These big dogs have very high energy levels and are also extremely intelligent. Because of this, they are both easy to train and perform very well in sports and competitions, such as Agility and Obedience. They get along well with other animals, such as cats and horses – and especially humans! Because of this, they shouldn’t be kept outside as they want to be surrounded by family as much as possible. They make fantastic therapy dogs and their fluffy affectionate ways will leave the whole family besotted!

Like many breeds, the Leonbergers’ history remains a mystery. It’s thought that they first appeared in 1846 and were potentially created by Heinrich Essig, the mayor of the town Leonberg! It’s thought that the Hospice St Bernard kindly sent down some St Bernard dogs to breed with another mystery dog. The new breed became extremely popular and Essig was able to sell up to 300 puppies a year until his death. In 1895, a breed standard was created but the effects of WW1 almost wiped the breed out, with only five being left at one point! They are now a fairly rare breed and nearly all these dogs in the UK can be traced back to the 1970s, when a man named Dave Gower bought a male and female from abroad!