Leonberger Life

Leonberger Special Rare Breed Edition

This is the second Leonberger book review on my blog. This time I am reviewing Leonberger, Special Breed Edition, a comprehensive owner’s guide, by Madeline Lusby, ISBN 978-1593783143. This is a Kennel Club book and part of a large series of dog breed books (167 books). You can buy it from Amazon and Barnes & Noble and it exist in both printed version (hardcover) and e-Book (kindle/nook). It is not expensive $9.95 on Amazon for a used hardcover version and $24.99 for the kindle version (nook a little cheaper). It appears that you can no longer buy it new (as I did). I remember buying the book new for $24.95. It is 155 pages, in a medium sized format (6.75 x 0.75 x 8.25, 1.27 pounds) and it is in color.

This book was published in 2005 before the Leonberger breed was recognized by the AKC and therefore there was no Leonberger AKC breed standard at the time. However, the FCI Leonberger breed standard certainly existed, and it is still the most prominent Leonberger breed standard. I was very impressed by the image summarizing the FCI Leonberger breed standard on the inside front cover (see below). I should mention that FCI (Féderation Cynologique Internationale) is the international organization that defines the dog breeds. However, some local organizations, such as the AKC (American Kennel Club) have their own breed standards that typically exactly match (but differ in language) or very closely match that of the FCI.

Photo of the inside cover of the book Leonberger, a Kennel Club book. It features the FCI (Féderation Cynologique Internationale) breed standard illustrated. — The FCI (Féderation Cynologique Internationale) breed standard illustrated

As the front cover states this is a pretty comprehensive book on Leonbergers. Due to the age of the book a few of the chapters may not be up to date, but overall, the book contains useful information for all Leonberger owners or potential owners. Leonberger history is interesting and fascinating, and this book contains some Leonberger history even though some of the claims should be taken with a grain of salt. For example, there is no proof that Leonbergers were used to pull ammunition carts during World War II as they were in World War I. There are chapters on the characteristics of the Leonberger, the breed standard, the Leonberger puppy, proper care, training, healthcare and the showing of your Leonberger. The chapter on healthcare is detailed and very well written and organized with nice sidebars, illustrations and photos. Unfortunately, this chapter is also a bit outdated. As the book points out, a Leonberger is not for everyone. Do you have the time and money to take care of it? Do you have the space? You can find out if a Leonberger is right for you by reading this book.

Overall, the book is well written, well organized and professionally made. There’s amusing anecdotes, and it is filled with interesting and beautiful photographs, tables, illustrations and colorful sidebars and notes. It was a pleasure reading it and despite its age and some inaccuracies I highly recommend this book. I gave it five stars.

Leonberger

Previously I have not posted any book reviews on this blog. However, there are a lot of great Leonberger books out there, not just mine. I am starting with Leonberger, a comprehensive guide to the Lion King of breeds, by Caroline Bliss-Isberg, ISBN 978-1943824243. You can buy it from Amazon and Barnes & Noble and it exist in both printed version (hardcover) and e-Book (kindle/nook). It is expensive $109.95 for the hardcover version and $34.99 for the kindle version (nook a little cheaper). However, it is a masterpiece. It is 422 pages, in large format (8.5 x 1.25 x 11 inches, 3.62 pounds) and it contains hundreds of high-quality color photographs.

The Leonberger is arguably the most interesting dog breed in the World. As you know we owned a Leonberger, Bronco, who passed away a couple of years ago at the age almost 13. That’s a long life for a Leonberger. Those 13 years were the best years of my life. Bronco was my best friend, so kind, so strong, so brave, so loving towards children and towards smaller dogs. He saved our Pug Daisy’s life from an attacking unleashed German Shepherd, and that’s just one of the amazing things he did. Leonbergers are truly amazing dogs and we are considering getting another one. Unfortunately, they don’t live that long, 8 years on average. Due to his age our Bronco got a longevity award called the Grey Muzzle Award.

What I didn’t know before reading this book was how incredibly interesting their history is. The research that’s been done on the breed, its origins, health, etc., is also fascinating. All of this is described in great detail in Isberg’s book. It was Isberg’s book that made me realize that the Leonberger is arguably the most interesting dog breed in the World. Isberg’s book also dispelled some of the Leonberger myths that I believed. Searching the internet and taking for granted what people tell you will often lead to misunderstandings and erroneous beliefs. For the case of the Leonberger breed this book will help you rectify that. In addition, Isberg’s book also inspired me to write something about Leonbergers myself. My shorter book is more focused on our Leonberger stories, but it also contains interesting Leonberger information.

In addition to history, this book presents the breed standard, how the breed standards have changed several times throughout history, and it feature a critique of how we breed purebred dogs. The how and why is very much part of human culture and history. The book discusses the Leonberger dog in detail, it feature Leonberger dog sports, dog show information, information on breeding, Leonberger organizations and their history, health, and genetics. The research effort that must have gone into this book is astounding. The book features hundreds of color photos, many of them incredibly beautiful. There are drawings in the book that are hundreds of years old, old newspaper clips, research paper excerpts, and full-page color photos of Leonbergers in action. It is an expensive book, but if you are up to paying the price, it is a great investment for any Leonberger enthusiast.

Baby Protects Bronco from Dogs Walking Off Leash

This story is an excerpt from the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” (see below). This story is about when our German Shepherd Baby protected our Leonberger puppy Bronco from dogs walking off leash. It is a violent and scary story, but also a story about the mother instinct and of bravery. The moral of the story is; always use a leash when walking your dog in public.

Baby was our second family dog. She was a German shepherd and was also a rescue. (Although we were told that she was a purebred, we didn’t have a certificate.) First Claudia’s sister Marianne adopted her, but when Marianne moved to France, we adopted Baby. Baylor and Baby became good friends, but sometimes Baby got annoyed with Baylor when he stole food, especially when it was hers. She liked to lie at the entrance to the kitchen and tell the other dogs, particularly Baylor, “You shall not pass.” It wasn’t because she wanted the food for herself. She just didn’t like other dogs stealing it, so she tried to prevent it, like a good kitchen police dog.

Photo of our German Shepherd Baby at the dog park. — Baby was always a little wary at the dog park.

Baby was quiet and well behaved. She was well trained and easy to walk, but she wasn’t fond of noisy places. She was a bit anxious and less social than our other dogs, and she didn’t like dog parks, though she tolerated them. We were told that she had been mistreated by her first owners, and the first months of a dog’s life are very important for his or her mental health.

Photo of our German Shepherd playing with our Leonberger puppy Bronco. — Bronco, at the age of four or five months, would soon outgrow his playmate Baby.

Even though Baby was a shy and anxious dog at first, once we got Bronco, her personality changed. She loved Bronco, and she took on the job of being Bronco’s adoptive mom. She played with him; she watched him; she was fiercely protective of him. Bronco was her puppy. She seemed rejuvenated, as if she had found an important job to do—a purpose, if you will. It was beautiful to see her take care of Bronco and play with him. She became happier and more confident, and Bronco loved her.

Photo of our Leonberger Bronco from when he was around three months old — This photo of Bronco was taken when he was around three months old, soon after we got him.

One day I was out walking with Baylor, Baby, and Bronco. Bronco was very young, maybe four months old. We met a man walking two medium-size black dogs off leash. Suddenly, one of the dogs attacked us. There was nothing I could do. As I watched helplessly, the black dog made the monumental mistake of going for Bronco. If the dog had attacked Baylor or Baby, either dog would certainly have put up a courageous defense, but going after Bronco was nearly suicidal, not because of Bronco himself but because of Baby.

I heard a loud explosion of barks that lasted only a few seconds, and then I saw the black dog flying five or six feet up into the air. Baby had bitten him in the side and tossed him skyward. It was surreal. I almost couldn’t believe what I was witnessing.

The black dog lay in the street. The man knelt before him and started crying. He said his dog’s back was broken. I was mortified, and I said, “I am so terribly sorry.” He said, “It’s not your fault. I was the one walking my dogs without a leash.” It was gratifying for me to hear that under the circumstances, but it was no less tragic.

Then, to my astonishment, the black dog stood up and quickly walked back to the other side of the street. The dog was in shock, but he was fine. The man calmed down, and we said goodbye to each other on good terms.

It wasn’t the only time Baby protected Bronco, but it was the most memorable. Thinking about it still sends chills down my spine. Years later, after Baylor and Baby passed and we got our small dogs, Bronco would take on the role of their protector. He would save lives.

Print Version and eBook Bundled

Here is one more post about the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. This time I am announcing that the book is now available on the Nook and the printed version and Kindle version has been bundled on Amazon and the printed version and the e-Book version has been bundled on Barnes and Noble. Therefore, it is not necessary to list e-Book versions separately (see links below). I would also like to take the opportunity to thank those who have written reviews or have rated the book. Thank you very much!

This is a picture of the front cover of the book "The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". You can click on the image to go to the Amazon.com location for the book. — This is the front cover of the book. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.com location for the book.

This is a photo of the back cover of the book "The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". You can click on the image to go to the Amazon.se location for the book. — This is the back cover of the book. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.se location for the book.

This is an image of the endorsements for the book. "A wonderful tribute to the author's beloved Bronco. The stories are heartwarming as well as informative - a true glimpse into life with a Leonberger" - D'Nae Wilson, President, Leonberger Health Foundation International -- "A lovely tribute to Bronco, with lots of resources for general Leonberger information" - Julie Schaffert, LCA breeder since 1992. You can click on the image to got to the Barnes and Noble location for the book. — These are the endorsements for the book. Click on the image to got to the Barnes and Noble location for the book.

I have updated the list where you can find the book (see below). However, if your favorite bookstore is not listed below you can search for it using the ISBN or ASIN numbers.

ISBN number for printed edition: 978-0998084954

ASIN number for the e-book edition: B0B5NN32SR

Below are a few of the places where you can buy it. Click on a link to buy it from your favorite store.

Getting a Leonberger the Interview

I think it is awful when people return dogs. Barring some very special circumstances, such as severe illness or death, this is not something that should happen. If it does happen a reputable breeder will take the dog back. A Leonberger, well any dog, should never be turned into a shelter. The Leonberger Club of America and the Leonberger community in general are very concerned about the wellbeing of all Leonbergers. Therefore, you often have to go through an interview before you can purchase or adopt a Leonberger. Are you fit to be a Leonberger owner? Would you pass the interview? Below is the interview we went through including our answers.

Kennel von der Löwenhöhle Questionnaire and our Answers

Why do you want a Leonberger?

We have a dog book, and while looking at dogs we came across the Leonberger, a gorgeous dog from Germany. We also had the opportunity to meet some Leonbergers, a mother and her puppies, which were wonderful. We have read that Leonbergers are great with children and good guard dogs, which is something we’d like. We have two dogs, but we have not raised them as puppies. We have never had a puppy and would like to have one.

What do you like about the Leonberger and what do you know about its characteristics? Do you prefer male or female? Why?

They are very beautiful and love to swim. We have a huge pool, and my children love to spend their summers swimming. Leonbergers also make wonderful pets and are good guard dogs, and best of all they don’t drool. We don’t prefer a male or a female dog.

Are you aware this is at least a ten-year commitment?

Yes. We have two other dogs, and of course we are aware that they live up to ten years—hopefully more.

Do you have any other pets? Have you had any experience raising a giant-breed puppy?

We have a Lab and a German shepherd. We have two dwarf hamsters, Moldova and Montenegro. My son also keeps a baby ball python in a cage in his room (UGGH). As I said before, we have never owned a puppy, but we met some Leonberger puppies from a breeder who resides in Houston.

Where will your dog be kept—indoors or outdoors? Backyard or kennel?

Our dog would be kept mostly indoors. (We live in Texas, and it would get too hot outside.) At night we take all our dogs for walks and for occasional swims during the year. When the dog is still a puppy, we would keep it in a puppy playpen and take it out every half hour to go to the bathroom (until obedience training). We do have a fenced backyard the puppy can play in, and we have a dog run with a dog door so the dogs can come and go as they please.

Is your yard fenced?

Yes. Our yard has a seven-foot-high solid wood fence all the way around

How many hours will you be out of the house? Where will your Leonberger be while you are gone?

I am a stay-at-home mom, and we would almost always have someone in the house, such as our housekeeper, children, and family. If we are gone for a long periods of time, we have a dog sitter who comes to our house to take care of our dogs.

Do you have children? If so, what are their ages?

We have three kids, ages thirteen, ten, and eight. Two boys and one girl (in that order).

Describe a typical day at your house now. How do you think it will change once the puppy arrives?

On a typical day, the kids go to school, and I like to take a long walk. I go through some paperwork, I prepare dinner, then everyone comes home. On weekends, my younger kids have sports, but my oldest kid stays home (he plays during the week).

I would be with the dog most of the day and would do my shopping while the housekeeper is there. I do not plan on leaving the puppy for any long period of time. I’m sure that having the puppy will be like having another child. We have been told that the puppy will be quite rambunctious for the first three years of its life.

Have you observed any obedience classes in your area? It is very important that Leonberger puppies start obedience classes by sixteen weeks of age. Would you attend such classes?

We have not observed any obedience classes yet. However, we are interested in the International K9 training facility in Dallas and would absolutely attend these classes.

Von der Löwenhöhle puppies start their crate training at our kennel. Will you continue this training? If not, why not?

Yes, we would continue crate training at our home. We will follow your advice and that of our veterinarians in regard to further training.

What plans do you have for your Leonberger—e.g., showing, breeding, obedience, family companion, therapy? If you plan to show or breed, what experience, if any, have you had?

Our major purpose for wanting a Leonberger is to have a family companion.

Please add any other information you feel will help us pick out a puppy for you.

We would like a dog that will fit in well with our family.

Lets Do Le Bronco von der Lowenhohle

On social media I’ve been posting faulty book covers with Bronco’s full name misspelled. A Facebook friend of mine pointed it out. Thank you Guido! Well, it’s not the first time Bronco have had an issue with his name being misspelled, just look at his original birth certificate.

Image of snippet from Bronco's original certificate from LCA “Lets do Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. — Bronco’s name on his original certificate “Lets do Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”.

You may have figured out from the title of this book that Bronco’s full name was Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. However, his name on the original pedigree certificate from the Leonberger Club of America was even more interesting: “Lets do le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”—yes, without the apostrophe. How did that happen?

The Leonberger is a noble and relatively rare breed, and purebred Leonbergers typically have a long pedigree that can be traced back to the beginning of the twentieth century. This means that if you buy one, you and your dog will become part of a special community, and your dog’s name will reflect that. Bronco’s last name, von der Löwenhöhle, means that he originated from Kennel von der Löwenhöhle.

During an email exchange with the person writing up Bronco’s pedigree certificate, we were informed that because our dog was born in a litter identified by the letter L, his official name needed to begin with an L, too, even though at home we could call our dog whatever we liked. We knew we wanted to name him Bronco, which we thought was appropriate for a Leonberger, so later Claudia wrote, “Let’s do Le Bronco,” intending that the dog’s name would begin with the word “Le,” fulfilling the kennel’s requirement.

But when we received a copy of Bronco’s pedigree, we saw that our correspondent had misunderstood and included the words “Let’s do” as part of the name! Well, “Let’s do” starts with an L, too, so it fulfilled the pedigree requirement. And that’s how Bronco’s official full name came to be Lets do le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle.

There were other mistakes on the certificate, too: Bronco was classified as female, and our last name was misspelled as Wickman. We later got these mistakes corrected in the Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database, and some mistakes were corrected on the registration certificate from the American Kennel Club, which we got in 2010, after the Leonberger was recognized by the AKC. But none of that mattered much to us: we knew his name; Jacob knew his name; Bronco knew his name. Plus, we got a good story out of it.

Photo of Bronco's original (birth) certificate from LCA. We were surprised to see Bronco’s official name as it appeared on his pedigree as well as the other mistakes. — We were surprised to see Bronco’s official name as it appeared on his pedigree as well as the other mistakes.

So, what about my social media faux pas. Well below you can see the two front page covers that I have been using for front page cover images and I did not even notice the difference. The one that says: “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” is the correct one. Luckily the book has the correct front cover. It is just my social media posts that got messed up. Another difference between the two front covers is his photo. On the correct front cover his photo is from when he was 12 years old. On the incorrect front cover his photo is from when he was a month short of 13 years old.

The correct front cover of the book "The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". — The correct front cover (click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the book).

The faulty front cover of the book "The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". Löwenhöhle spelled Löwenhöle. — The faulty front cover (click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the book).

Back cover of the book "The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". — This is the back cover of the book. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.se location for the book.

The endorsements for the book "The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle".

A wonderful tribute to the author's beloved Bronco. The storiesn are heartwarming as well as informative - a true glimpse into life with a Leonberger - D'Nae Wilson, President, Leonberger Health Foundation International

A lovely tribute to Bronco, with lots of resources for general Leonberger information. - Julie Schaffert, LCA breeder since 1992. — These are the endorsements for the book. Click on the image to got to the Barnes and Noble location for the book.

Below is an updated list of where you can find the book. If your favorite bookstore is not listed below you can search for it using the ISBN or ASIN numbers.

ISBN number for printed edition: 978-0998084954

ASIN number for the e-book edition: B0B5NN32SR

My email is : thomaswikman@msn.com

Below are a few of the places where you can buy it. Click on a link to buy it from your favorite store.

Print version

E-book version

Bronco on Barnes And Noble

Last week I published a book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” and it has been available on Amazon in print format and on Kindle, not just in the US but all over the world. However, I’ve had issues with Barnes and Noble. It was available on Barnes and Noble too, but the front cover image refused to upload. Well, it is finally there. The book, both the print version and the Kindle version, also got added to the Amazon stores in Australia and Japan. Another change is the category. You can have two categories on Amazon as an independent publisher and I chose “dog breeds”, and that makes sense. However, “US State and local history” snuck in there, and I don’t know how. Perhaps, Bronco is part of Texas history? In any case I changed this to “dog training”.

Front cover image of the book "The Life and Times of Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. — Front cover of “The Life and Times of Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. By clicking on the image you go to the Amazon.com page for the book.

Back cover image of the book "The Life and Times of Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. — Back cover of “The Life and Times of Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. By clicking on the image you go to the Amazon.se page (Swedish page) for the book.

Endorsements for the book "The Life and Times of Bronco von der Löwenhöhle". Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. — Endorsements for “The Life and Times of Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. By clicking on the image you go to the Barnes and Noble page for the book.

I have updated the list where you can find the book (see below). However, if your favorite bookstore is not listed below you can search for it using the ISBN or ASIN numbers.

ISBN number for printed edition: 978-0998084954

ASIN number for the e-book edition: B0B5NN32SR

My email is : thomaswikman@msn.com

Below are a few of the places where you can buy it. Click on a link to buy it from your favorite store.

Print version

E-book version

Number One New Release in Dog Breeds

I would like to report that yesterday my book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” became the number one best seller for new releases in the category “dog breeds”, and it seems to remain so today. It does not have any reviews though, which is not surprising since it’s only been two-three days. However, if you bought the book and read the book and you liked it I would certainly appreciate a review. Also remember that all proceeds from book sales are donated to the Leonberger Health Foundation International.

Screenshot from Amazon showing that the book is the number one best seller for new releases in the category “dog breeds”. — The book is the number one best seller for new releases in the category “dog breeds”.

In my last post I announced that my book was available on Amazon and other places. At the time it was not available everywhere it should be, not yet. However, the book is spreading throughout the various on-line bookstores and now it is available in many more places. Therefore, I have updated the lists with the links below. However, your favorite bookstore is not listed below you can search for it using the ISBN or ASIN numbers.

ISBN number for printed edition: 978-0998084954

ISBN number for the e-book edition: 978-0998084961

ASIN number for the e-book edition: B0B5NN32SR

My email is : thomaswikman@msn.com

Below are a few of the places where you can buy it. Click on a link to buy it from your favorite store. Note some locations are not yet available as of this writing.

Print version

E-book version

Image of front cover of the book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. — This is the front cover of the book. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.com location for the book.

This is the back cover of the book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. — This is the back cover of the book. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.se location for the book.

These are the endorsements for the book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. — These are the endorsements for the book. Click on the image to got to the Barnes and Noble location for the book.

Book Launch Today

Today is a very special birthday. It would have been our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle’s 15^th birthday. Today is also the day when a book written in his honor is being released around the world. It is not yet available everywhere. That might take a week or two. However, it is already available in several places just hours after it was uploaded (I will be checking every day for the new venues).

So here it is “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. All proceeds from the book sales are donated to the Leonberger Health Foundation International. Above the front cover image below is a list of links to various places where you can purchase the book. There is a print edition and an e-book edition. It is also possible to search for it at your favorite bookstore using the ISBN number. Tell me if you find a place where it is available, but I have not seen yet. My email is : thomaswikman@msn.com

ISBN number for printed edition: 978-0998084954

ISBN number for the e-book edition: 978-0998084961

ASIN number for the e-book edition: B0B5NN32SR

Below are a few of the places where you can buy it. Click on a link to buy it from your favorite store. Note some locations are not yet available as of this writing.

Print version

E-book version

Front cover of just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. — This is the front cover of the book. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.com location for the book.

Back cover of the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. — This is the back cover of the book. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.se location for the book (coming feature).

Endorsements for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. The Endorsements are from D'Nae Wilson, President, Leonberger Health Foundation International and Julie Schaffert, LCA breeder since 1992. — These are the endorsements for the book. Click on the image to got to the Barnes and Noble location for the book (coming feature).

In the book you can read about our Leonberger Bronco and his amusing adventures. The book also contains information about Leonberger dogs, their history, advice for the care and feeding of very large dogs, breed-specific health and genetic information as well as a comprehensive resource guide. All proceeds from book sales will go to the Leonberger Health Foundation International, an organization that supports research aimed at improving the health of large dogs.

Below are seven selected book spreads

Book spread page 6 & 7 for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle — Page 6 & 7

Book spread page 24 & 25 for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle — Page 24 & 25

Book spread page 92 & 93 for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle — Page 92 & 93

Book spread page 102 & 103 for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle — Page 102 & 103

Book spread page 108 & 109 for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle — Page 108 & 109

Book spread page 148 & 149 for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle — Page 148 & 149

Book spread page 174 & 175 for the just released book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle — Page 174 & 175

Leonberger Health Foundation International

All purebred dogs are more or less inbred, which comes with inherent health risks. That is especially true for large breeds. However, Leonbergers, especially those bred in North America, are fortunate compared to other large breeds. The Leonberger breed standard does not call for traits that can be detrimental to health. The precise and restrictive breeding regulations of the Leonberger Club of America (LCA) and other Leonberger clubs, and the work of the Leonberger Health Foundation International or LHFI, have resulted in Leonbergers being relatively free of inherited illnesses compared to other large dog breeds in America. For more information see Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, “Guide to Congenital and Heritable Disorders in Dogs,” rev. 2011

The Leonberger Health Foundation International (LHFI) was founded in 2000 by Waltraut Zieher and other members of the LCA’s health, education, and research committee to “facilitate the solicitation and distribution of donations given to support health related breed-specific research.” The LHFI also administers a program that collects DNA samples from Leonbergers to share with universities and research institutions.

LHFI’s global biobank contains DNA samples from more than nine thousand Leonbergers. Among the organization’s notable achievements are the eradication of Addison’s disease among Leonbergers and the raising of nearly half a million dollars for research into conditions that affect canine health, including osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, glaucoma, cardiac diseases, thyroid diseases, and neurological disorders. Its research also supports healthful longevity and aging as well as population diversity. Another success is the fact that since 2011, no Leonbergers with two copies of the LPN1 gene mutation (which causes Leonberger polyneuropathy) have been recorded in LHFI’s biobank.

One happy event for our family was when Bronco received his Grey Muzzle Award, which is an award given for longevity by LHFI. LHFI bestows the award on any Leonberger who has reached the age of twelve. These Leonbergers are the canine equivalents of centenarians, humans who are at least one hundred years old. The Grey Muzzle Award is also given to breeders, because they are partially responsible for the dogs’ longevity. The Grey Muzzle Award was certainly a happy event in Wikman family. If you have a twelve-year-old Leonberger, simply fill out a form on the LHFI website or send an email to lhfgreymuzzle@gmail.com.

The foundation will ask for some information, including the registered name and call name of the dog; the breeder’s name, kennel name, address, and email; the dam’s registered name; the sire’s registered name; the owner’s name, address, and email; the birth date of the dog; and whether the dog is alive or dead. If the latter, they will want to know the cause of death. In addition, they would like you to write a one-paragraph tribute to the dog and send two (preferably high-resolution) photos—one head shot and one favorite photo. To find out more about the Grey Muzzle Award click here. To see the 2019–2020 awardees video featuring Bronco click here.