As I mentioned before, our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, or as we called him, Bronco, was an unusually long lived Leonberger. Leonbergers live on average 8-9 years, but our Bronco almost made it 13 (by two weeks).
Scientific veterinary research has shown that large dogs have a much shorter life span than small dogs. This is not controversial, yet so many people are surprised by it. For example, one day after Bronco had just visited the veterinarian and I was walking him around the shopping center, a woman came up to me and asked about him. I told her he was twelve—old for a Leonberger. She said, “Twelve isn’t very old; my Chihuahua lived to be sixteen.” I explained to her that big dogs, especially really big dogs such as Leonbergers and Saint Bernards, don’t live as long as small dogs do, so for a Leonberger, Bronco was indeed really old. The look on her face told me she didn’t believe me; excuses, excuses, excuses. So this fact is far from intuitive to people, especially considering that big animals tend to live longer than small animals in the wild.
The cliché that one human year corresponds to seven dog years is a myth. For example, the average life span of a Great Dane is eight to ten years. For a Chihuahua, it is twelve to twenty years. Dachshunds and Pomeranians live between twelve and sixteen years, and pugs live between twelve and fifteen years. The average life span of a Leonberger, by contrast, is eight to nine years (some sources say seven years*). You can look up your dog’s particulars online: the product-review website Goody Pet features a life-expectancy calculator for hundreds of dog breeds.
Knowing the expected life span of your dog has value. When a dog reaches three-quarters of it, for example, he is considered a senior and needs to be treated differently.‡ You should get dog food that’s especially made for senior dogs and visit the veterinarian more often—ideally, twice a year.
To take Bronco’s temperature, we used a thermometer that we could insert into his ear canal. However, you can also do it the old-fashioned way: coat a thermometer with petroleum jelly or baby oil and gently insert it about one inch into your dog’s anus. Wait sixty seconds, then remove the thermometer. It should be noted, however, that the old-fashioned approach may lead to protests.
It’s also important to keep careful track of your Leonberger’s weight. Obesity in dogs is a growing problem: according to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, in 2018, 56 percent of American dogs were obese. Obesity, by definition, is a condition in which a person—or an animal—weighs at least 30 percent more than his ideal weight. In the photo below, in which Bronco is sitting on Claudia’s lap, he weighed 167 pounds—thirty-two pounds above his ideal weight of 135 pounds. Soon after that photograph was taken, we put him on a diet. Obesity can cause a lot of health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, early-onset arthritis, and joint pain. It can also put a strain on the body’s vital organs.
Leonberger Life 
It’s hard to believe that there are folks out there that don’t know/don’t believe that the bigger the dog, the shorter the average lifespan. I noticed this trend even before I owned my yellow Labrador retriever, Mary Joe.
You – and Bronco – certainly hit the lifespan lottery; 13 years for a Leonberger is well above the average life expectancy for such a big (and big-hearted) dog!
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I agree with Alex. People who have been around dogs know the larger ones tend to live shorter lives, sadly. Even so, the woman with the chihuahua—it’s not a competition. Better ten good years than fifteen miserable years. And the point is to make the time we have we them the best we can.
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I totally agree with you, it is not a competition. I should say the Grey Muzzle Award that LHFI gives out is mostly for identifying long lived Leonbergers. Otherwise people wouldn’t be donating DNA.
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You’re right. The point is to improve the life of the dog. It’s not like it’s bragging rights. The Grey Muzzle serves a purpose.
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I have to admit I did not know that before I had dogs for the first time in my 30’s. Now when I know I think people who don’t know are kind of ignorant. But seriously, you are very observant and not everyone pays attention that much. Also, thank you for your kind words. Yes we won the lifespan lottery. Hopefully Bronco’s DNA will be helpful in extended the lifespan of Leonbergers and other giant breeds.
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I definitely hit the lottery with my Leonberger named Bruno. He died at age 16. His last two years were hard because of arthritis He was an affectionate dog until the very end. He loved people
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Wow you certainly did hit the jackpot. That might be a record for a Leonberger. It sounds like he was a wonderful dog. I certainly am interested in knowing more about him and also featuring him here if that is something you would allow. It is great to meet you.
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Bruno already passed away at age 16 as I said. If you still want to write about him, that is fine with me. Just let me know what you need.
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Hello Donald, thank you for getting back to me. Yes that would be great if you don’t mind. Anything you are willing to share, photos, information or something you would like to write, I would be very interested in. I am part of a Facebook group called Leonberger Double Digit Club (Leonbergers +10 years) and I have seen many 12, 13, some 14 and one 15 year old Leonberger but I never saw a 16 year old. If you are willing to share something I would be very happy to make a post. You can send it to
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Bronco is a beautiful dog. I’ve never heard of that breed. Sharing…
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Thank you very much Jacqui. We had not heard of Leonbergers either until our son became fascinated with them. They are related to St. Bernards but are specifically bred to be family dogs (and protectors) the only giant breed bred for that purpose (in 1836). Our Bronco was truly astonishing, so loving, he loved people, protected our little dogs with his life, he sniffed out an oncoming insulin shock before it happened, and he was funny. He gave us so many laughs.
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I just saw the photo of Bronco sitting on the lady’s lap. If I didn’t know better, I would have sworn it was a photo of my dog, Bruno. EVERYTHING is exactly like my dog was. It is amazing. Mine also thought he was a lap dog.
Donald A. Lathrop (I got the email)
7/31/2024
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Ha ha that is funny. The lady with Bronco in her lap is my wife.
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