Some things to consider....
Leo Puppies nip.
All puppies nip, and this can lead to play-mouthing. The primary way a dog can directly interact with its environment is through its mouth because it doesn’t have hands. Like all breeds, baby Leos need to learn to inhibit their bite reflex. This begins in the litter. If a pup nips its littermates or mother too hard, the response is a sharp yelp. This tells the pup to ease off and not nip so hard. It takes a long time for an enthusiastic pup to fully understand this, so expect that any young pup you get will still need to be taught not to nip. They do not come with this problem “fixed” at a mere 8 weeks of age.
Leo Puppies do not know the difference between clean and dirty.
To a puppy, the world is full of glorious smelly wet things, most of which we humans will find offensive. They do not understand about dirty, muddy, stinky feet and probably never will. You have to accept this fact and decide now- before getting your adorable puppy- that there is no point in getting angry at a happy, filthy, wet puppy causally sprawled on your new carpet. Be prepared to find ways to limit this problem, but never expect it to go away.
Leo pups shed.
But not as much as full-grown Leonbergers do. Leos have thick double coats, which they can exchange fully for a brand new thick double coat twice a year. This means that not only do they produce a fairly constant rain of dog hair year round, they also “blow” their coats completely at least once a year. When this happens you can stuff a mattress with the luxuriously soft downy fluff that they shed, but first you have to gather it up from every surface of your home, again, and again, and again.
Leo pups love water- and not only to drink.
They love to stand in it. They love to roll in it. They love to stomp through puddles of it. And most of all, they love to dive into it fully and have a good splash round. One of them has even been known to drag a running garden hose into the sitting room to play with…..
Leo pups chew things.
All puppies chew things. They chew things when they are babies because they need to learn about the things in their world. They chew things when they are starting to eat solid foods because their teeth are coming in and their gums hurt. When they are about 4 months old, their new teeth start to come in and- you guessed it- they need to chew things again because, again, their gums hurt. Sometimes they chew things because they are bored. Sometimes they chew because they are anxious. Sometimes they just chew because it is what dogs do. You can’t stop their need to chew. The best you can do is make sure they have access to things that they are allowed to chew, that they know about them, and that they know that you would prefer them to leave other things alone. Obviously, this can take some time for the pup to figure out.
Leo pups do not know the difference between right and wrong.
They don’t know that what they are doing is naughty. They don’t know that if they do something ‘bad’ you wont like it, and they have no idea what guilt is. If they look guilty about something it is probably because you look mad and they soon learn what that means. If they look anxious it is probably because they don’t know what to expect and that worries them. Setting clear boundaries about what to expect and what is allowed takes time but will eventually lead to a relaxed dog that knows the ropes.
Leo puppies need house training and when they make mistakes - they are BIG ones.
Like all puppies, baby Leos can’t hold their bladders and bowels for very long, even if they want to. They simply do not have the muscle development to do so. It takes time, patience, consistency and kindness to teach them how to hold it and where to let it go. This means letting them outside to ‘do their business’ many, many times day and night. It also means not losing your cool when accidents occur, even when they are BIG ones. Making a pup frightened of doing its ‘business’ will only complicate the training process.
Leo puppies cost a lot to feed, to insure, to provide healthcare for.
Leonbergers are a giant breed and therefore they need more of everything. It is vital that potential puppy buyers do their research before getting their pup so that they are absolutely sure that they can provide for the care and welfare needs of the dog throughout its life.
Leo puppies need to be well socialised.
All puppies need to be well socialised. But unlike smaller dogs, behaviours in giant breeds such as the Leonberger are greatly amplified. Whenever they yelp, bark, grumble, jump, run, lick or anything else, it has a lot more impact then when a terrier-sized dog does it. This means that it is essential that they are relaxed and well behaved, especially in public. The key to this begins with socialisation. They need to get out into the world as soon as possible and as often as possible to experience a wide variety of persons, places and things. This is the way to ensure that they grow into dogs that are confident and relaxed in public. Do you have the time and ability to frequently take your puppy out to new places while it is growing up? If not, think again.
Leo puppies do not tolerate being home alone.
No dogs do, they are actually more sociable by nature than human beings and there is nothing worse for any dog than long periods of solitary confinement. Leonbergers as a breed are quite sensitive, intelligent and companionable. They want to be with you and they suffer if left on their own. This could lead to depression, physical difficulties, destructive behaviours and so forth which, again, are all the more difficult to deal with because of their sheer size and strength. Many reputable breeders will be reluctant to let a pup go to a home where it will spend its days isolated and alone.
Leo puppies do incredibly cute things when they are small-
That can become incredibly annoying things when they are big.
Examples of this are begging for food, jumping up onto the sofa for a cuddle, reaching out with their cute little paws to give you a friendly pat, and so forth. Just remember that whatever a cute 10-week-old pup does may be a completely different thing when it grows into a 10 stone monster. That 65 kilo boy may not like being shifted from your favourite chair; Your dinner may not be as appetising to you or your guests when it is being drooled on by a dog that can easily loom over the table; That friendly little pat can unintentionally scratch the face of a small child. Don’t reward any puppy behaviours- however cute they may be- which can become inconvenient or even dangerous in a full sized dog.
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All puppies nip, and this can lead to play-mouthing. The primary way a dog can directly interact with its environment is through its mouth because it doesn’t have hands. Like all breeds, baby Leos need to learn to inhibit their bite reflex. This begins in the litter. If a pup nips its littermates or mother too hard, the response is a sharp yelp. This tells the pup to ease off and not nip so hard. It takes a long time for an enthusiastic pup to fully understand this, so expect that any young pup you get will still need to be taught not to nip. They do not come with this problem “fixed” at a mere 8 weeks of age.
Leo Puppies do not know the difference between clean and dirty.
To a puppy, the world is full of glorious smelly wet things, most of which we humans will find offensive. They do not understand about dirty, muddy, stinky feet and probably never will. You have to accept this fact and decide now- before getting your adorable puppy- that there is no point in getting angry at a happy, filthy, wet puppy causally sprawled on your new carpet. Be prepared to find ways to limit this problem, but never expect it to go away.
Leo pups shed.
But not as much as full-grown Leonbergers do. Leos have thick double coats, which they can exchange fully for a brand new thick double coat twice a year. This means that not only do they produce a fairly constant rain of dog hair year round, they also “blow” their coats completely at least once a year. When this happens you can stuff a mattress with the luxuriously soft downy fluff that they shed, but first you have to gather it up from every surface of your home, again, and again, and again.
Leo pups love water- and not only to drink.
They love to stand in it. They love to roll in it. They love to stomp through puddles of it. And most of all, they love to dive into it fully and have a good splash round. One of them has even been known to drag a running garden hose into the sitting room to play with…..
Leo pups chew things.
All puppies chew things. They chew things when they are babies because they need to learn about the things in their world. They chew things when they are starting to eat solid foods because their teeth are coming in and their gums hurt. When they are about 4 months old, their new teeth start to come in and- you guessed it- they need to chew things again because, again, their gums hurt. Sometimes they chew things because they are bored. Sometimes they chew because they are anxious. Sometimes they just chew because it is what dogs do. You can’t stop their need to chew. The best you can do is make sure they have access to things that they are allowed to chew, that they know about them, and that they know that you would prefer them to leave other things alone. Obviously, this can take some time for the pup to figure out.
Leo pups do not know the difference between right and wrong.
They don’t know that what they are doing is naughty. They don’t know that if they do something ‘bad’ you wont like it, and they have no idea what guilt is. If they look guilty about something it is probably because you look mad and they soon learn what that means. If they look anxious it is probably because they don’t know what to expect and that worries them. Setting clear boundaries about what to expect and what is allowed takes time but will eventually lead to a relaxed dog that knows the ropes.
Leo puppies need house training and when they make mistakes - they are BIG ones.
Like all puppies, baby Leos can’t hold their bladders and bowels for very long, even if they want to. They simply do not have the muscle development to do so. It takes time, patience, consistency and kindness to teach them how to hold it and where to let it go. This means letting them outside to ‘do their business’ many, many times day and night. It also means not losing your cool when accidents occur, even when they are BIG ones. Making a pup frightened of doing its ‘business’ will only complicate the training process.
Leo puppies cost a lot to feed, to insure, to provide healthcare for.
Leonbergers are a giant breed and therefore they need more of everything. It is vital that potential puppy buyers do their research before getting their pup so that they are absolutely sure that they can provide for the care and welfare needs of the dog throughout its life.
Leo puppies need to be well socialised.
All puppies need to be well socialised. But unlike smaller dogs, behaviours in giant breeds such as the Leonberger are greatly amplified. Whenever they yelp, bark, grumble, jump, run, lick or anything else, it has a lot more impact then when a terrier-sized dog does it. This means that it is essential that they are relaxed and well behaved, especially in public. The key to this begins with socialisation. They need to get out into the world as soon as possible and as often as possible to experience a wide variety of persons, places and things. This is the way to ensure that they grow into dogs that are confident and relaxed in public. Do you have the time and ability to frequently take your puppy out to new places while it is growing up? If not, think again.
Leo puppies do not tolerate being home alone.
No dogs do, they are actually more sociable by nature than human beings and there is nothing worse for any dog than long periods of solitary confinement. Leonbergers as a breed are quite sensitive, intelligent and companionable. They want to be with you and they suffer if left on their own. This could lead to depression, physical difficulties, destructive behaviours and so forth which, again, are all the more difficult to deal with because of their sheer size and strength. Many reputable breeders will be reluctant to let a pup go to a home where it will spend its days isolated and alone.
Leo puppies do incredibly cute things when they are small-
That can become incredibly annoying things when they are big.
Examples of this are begging for food, jumping up onto the sofa for a cuddle, reaching out with their cute little paws to give you a friendly pat, and so forth. Just remember that whatever a cute 10-week-old pup does may be a completely different thing when it grows into a 10 stone monster. That 65 kilo boy may not like being shifted from your favourite chair; Your dinner may not be as appetising to you or your guests when it is being drooled on by a dog that can easily loom over the table; That friendly little pat can unintentionally scratch the face of a small child. Don’t reward any puppy behaviours- however cute they may be- which can become inconvenient or even dangerous in a full sized dog.
Return to Puppy Buyers' Guide
