, hind legs and ears are well-feathered. Since this is a natural working breed, no artificial alterations of the coat are allowed, except trimming excessive hair on the feet.
Lion-colored, golden yellow to red brown. Sand-colored specimens occur as well. All colors may have black tips on the overcoat. A small, white patch on the chest is acceptable, white hair on the toes is a fault and white hair beyond toes or excessively large patch on chest is a disqualification. Dogs should have a black mask. The ideal mask extends over the eyes. All mask variations are acceptable, but complete lack of mask is a fault. The color of the tail shows the same basic color as the body coat. Slightly lighter-colored tails are allowed. The feathering on the fore- and hind legs, on the ears and on the underside of body and tail may be lighter but blend well into the main color.
Adult height below stated minimum is a disqualification, above maximum is a fault. Males- minimum, 28.5 inches (72 cm); maximum, 31.5 inches (80 cm); preferred, 30 inches (76 cm). Females- minimum, 25.5 inches (65 cm); maximum, 29.5 inches (57 cm); preferred, 27.5 inches (70 cm).
The Leonberger has a lionlike walk. While in motion, the Leonberger has good reach, strong drive and gives the impression of effortless power. Essential to good movement is the balance of correct front and hindquarters. The forelegs and hind legs travel straight forward and do not swing in an arch or move in and out in relation to the line of travel. As the dog's speed increases, the legs angle in from the shoulders and hips toward the center line of the body and tend toward single-tracking. Front and rear angulation must be proportionate to avoid interference. Continued pacing is undesirable.
The new list of faults and disqualifications is unofficially translated as follows:
Any small deviation from the previously described points is a minor fault, all obvious deviations are major faults. Evaluation of these faults has to be in direct proportion to the degree of the deviation from the standard. The degree to which these faults affect essential characteristics (such as temperament, type, harmony, and movement), has to be taken into consideration also. Shy and aggressive dogs. Significant anatomical faults (e.g. pronounced cowhocks, pronounced roach back, swayback, extremely turned out front paws, definite insufficient angulation of the shoulder, elbow, stifle and hock joints). Missing teeth (except for M3). Over or underbite or other faulty bites. Strongly curled tail or curled tail held too high. Curly or very wavy coat. Faulty colors- brown with brown nose and pads, black and tan, black, silver or doe-colored. Complete absence of a mask. Brown nose, brown pads. Very strong loss of pigmentation of flews. Eyes lacking brown coloration. Too much white (extending from the toes to the middle of the foot, white spot on the chest larger than the palm of one hand, white in other areas). Entropion, ectropion eyes. Males must show two apparently normally developed testicles located completely within the scrotum.