Leonbergers – Page 13 – Leonberger Life

The Day My Leonberger Was Laughing At Me

Does dog humor exist? Well, this article featuring Leonbergers claim that it likely does. Dogs think it is funny to be a bit mischievous and they special sounds while doing it. You can call it dog laughter. Well, if that is the case, then our Leonberger Bronco laughed on several occasions, for example the time he escaped the leash and had me chasing him around the neighborhood (see story below).

Regarding dog laughter, I am also wondering about Rollo, our mini-Australian Shepherd. He loves lying on his back and getting a belly rub. While you are doing it, he is kicking all four of his legs while turning his head back and forth with his mouth open. It looks like he is laughing, like a giggling baby getting tickled.

A couple of times, Bronco took advantage of the fact that the snap hook on his leash would come loose and detach from his collar. One day this became a big problem. Bronco ran off, and I chased him—across the street, across people’s lawns, across the street again, and back over neighboring lawns. When he ran in circles, I ran in circles right behind him, yelling at him. He would stop and wait for me, and then as soon as I got close, he would start running again. I even jumped to catch him a few times. But he dashed off both times, and I just landed flat on my belly.

Bronco had a lot of fun doing this. I imagined him laughing at me, and I got angry. Dogs can’t laugh, of course, but his tail was wagging in excitement, and it was obviously a game to him—a dangerous game.

Photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was a gangly teenager. — *Bronco as a teenager young and gangly.*

So, I asked him, “Do you want to be lost? Bad things happen to dogs who get lost.” I don’t know how much of that he understood, but I had to tell him the truth. Then I turned around and started walking home. I figured I’d never catch him, so it was better for me to go back and get help. (It was 2008, and I didn’t have a cell phone.) Naturally, I worried that Bronco would get hit by a car. I was also worried about the damage an energetic 130-pound adolescent dog could do to the neighborhood.

As I stomped off, I turned around to look at Bronco. He stood still, around a hundred yards away, staring back at me. He seemed confused. I continued walking. After a while, I heard the soft slapping of big paws on the road behind me, accompanied by some distinctly noisy breathing. Then I saw Bronco walking next to me, so I carefully snapped the leash back onto his collar. He let me do it without protest. He was finished playing games. We walked home calmly, and the next day I bought a new and better leash.

A photo of our Leonberger Bronco hiding in the bushes. — Try finding me daddy.

The Dog Father Leonberger

This blog is primarily about Leonbergers and our late Leonberger Bronco as well as the book I wrote about him and his dog friends. However, sometimes I review other Leonberger books. This time I am reviewing The Dogfather: Dog wisdom & Life lessons: Leonberger book ~ Leonberger gifts Paperback – May 12, 2020 by Alex Luther. This paperback is 285 pages, black and white, ISBN‏‎ 979-8645268923, item weight 13.4 ounces, dimensions 6.34 x 0.65 x 6.34 inches, so fairly small. You can buy it from Amazon but exist only in paperback format. It is currently $18.99 on Amazon.

We’ve owned many dogs, all wonderful dogs, but our Leonberger was the most amazing creature I’ve come across. He passed away one year ago. Originally bred to be large companion dogs they are in tune with your feelings, and for the same reason they make great therapy dogs. They are double coated and have webbed large paws, making them excellent swimmers, they are sometimes used for water rescue. They are smart, very strong, they have an excellent sense of smell, they are big, about the same size as a St. Bernhard, and they are excellent guard dogs as well. Our Leonberger became the protector of our smaller dogs. He saved our pug’s life once. He also found and brought back our hamsters when they escaped their cage. He noticed (smelled) that our Labrador, who had diabetes, was about to have an insulin shock and alerted us to it. One time he chased away an intruder that frequently trespassed on our property and threatened us as well as our neighbors. No, he didn’t try to eat him. He probably just wanted to say hello, but the intruder didn’t know that. After that the intruder never came back. Above all he was very loving, very sociable, and sensitive to our feelings.

I thought the book looked interesting and might be worth reading at the same time as I expected a lot of sayings I’ve heard before and maybe silly jokes, but as I read on, I found the book to be better than I had expected. It is a very touching collection of sayings that were all new to me and the poetic wisdom words captured the personality of a Leonberger very well. Initially this made me believe that the author must own or had owned and loved a Leonberger like us. A few examples: “I think Leonbergers are the most amazing creature; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive.” “One reason a Gentle Lion can be such a comfort when you’re feeling blue is that he doesn’t try to find out why.” “The reason a Gentle Lion has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue” and my favorite “Sometimes I think I like Leonbergers more than I like humans. The only time a Gentle Lion has ever betrayed me…was by dying.” However, upon rereading the book I realized that it is possible that the sayings could apply to any kind of dog breed. Furthermore, I also realized that the author has written 160 nearly identical books called “The Dogfather <insert dog breed> or “The Dogmother <insert dog breed>”. So, I had just fooled myself. Most likely the author has never seen a Leonberger.

However, the sayings in the book are touching and the word Leonberger is used throughout the book. Not as good as I thought, but close. In the middle of the book there are two pages of advertisement and a web link for buying stuff. So, this book is partially advertising. That’s OK. The book is mostly for a younger audience but also sentimental adults. I gave the book four stars on Amazon.

The Life Span of Different Dog Breeds

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).

Photo of our old Leonberger Bronco going on 13. He loved walking into his old age but needed breaks. — Our Old Leonberger Bronco going on 13. He loved walking into his old age but needed breaks.

Snapshot of website where you can lookup the life spans of hundreds of dog breeds. — You can look up the average life span of hundreds of dog breeds by clicking on the image. As you see, smaller dogs live longer, the giant breeds have the shortest life spans.

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.

Photo of our Leonberger Bronco sitting in Claudia's lap. Bronco was a loving dog but 167 pounds in your lap might be a tad much. — Bronco was a loving dog but 167 pounds in your lap might be a tad much.

Hey What Kind of Dog is that Life with Leonbergers

This is the third Leonberger book review on my blog. I am reviewing and recommending Leonberger books that I loved. This time I am reviewing Hey! What Kind of Dog is That?: Life With Leonbergers, by Julie McGloin, ISBN 978-1662913679. You can buy it from Amazon and Barnes & Noble. It is currently $13.88 on Amazon and $30.00 on Barnes and Noble. It is 104 pages, in a medium sized format (8.5 x 0.28 x 8.5 inches, 9.3 ounces) and it is in color.

This book is a photographic tribute to a remarkable dog breed, the Leonberger. It is a fairly new book. It was launched early March 2022 and uploaded to Amazon at the end of February 2022. The author did not only include photos of her own Leonbergers but included photos from many other Leonberger owners as well. The book feature 100’s of beautiful color photos from around the world as well as interesting and useful information about Leonbergers. Our Leonberger Bronco is featured on page 6-7, which is something we are grateful for.

Photo of Page 6 & 7 spread in Hey! What Kind of Dog is That?: Life With Leonbergers, featuring our late Leonberger Bronco. — Page 6 & 7 spread in Hey! What Kind of Dog is That?: Life With Leonbergers, featuring our late Leonberger Bronco. Click on the photo to go to the Barnes and Noble page for the book.

I loved reading about all the other Leonbergers and learning a little bit more about the Leonberger breed. The information and the photos are presented in a charming and fun way, and it is easy reading. Leonbergers are beautiful and majestic, they love swimming, they love winter and snow, they love to eat, they are friendly and intelligent, and they are way too cute as puppies. All of this is reflected in the gorgeous photographs throughout the book. The book is for all ages and a great tabletop book. Below is the spread for page 64 & 65.

Photo of page 64 & 65 spread in Hey! What Kind of Dog is That?: Life With Leonbergers, featuring Leonbergers in water. — Page 64 & 65 spread in Hey! What Kind of Dog is That?: Life With Leonbergers, featuring Leonbergers in water.

Another important thing to mention is that a portion of the sale proceeds from this book is donated to the Leonberger Health Foundation International. I guess this book started a trend. Hopefully all Leonberger book authors will donate to the Leonberger Health Foundation International from now on. I highly recommend this book to all dog lovers and anyone thinking about getting a Leonberger.

Photo of two copies of “Hey! What Kind of Dog is That?: Life With Leonbergers” arriving at my house. The photo includes the box. — Two copies of “Hey! What Kind of Dog is That?: Life With Leonbergers” arriving at my house.

The Five Most Commented Posts Among The 20 First

This is the front cover of the book The Life and Times of the Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. The feature crazy and amusing stories about our late Leonberger as well as information about Leonbergers. The book will be available on Amazon and many other bookstores on July 3rd 2022. July 3rd 2022 would have been Bronco’s 15th birthday.

This post features a list of the five most commented blog posts out of the 26 posts I’ve made. Click on the photo to see the blog post. Check and see if you missed one or maybe more of them, and feel free to add more comments. I love comments.

Post-4: 21 comments so far – Bronco’s Hamster Search and Rescue

This is a drawing of our Leonberger with hamsters. Bronco was good at searching and finding run away Hamsters. His puffy cheeks are due to hamsters in his mouth and on the right a hamster is receiving CPR (it was successful). Click to read the story. — Our Leonberger Bronco was good at searching and finding run away Hamsters. His puffy cheeks are due to hamsters in his mouth and on the right a hamster is receiving CPR (it was successful). Click to read the story. Drawing by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Post-5: 21 comments so far – The Grey Muzzle Award

Photo of our Leonberger Bronco's Grey Muzzle Award from the Leonberger Health Foundation International. — Our Leoberger Bronco received the Grey Muzzle Award from the Leonberger Health Foundation International when he turned 12. Leonbergers, like all giant breeds, don’t live very long, on average eight years. The Leonberger Health Foundation International is trying to extend the life span of Leonbergers and in the extension all giant breeds.

Post-12: 14 comments so far – A Shocking Walk

A photo of a young, gangly, not yet filled out Leonberger Bronco. However, despite his youth he was still entirely unafraid of thunder and lightning, it was not very frightening to him. — A young, gangly, not yet filled out Leonberger Bronco. However, despite his youth he was still entirely unafraid of thunder and lightning, it was not very frightening to him.

Post-6: 11 comments so far – The time Bronco accidentally pushed Baby into a storm drain

This is a drawing of me rescuing our German Shepherd Baby from a storm drain while holding onto an agitated Bronco our young Leonberger. — Me rescuing our German Shepherd Baby from a storm drain while holding onto an agitated Bronco our young Leonberger. To read about this crazy adventure click on the image. Drawing by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Post-16: 10 comments so far – Bronco the Very Big Dog Bites My Behind

A photo of our very big Leonberger dog sitting in Claudia's lap. They are sitting in a red sofa. — Our Leonberger Bronco was very big indeed and he had powerful jaws. The only person he ever bit was, and was in my derriere. To read about this misadventure click on the photo.

My First 20 Posts

This is post number 20 for my Leonberger/Bronco blog. I decided to make it a list of posts. Not all posts were equally popular and maybe you missed the posts you would have liked the most. You can click on the link or the picture to see a post, then click back or “Home” (at the top) go back. If you read a post I certainly would love to get a “like” or maybe a comment.

Post-1: What is a Leonberger?

This image of a Leonberger summarizes the FCI Leonberger breed standard. — Summary of the FCI Leonberger breed standard (Photograph of Leonberger © Shutterstock/Eric Isselee)

Post-2: Our Leonberger Bronco

Photos of our Leonberger Bronco. Left: Bronco at 3 months old. Right Bronco at almost 13 years old. — Left: Bronco at 3 months old. Right Bronco at almost 13 years old.

Post-3: The Time Bronco Saved the Neighborhood

Two illustrations: Left: Trespasser at night spying on us through our bedroom window. Right: Bronco chasing off the trespasser (illustrations by Naomi Rosenblatt) — Left: Trespasser at night spying on us through our bedroom window. Right: Bronco chasing off trespasser (illustrations by Naomi Rosenblatt)

Post-4: Bronco’s Hamster Search and Rescue

Two illustrations. Left: Leonberger with puffy cheeks full of hamsters. Right: Hamster CPR (illustrations by Naomi Rosenblatt) — Left: Puffy cheeks full of hamsters. Right: Hamster CPR (illustrations by Naomi
Rosenblatt)

Post-5: The Grey Muzzle Award

Leonberger's live on average 8-9 years. However, the Leonberger Health Foundation International is working hard to extend the lifespan of Leonbergers. They give an award to all Leonbergers who have survived passed their 12th birthday. The award is called the Grey Muzzle Award. Bronco's award reads: The Grey Muzzle Award, for Leonberger longevity is presented with gratitude by the Leonberger Health Foundation International to Bronco for offering hope and potential for longer lives for Leonbergers throughout the world. — Leonberger’s live on average 8-9 years. However, the Leonberger Health Foundation International is working hard to extend the lifespan of Leonbergers. They give an award to all Leonbergers who have survived passed their 12th birthday. The award is called the Grey Muzzle Award.

Post-6: The time Bronco accidentally pushed Baby into a storm drain

Our German Shepherd Baby in a storm drain. I am trying to pull her out while our Leonberger Bronco is pulling on the leash. — Me handling a difficult situation. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Post-7: The Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database

Screenshot from the Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database, showing all the information on Bronco. More than 160,000 Leonbergers are listed in this database. That is most Leonbergers who've ever lived. — This screen shot shows the information about Bronco that appears in the WILD database above his full pedigree.

Post-8: The Day Bronco Stumped the Geek Squad

Illustration depicting a geek squad guy impressed by what the powerful bite by our Leonberger Bronco could do to a laptop. — Luckily the warranty covered both acts of God and acts of Dog (illustration Naomi Rosenblatt)

Post-9: Some Fun Leonberger Facts

The coat of arms of the town of Leonberg, Germany. — The coat of arms of the town of Leonberg, Germany, was allegedly the inspiration for the first breeder of the Leonberger, Heinrich Essig

Post-10: History of the Leonberger

Photo of Bronco at three months old. You can trace his ancestry back 120 years. A lot of interesting Leonberger history happened in that time. — Bronco at three months old. You can trace his ancestry back 120 years. A lot of interesting Leonberger history happened in that time.

Post-11: The Day Bronco Sniffed Out an Oncoming Insulin Shock

Photo of our Labrador Baylor on the left and our Leonberger Bronco in a sun ray on the right. Bronco may have saved Baylor's life by sniffing out an incoming insulin shock. — Bronco’s nose predicted an oncoming insulin shock

Post-12: A Shocking Walk

A photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was young. Bronco was slim and a bit gangly when he was young. He would fill out later. He was full of energy, confident and not afraid of anything. — Bronco was slim and a bit gangly when he was young. He would fill out later. He was full of energy, confident and not afraid of anything.

Post-13: Bronco the Great Swimmer

Photo of our Leonberger Bronco swimming in White Rock Lake. Leonbergers are excellent swimmers and are sometimes used in water rescue. — Leonbergers are excellent swimmers and are sometimes used in water rescue.

Post-14: The Eye Drop War

Our Leonberger Bronco standing in front of a pet gate. Leonbergers are big and tall and can reach almost anywhere a human can. so pet gates are a good idea. — Gates we had around the house to prevent Bronco from roaming where he shouldn’t

Post-15: The Day an EF3 Tornado Ravaged Our Neighborhood. It was a tough day for us and Bronco

Photo of our Leonberger Bronco in front of our fence that was damaged by a tornado. He had also just had a toe amputation. He has a plastic bag around his bandage. — Bronco, who was not at his best in this picture, rests next to our tornado damaged fence. We put a plastic bag around his bandage when he went outside.

Post-16: Bronco the Very Big Dog Bites My Behind

Our Leonberger Bronco was a very big dog with powerful jaws. Here he is sitting in Claudia’s lap/ — Bronco was a very big dog. Here he is sitting in Claudia’s lap.

Post-17: When Bronco Swallowed our Neighbor’s Head and Teaching Dogs How to Greet People Properly

Our Leonberger Bronco standing in the hallway — Bronco in front of the hallway

Post-18: How to Publish a Dog Book on Amazon (and elsewhere)

This photo is a page example from The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. It will be released July 3rd 2022. — Page example from The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger.

Post-19: Are Leonbergers like bears, lions or wolves? Ask the Boy Who Cried Wolf!

Photo of a Grey Wolf (Canis Lupus) to the left and our Leonberger to the right. The humoristic text says "Canis Lupus, the Grey Wolf, is a fearsome and courageous hunter in nature. Canis Lupus familiaris, the dog, a close relative of the grey wolf, is sometimes also brave. This specimen bravely protects the life of smaller dogs and hamsters." — Leonbergers are big dogs and little boys may think they are wolves, but Leonbergers are very friendly.

Post 20, well that’s this one. Please like this post or any other post if you do or leave a comment.

What is a Leonberger?

The Leonberger breed was originally created by Heinrich Essig (1808–87) in the German town of Leonberg, in what was then the kingdom of Württemberg. According to legend, Essig bred the dog to resemble the lion in the town’s coat of arms. It was bred to be a large companion dog. He registered the new breed in 1846. The Leonberger is often said to be a cross between a Saint Bernard, a Newfoundland, and a Great Pyrenees. However, in reality the story is more complicated. More on that later. One thing is for certain, the history around the interactions between the Leonberger breed and the St. Bernard is quite interesting. Also, more on that in another post. Another interesting fact is that Leonbergers were used in World War I to pull ammunition carts and cannons. Both World War I and World War II was tough on the breed and few survived.

Very few Leonbergers existed in North America until the 1980’s, when a breeding program was established. Saturday, November 2, 1985, the few families owning Leonbergers, the so called, Denver eight, got together to form the Leonberger Club of America. The Leonberger was recognized by the American Kennel Club in 2010 as its 167th breed (in the Working group). Today there are more than 2,300 Leonbergers in the United States and a 1,000 in Canada. There are about 30,000+ Leonbergers in the world. Since there are not millions of them you can still consider the Leonberger a rare breed.

Leonbergers are confident and brave gentle giants. They are great with children, very social and good companions and guard dogs. Leonbergers are double-coated, and they have webbed paws, so they’re natural swimmers. They are sometimes used in water rescue operations. But be careful, they are big, full of energy, and can be rambunctious when they’re young.

According to the original purpose of the Leonberger, and the breed standards, the Leonberger is a large, strong, muscular, elegant dog. He is distinguished by his balanced build and confident calmness, yet he has quite a lively temperament. Males, in particular, are powerful and strong. As a family dog, the Leonberger is an agreeable partner for present-day homes and living conditions who can be taken anywhere without difficulty and is distinguished by his marked friendliness toward children. He is neither shy, nor aggressive. As a companion, he is agreeable, obedient, and fearless in all situations of life.

The following are particular requirements of a steady temperament:

• Self-assurance and superior composure

• Medium temperament (including playfulness)

• Willingness to be submissive

• Good capacity for learning and remembering

• Insensitivity to noise

Leonbergers are large and muscular dogs. The height of an adult male is between 28 and 31.5 inches (72 to 80 centimeters) at the withers. The height of an adult female is between 25 and 29.5 inches (65 to 75 centimeters) at the withers. (The withers is the ridge located between the shoulder blades of an animal, on the back right below the neck.) Reputable breeders try to maintain these characteristics.

Leonbergers are sexually dimorphic—that is, there are noticeable differences between males and females. This is not always the case in dogs. Female Leonbergers are usually smaller and look more feminine. Males typically weigh between 120 and 170 pounds, and females usually weigh between 100 and 135 pounds. For comparison’s sake, below are the standard heights and weights for male dogs of other breeds.

• An Irish wolfhound, the world’s tallest dog (when standing on two feet), is 32 inches tall at the withers and weighs between 120 and 155 pounds.

• A Great Dane stands between 31 and 35 inches at the withers and weighs between 110 and 180 pounds.

• A Saint Bernard is between 28 and 35 inches tall at the withers and weighs between 140 and 180 pounds.

• A German shepherd stands between 24 and 26 inches at the withers and weighs between 66 and 86 pounds.

In other words, the Leonberger is right there among the largest breeds in the world.

In the picture below is an overview of the FCI breed standard for Leonberger dogs. I will post the full breed standard in another post.

This photo is a summary of the Leonberger breed standard — Summary of the FCI Leonberger breed standard (Photograph of Leonberger © Shutterstock/Eric Isselee)