Page 18 - ShowSight Presents - The Leonberger
P. 18
Judging the Leonberger
By Agi Hejja
In judges’ circles, we often hear that winning dogs stand out as they enter into the ring. In Leon- bergers, the same often holds true. We see some of the impor- tant elements of breed type first;
large size, proud head carriage with black mask and calm, confident demeanor.
Once the class lines up, the silhouette of the breed is vital to the correct Leonberger type. Several elements are highlighted in the general appearance section of the standard. Let’s examine these elements one-by-one.
• Large size
• Balanced Build
• Powerful and Strong
• Lion-like coat, black mask
Large Size. The Leonberger is a large dog. Though many in the fancy believe that “bigger is better”, it is important to note that Leos are not meant to be as large and imposing as the St. Bernard, nor should they be the size of the Bernese Mountain Dog. Ideally, their size falls somewhere in between. Bitches have an ideal height of 271⁄2" and dogs are ideally 30". The depth of the chest is close to 50% of the height at the withers. They must be large and power- ful enough to be suitable as an all-purpose working dog, but not so large that they lose the powerful, elastic, and agile movement that is characteristic of the breed.
Balanced Build. The Leonberger will ideally have rear angulation matched to
the front producing a balanced dog. The eye should not be drawn to any particular part of the body, but should see the entire silhouette. The slightly rectangular body is supported with medium—heavy bone in direct proportion to his size. The Leon- berger’s neck flows elegantly into well laid-back shoulders, blending smoothly into a level topline. The Leonberger has a “full body”, meaning that there is only a slight tuck up. The underline is as impor- tant as the topline.
Powerful and Strong. The Leonberg- er is a powerful dog that shows a combi- nation of strong and lean muscles, good bone, correct angulation, proper length of body, and balance. Well laid-back
ShowSight Magazine, February 2014 • 219
