Leonberger puppies for sale 2022 near me

Sulandi Leonbergers is a small family run kennel owned by Diane & Lauren Whan, we are located in a small village in Northern Ireland called Parkgate.

We started showing dogs in 2002 and our first breed were Keeshonds. I showed in junior handling in the UK when I was seven and once I turned ten I began showing in junior handing in Dublin. 

I saw my first leonberger in 2006 and I fell in love, this breed is spectacular and I begged for one ever since that day. I got my first leonberger in 2009; he is called Ozzie and I could not have asked for a better representative of the breed. He was truly a gentle giant, this just made my love for the breed increase. 

After a few years we decided it was time to add another leonberger to the family, so we travelled to the club show in Leonberg. I couldn't believe it, there were leonbergers everywhere! We watched as many classes as we could, but one dog in particular caught my eye, Amicus Optimus Antonius. To me he was fabulous, his substance, type and movement, he had everything. 

I then began my research and thanks to two very close friends I had finally found my Norris puppy.. After a flight to Norway, Vegard and Hilgjerd Nordmo welcomed us into their home to choose my puppy. We then waited for 8 weeks and embarked on our first drive though Europe to pick her up in Germany; that is the beginning of our story as we now had Nukva at home. Nukva is the foundation of Sulandi Leonbergers, she is the most titled Leonberger in Ireland. Nukva has produced a limited number of beautiful offspring and we are happy to have her children and grandchildren now in our kennel who are all following in her footsteps in gaining fabulous awards."

Originating in Leonberg, Germany in 1846, this versatile breed was a favorite with royalty. The Leonberger nearly became extinct at the end of World War I but was revived and restored by several German breeders that were devoted to the breed. They are considered to be the oldest of the German breeds. Leonberger's continue to be used as a working breed and companion in Germany, France, Scandinavia. However, they are relatively rare in other countries.

The Leonberger breed is elegant, large, and powerful. This breed possesses a gentle expression and an impressive and regal appearance. Leonberger's are sturdy, well-built, and highly reliable.

A breed regarded as a "gentle giant", the Leonberger is affectionate, loyal, devoted, and trustworthy. This calm and steady breed is excellent with children, dogs, and other pets. They do not do well if left alone for extended periods of time and will bark and become destructive if bored or lonely. They are gentle, protective, and self-assured. They require a highly dedicated owner.

This is a high maintenance breed. The Leonberger requires daily brushing to remove loose and dead hair and minimize shedding. Special care should be given during seasonal blowing of the coat. Bathing should be done when necessary. It is important to regularly clean the ears and provide good dental hygiene. This breed has a relatively short life span. They are prone to such health issues as hip dysplasia, OCD, Addison's disease, entropion, ectropion, osteosarcoma, bloat, and hypothyroidism. Leonberger's may be sensitive to some drugs such as sulfa, tranquilizers, and anesthetics.

The Leonberger is a double coat breed. The outer coat is long, profuse, and straight. The under coat is thick and dense. There is a mane of hair on the chest and around the neck and feathering on the front legs. The hair on the breeches is profuse and thick. This breed is continuously heavy shedding with seasonal blowing of the coat.

Early socialization and obedience training is required. The Leonberger is intelligent and eager to please. They will not respond to harsh or heavy-handed methods. Training must be done with respect, fairness, firmness, patience, and consistency.

The Leonberger is not recommended for apartment living. They require daily exercise, family interaction, and mental stimulation. This breed does best in a large securely fenced yard or rural setting. Leonberger's enjoy swimming, hiking, backpacking, running, and family activities. They excel at agility, tracking, therapy, and water rescue.

Our Leonbergers are not bred until they reach two years of age and have completed all of their required health tests.  Any males that I may use for breeding outside of my kennel must have completed their required health tests.  These tests include; Hips and Elbows, Thyroid, Eye Certification, LPN1, LPN2, LPNN3 and LEMP.  Both the Sire and

Our Leonbergers are not bred until they reach two years of age and have completed all of their required health tests.  Any males that I may use for breeding outside of my kennel must have completed their required health tests.  These tests include; Hips and Elbows, Thyroid, Eye Certification, LPN1, LPN2, LPNN3 and LEMP.  Both the Sire and Dam of all of my litters must have their CHIC numbers which is assigned when the dogs have had their required health testing completed and posted on the OFA site.  

 Once the health tests are completed we  evaluate the structure of each dog looking at producing puppies as close to standard as possible.  We try to make sure that we are improving our overall breed when doing a breeding.  

We look at pedigrees and do a coefficient rating on each breeding pair.  Essentially, the coefficient measures the common ancestors of dam and sire, and indicates the probability of how genetically similar they are.