Tag: Claudia Wikman

When To Neuter or Spay Leonbergers and Other Giant Breeds

It is very common for veterinarians, ASPCA and other animal welfare organizations to recommend that dogs be neutered or spayed between the ages 6-9 months or earlier. Their concern is chiefly to prevent unexpected pregnancies, which causes a lot of suffering and unnecessary euthanasia of dogs. However, not all dogs are the same and this is bad advice for many giant breeds, especially Leonbergers. Neutering or spaying too early can lead to serious health complications. Since the Leonberger community tries to prevent irresponsible dog owners from getting a Leonberger, unexpected pregnancies are less of a concern for Leonberger dogs.

We used to own a Leonberger dog, Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, and our breeder recommended that we wait until he was at least two years old before neutering him. Many new Leonberger owners must sign a contract promising not to neuter the dog before the age of two. If you want to buy a Leonberger puppy in North America, you should buy the puppy from a breeder that is certified by the Leonberger Club of America (LCA) and to do that you need to go through an interview. You will have a hard time getting a Leonberger any other way.

Our three months old Leonberger puppy is sitting on the floor, looking into the camera. He is wearing a read scarf.
Our Leonberger puppy Bronco at the age of three months.

I should explain that the Leonberger is a rare breed that is closely related to the Saint Bernard. Saint Bernards were used to create the Leonberger in the early 19th century and later it was the other way around when the Leonberger was used to save the Saint Bernard breed. Therefore, Leonbergers and Saint Bernards are genetically similar, they are about the same size, but they don’t look the same. Leonbergers have a characteristic black face while Saint Bernards have a white mask on their face. There are only about 30,000 Leonbergers in the world and only 2,000 Leonbergers in North America. Therefore, the Leonberger community is a small and tightknit community, and it is relatively easy for the Leonberger Club of America (LCA) to keep track of what is going on with the Leonberger dogs.

Our brown Leonberger dog is standing on our red leather sofa and giving me a hug.
Is he ready to be neutered? I mean the dog. This is me (Thomas Wikman) and Bronco when Bronco was not yet full grown (but almost).

With this post I am giving advice and statements originating from various sources that I consider to be reputable such as AKC/club certified breeders of the specific breed in question, the corresponding breed organization/club, such as the Leonberger Club of America, and scientists in the specific field. In my experience veterinarians who care for all kinds of dogs and pets typically do not have knowledge that is breed specific on this issue. To be sure to do the right thing in regard to neutering and spaying your Leonberger, ask your LCA certified breeder.

What Our Leonberger Breeder Told Us About Neutering

When we got our late Leonberger Bronco (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle) our breeder Julie Schaffert told us to wait with neutering him until he was two years old if possible. Julie Schaffert has been an LCA (Leonberger Club of America) certified breeder since 1992 and is arguably the most prominent Leonberger breeder in North America. After reading a Leonberger book that incorrectly stated that Leonbergers should be neutered at six months, I sent her this question:

Hello Julie, I hope all is well with you and your Leonbergers. I am currently reading a Leonberger book by Vanessa Ritchie. I’ve read dozens of Leonberger books. It is a very good Leonberger book. However, in the middle of page 30 she is saying something that concerned me. She is saying to neuter/spay your Leonberger at 6 months old. I remember you telling us to wait with ours and we waited until significantly passed one years old. Assuming that is correct, this mistake needs to be pointed out and perhaps corrected. Before saying anything, I wanted to make sure that is correct, that spaying/neutering at 6 months old is indeed too early for a Leonberger.

Thank you for any help

Happy New Years

Thomas Wikman

This was her answer

Happy new year. Yes, it’s now recommended that giant dogs not be neutered or spayed until after 2 years. In the old days it was recommended earlier, any time after 6 months. All the new data says wait.

Julie.

Our Leonberger puppy Bronco is sitting and looking into the camera. He is wearing a red scarf, but it is a black and white photo.
The Leonberger puppy that Julie sold to us. Black and White photo.

The reasons we did not wait the entire two years was that our veterinarian at the time wanted to do it sooner and Bronco was dragging furniture around the house because of his excess energy. He was strong, and big, energetic and a bit restless. He was very friendly and harmless, but he had a lot of energy. Perhaps he should have been a home decorator? I should say that knowing what we know now, we would have waited the entire two years.

Our Leonberger Bronco is big and heavy and sitting in my wife’s lap. You can barely see her behind Bronco. They are sitting in a read sofa.
Our Leonberger Bronco at 167lbs sitting in my wife Claudia’s lap.

Research and Expert Advice on Neutering and Spaying

This is an article from the AKC stating that a larger or giant breed may need to wait until they are near or over 12-18 months of age before neutering or spaying. The article also provides the following interesting information.

Research conducted by the University of California – Davis reveals that for some dog breeds, neutering and spaying may be associated with the increased risks of certain health conditions such as joint disorders including hip or elbow dysplasia, cranial cruciate rupture or tear, and some cancers, such as lymphoma, mast cell tumor, hemangiosarcoma, and osteosarcoma. The research conclusions are not surprising. Sex hormones are important in the development of any animal.  We know they affect psychological development as well as the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and the immune system.

I believe this is the University of California – Davis article in question. It is from 2020. Notice that the suggested guidelines for age of neutering is beyond 23 months for several of the giant breeds in the table of 35 breeds. Also notice that the table does not include Leonbergers.

Recommended ages for neutering and spaying for selected dog breeds

Below is a list featuring the recommended ages for neutering and spaying for selected dog breeds based on the research mentioned above.

  • Australian Shepherd, for neutering and spaying it is your choice. The same is true for Pugs.
  • Bernese Mountain Dog, you should neuter beyond the age of 23 months, but for spaying you have a free choice.
  • Boxer, neuter and spay beyond the age of 23 months.
  • Boston Terrier, neuter beyond 11 months, but for spaying you have a free choice.
  • Doberman Pincher, never neuter, and you need to spay beyond the age of 23 months.
  • German Shepherd, neuter and spay beyond the age of 23 months.
  • Labrador Retriever, neuter beyond 6 months and spay beyond 11 months.
  • Corgi, neuter beyond 6 months, but for spaying you have a free choice.
  • Great Dane, despite being a very large dog you have a free choice for both neutering and spaying.
  • Rottweiler, neuter beyond 11 months, but for spaying beyond 6 months.
A mini-Australian Shepherd puppy is peeking out behind a sofa chair.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo. You can neuter this breed at an earlier age.
Left to right, our beige pug Daisy, our black and white Japaneses Chin Ryu, and then our big Leonberger Bronco.
Our Pug Daisy, Japanese Chin Ryu and Leonberger Bronco. You can neuter or spay Pugs at an earlier age.

Additional Information on Neutering and Spaying Various Dog Breeds

Hillhaven Leonbergers in Ireland recommend not neutering your Leonberger until at least 2 years of age. They warn against doing it at 6 months old, despite what some veterinarians may recommend.

I did not find an on-line Leonberger Club of America recommendation but this old 2011 article from the Leonberger Club of America states: Because the Leonberger is a slow maturing breed in general, most breeders will ask puppy owners to wait a year or so before altering their puppies, to allow bones to develop more fully.

The photo shows six Leonbergers wearing party hats. They are sitting next to each other and looking into the camera.
Caspian (Obi’s nephew), Austin (Obi’s son), Delfi, Obi (now 7 and a veteran), Digory, and Rilian (Obi’s son). Photo by Jen O’Keefe and Ira Van Order, prominent members of the Leonberger Club of America who allowed me to use this photo.

I did find an article from the Saint Bernard Club of America. The Saint Bernard is genetically similar to the Leonberger. This article states: Above all, no giant breed puppy should be altered before the growth plates in the bones have matured and closed, usually between 15 and 24 months of age.

The photo shows a Saint Bernard dog wearing a little barrel of maybe cognac. In the background there are tall mountains.
Saint Bernard Stock Photo ID: 1713912484 by fred12

This Newfoundland dog magazine states : Currently, the recommended age that a Newfoundland dog should be neutered is 18 to 24 months due to the possible health problems that can arise from altering before that age. The Newfoundland is another dog that is genetically similar to the Leonberger.

A black Newfoundland dog is standing with his front paws on a tree stump. There is a forest in the background.
Newfoundland dog Stock Photo ID: 1925281937 by Marsan

Conclusion

So, in conclusion, even though the expert advice regarding neutering and spaying varies a bit, it is clear that neutering and spaying at six months old is too early for Leonbergers and many other giant breeds. It can harm their Leonberger.

About Thomas Wikman

Thomas Wikman is a retired software / robotics engineer with a background in physics. He has a PhD in Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering. He is the author of two blogs, first this blog Leonberger Life which is focused on a rare but amazing dog breed called Leonberger. He has also written a book titled The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, which feature his Leonberger’s crazy adventures as well as information about the Leonberger breed and how to care for giant dog breeds. His second blog superfactful , is a fun but educational blog that is focused on finding facts that are important and yet surprising or disputed by people who are not well informed on the topic. This blog features myth busting as well as facts that will blow your mind.

Snow and Ice in Norrland

Esther’s writing prompt: January 7, 2026: Snow

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I grew up in northern Sweden (Norrland), which means that I saw a lot of snow. I loved playing in the snow, building snow castles, snow tunnels, throwing snowballs, building snowmen, going sledding and going cross country skiing. I don’t remember being cold. I had warm clothes on, and I often stayed out very late playing in the snow. Now I live in Texas where snow is very rare.

Winter landscape at sunset in direct light with plenty of snow on the trees, Gällivare county, Swedish Lapland, Sweden
Snow on the trees, Gällivare county, Swedish Lapland, Sweden Shutterstock Asset id: 2035482680 by Mats Lindberg
Female cross country skier walking through heavy snow in a wild pine forest at night.
Cross country skiing in Sweden Shutterstock Asset id: 1888204651 by Henrik A. Jonsson

Later in life, maybe at the age of 12-13 I also started doing downhill skiing / slalom. We had four ski resorts close to my hometown Örnköldsvik. I can add that the snow packed northern forests can be very beautiful. Northern Sweden is also a very dark place in winter, being close to or above the arctic circle. Therefore, I also watched some spectacular night skies and auroras from my snow castles. The Milky Way and even the Andromeda Galaxy were visible. One time as I was sitting in the snow, I saw a very large meteor moving across the sky. It had a tail of fire and was not moving too fast. I believe I could see the piece of rock, but I am not sure. In any case, it put up a show.

Stars in the sky. Blue night panorama, a universe full of stars, nebula and galaxies.
Milky way sky on dark background, and a lot of stars. Spectacular night sky in the polar winter. Asset id: 2524020369 by MR.PRAWET THADTHIAM
Stunning aurora borealis lights up the night sky with vibrant colors, creating a mesmerizing natural display in the Arctic wilderness.
Aurora Borealis are often spectacular in the polar regions, especially during the polar night. Asset id: 2499746583 by HappyVibeArt

Unfortunately, according to my brother, this winter my hometown Örnsköldsvik did not have snow for Christmas. According to Science Daily the data from weather stations in northern Sweden indicates that the snow season has decreased by over two months in a 30-year span and according to the National Library of Medicine the cold season in northern Finland (next doors) has gotten warmer with reduced snow cover. This is quite noticeable and the reindeer are suffering as a result.

Visiting the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi

Luckily the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi nearby Kiruna in northern Sweden is still open since December 12, 2025. The ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi opened the first in 1989 and it is the first and largest ice hotel in the world.

I should say that Jukkasjärvi is located north of the arctic circle and is typically very cold in winter. However, you sleep in very warm sleeping bags on top of ice blocks covered by reindeer hides. The ice hotel itself does not have any bathroom, but they have an adjacent wood building with bathrooms and showers. They also have rooms for people who don’t want to sleep in a cold ice room. We visited the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi as a family in 2004 and I took a lot of photos.

Photo is of a large ice table and ice chairs located in the middle of the lobby, which is filled with tall pillars made of ice.
The lobby of the ice hotel. Our kids are sitting around a table of ice. A chandelier of ice is hanging above the table. The light is from fiber optics, so the ice won’t melt.
Again, the photo is of a large ice table and ice chairs located in the middle of the lobby, which is filled with tall pillars made of ice. In this photo there are no kids except for the faint figure behind one of the ice pillars.
Another photo of the lobby at the ice hotel. My son David is barely visible behind one of the ice pillars.
The photo shows a big hallway with large ice pillars and an ice statue of a man.
One of the beautiful hallways in the Ice Hotel.
Photo of a beautiful table made of ice and two sofa chairs and one sofa, all made of ice.
My oldest son sitting at an ice table in the lobby.
The photo shows an entrance looking like a bottle and there are several pillars and statues made of ice.
Entrance to the ice bar where you could food and drink and sit on ice chairs by ice tables.
Photo of my wife with our three children standing in front of the ice bar where two servers are standing. Everyone is holding glasses made of ice filled with juice.
We started the evening with a visit to the ice restaurant and bar. Everything in the ice restaurant was made of ice, the tables, the chairs, the counter, the glasses, the plates, and the art.
The photo show rectangular ice glasses standing on an ice counter. They are filled with differently colored drinks.
Close up of ice glasses on the ice counter in the ice bar.
A photo of an ice table and 7 instruments made of ice standing on an ice stage.
This is a photo of the ice instruments standing on the ice stage.
Photo of a beautiful cello and guitar sculpted in ice.
A close up of an ice cello and an ice guitar.
The photo shows elaborately sculpted parts of a organ all in ice.
This is a portion of an ice organ in the ice bar.
My dad Stig and his girlfriend Ulla came with us on the trip.
We are all laying on top of our ice bed. We are inside our sleeping bags except my head and part of my body is out of the bag.
We are going to bed in our room. I think it was my wife Claudia who took the photo.
A long white icy hallway in the darkness.
This was the hallway where our room was located.
My wife is sitting at the end of the sled and in front of her are the kids. Everyone is bundled up.
We are going on a dogsled tour. The ice theater is in the background, and you can see part of the ice hotel on the right.
You can see ten dogs and the sled with us on top of it. On the left is a kåta, a movable Sami structure (indigenous arctic Scandinavian people). It is similar to a Tipi.
The kids had a lot of fun during the dogsled tour
The photos show a dogsled with dogs and some people. The kåta on the left is pretty prominent in this photo.
On the left is a kåta, a movable Sami structure (indigenous arctic Scandinavian people).
This is the ice theater. It was located next to the ice hotel (not in the picture).

The ice hotel had put out lots of kick sleds, referred to as “spark” for people to use as a mode of transportation on the snow and ice, or just to sit on. As my dad, Stig, was sitting on one of them, our son came up to him and told him “Stig the hotel put out these sleds for children to play with. It is not for adults to sit on.” My dad was so surprised that he just handed him the sled.

He is standing and kicking with his feet to move forward with the sled. He is passing in front of the ice theater.
Our son David with one of the kick sleds called “spark”.
Photo of men with a machine cutting ice blocks.
They got the ice blocks for the structure and for the art from nearby Torneå river.

The next day I took photos of some other rooms

There is a huge ice and snow decoration on the wall featuring an angry looking face.
Another room with a snowy wall decoration.
A close up of an elaborate ice bed.
Some of the rooms were really beautiful.
An ice room with an ice motorcycle and other ice art.
Some of the rooms had beautiful ice art.
A very large ice bedroom.
You had to pay more for a big room. You paid the price of Hilton and got the comfort of camping in winter.
An ice bedroom with an ice statue of a moose.
More ice art.

New Beginnings in 2026

Esther’s writing prompt: December 31, 2025: New Beginnings

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I’ve stopped making New Year Resolutions. According to Psychology Today 80-90% of New Year Resolutions fail. However, I still have goals and wishes for the new year. Instead of making promises I try to make changes at my own pace. One of them is that I’ve started using the Peloton bike that we bought for my wife. Another is trying to adapt to my new role as a grandfather. Our first grandchild Jack was born at the end of September 2024. Yet another new beginning is that I want to focus slightly more on my relatively new blog superfactful that I started in August of 2024. In 2024 I posted 25 super facts and in 2025 I posted 53. I also made 64 other kinds of posts on this blog. I am hoping to one day to have collected 200 super facts. My hope is that I will post 80 super facts in 2026. Let’s see how far I get.

New Beginnings the Peloton Bike

My wife and I bought a Peloton bike a couple of months ago. It was my wife who was the most interested in it but lately I’ve been trying it out as well. I found that this is an excellent way of getting some exercise. A Peloton bike is an internet-connected stationary exercise bike featuring a large touchscreen that streams live fitness classes led by instructors. You select your level, time and your instructor and press start.

The photo shows a black bike with a large touchscreen.
Our Peloton bike. The large touch screen is on the right in the photo compared to the rest of the bike.

I usually pick the same class as my wife does. It is the beginners class with Emma. You follow her instructions and you increase/decrease the speed and resistance. Emma does the same thing as you do, you follow her, she is encouraging and she plays great music for you as you do the exercises. It is almost like having your personal trainer. I know these are prerecorded classes but yesterday when my speed / cadence dropped below the goal, Emma told me, “Let’s try to keep the cadence above 80”. This happened twice giving me the feeling that the class was live. It is an entertaining way of exercising that I hope I will continue doing throughout 2026. Perhaps not every day, but I want to do it often. It is a new beginning for me, a new exercise beginning.

A woman in an exercise outfit is looking straight ahead out from a touchscreen also featuring numbers and information.
Emma is looking out from the touch screen, telling you what to do.

New Beginnings Our First Grandchild

Our oldest son Jacob and his wife Ashley live in Baltimore, Maryland, and their son Jack is three months old. We’ve visited a few times, and we are soon going back there, and they (Jacob, Ashley and Jack) are coming to visit us in February. Being a grandfather is a new role for me that I am going to have to learn. It is a New Beginning for me. You can read more about our latest trip to Baltimore here.

Ashley is holding 3 months old Jack and they are both smiling big.
Jack with his mother Ashley
My wife Claudia is holding Jack, and she is holding a bottle of milk for him.
My wife Claudia is feeding Jack
A photo of the three of us sitting in the sofa. Baby Jack is sitting on the right. He is wearing a Pajamas.
My wife Claudia is on the left; I am in the middle and Jack is on the right.

New Beginnings for Super Facts

In August of 2024 I started a second blog, superfactful. The goal of this blog is to create a list of facts that are important, not trivia, and that are known to be true and yet surprising, mind-blowing, shocking or disputed by large segments of the public. I am avoiding click bait and focusing on facts that will challenge the reader as well myself in a way that provides growth. Below are a few examples.

The Speed of Light In Vacuum Is a Universal Constant

Superfact 4 :

The speed of light in vacuum is the same for all observers regardless of their speed and the direction in which they are going. It is always c = 299,792,458 meters per second. If you try to catch up to a light beam and travel close to the speed of light the speed of the light beam will still be c = 299,792,458 meters per second compared to you. This is possible because time and space don’t behave like we expect.

The picture shows two people Alan and Amy. Alan is on the ground. Amy is flying by Alan in a rocket speeding left. Both Alan and Amy are pointing lasers to the left.
In this picture Amy is traveling past Alan in a rocket. Both have a laser. Both measure the speed of both laser beams to be c = 299,792,458 meters per second.

Global Warming is Happening and is Caused by us

Superfact 25: Global warming or if you call it Climate Change or Climate Disruption is happening, and it is happening very fast, and we also know that it is caused by us primarily as a result of our burning of fossil fuels. There is a long-standing scientific consensus on these two facts because the evidence is conclusive. Check the evidence below.

Hockey stick curve going back 1,000 years. The recent uptick in global temperature is very sharp and very sudden.
The so-called hockey stick curve depicting the last 1,000 years. The blue line is the first hockey stick curve ever created (by Michael Mann). He used proxy measurements such as tree rings, green-dots 30-year average, red temperature measurements. This graph is taken from this page.

Infinities Come in Different Sizes

Super fact 67 : Infinities come in different sizes. Some infinities are larger than others. In fact, it is possible to create an infinite number of different-sized infinities. Some infinities are countable and others are uncountable.

A neon infinity metaverse symbol. 3D illustration.
Infinity Asset id: 2118543950 by Sahara Prince

There are 78 super facts so far. I am hoping that my increased focus on this blog will lead to another 80 this year. It will be a New Beginning. To see a list of the 78 super facts and the next 72 I’ve planned click here.

My Other Responses to Esther’s Prompts

May you all have a great 2026 and a New Beginning

Visiting Grandson in Baltimore

My wife and I recently became grandparents to newborn Baby Jack. We visited my son, his wife and their baby the past week. That is why I have not been as active with blogs lately. It was wonderful to see them and meet the baby. He is a very healthy baby.

Three people sitting in a swing. Mother, father and the baby in the middle.
The Wikman family in Baltimore. Jack is the little guy in the middle.
Mother and father standing on in a room holding the baby

Below is photo collage featuring baby Jack. My wife and I are in the photos too.

On Tuesday we visited Maryland Zoo. I have also included some animal photos.