Standard Poodles or Leonbergers?

[Salamamca]

I posted the Dobermann and German shepherd threads …

Back to the drawing board after reading the replies so … looking at Standard Poodles or Leonbergers.

Any experience of either? I can dedicate around 2 hours a day to walking mid week, longer at weekends. Same with training (on top of the walking).

I’ve never met a bad Leonberger. No idea about poodles but the ones I’ve seen out walking tend to be calm and well behaved. Their grooming needs must cost a fortune though considering it needs doing every 6 weeks or so

Poodle needs grooming and ears plucking, will also need brushing at least weekly.

I have a standard poodle and have worked extensively with Leonbergers.
Leonbergers like all giant breeds tend to be considered old at 10 years old, the also seem to be much, much more prone to GDVs than other giant breeds. Occasionally you get a hunter and nothing ( not even 6 foot fences or electric fences) will keep them in.
Standard poodles - you need to ensure health checks are done for hip dysplasia, PRA (eyes) and juvenile kidney disease. They tend to be long lived 15-16 years is common. They are lanky plonkers till they are about 2 years and chew everything till they are about 1 years old. They are super devoted to their family, but adore people in general.
Leonbergers slobber a lot, standard poodles do not.
Standard poodles adult weight 18-26kg.
Leonbergers adult weight 65-80lg.
Costs are proportional to weight.

Standard poodle all the way. If you can get one from working lines { happy dance }

We've always have standard poodles. They're great dogs, very adaptable to family life. They're very trainable but also, being so intelligent, can push boundaries and have an independent streak, but that's partly what makes them such lovely dogs.
Grooming is expensive but easy to do at home yourself with decent equipment.
As with most puppies, seek out a decent breeder with experience of the breed, who does genetic testing and raises puppies in their home with good socialisation.

No experience but there's a Standard Poodle near to us and everyone dotes on him. He's a local superstar

Leonbergers should be close lipped and dry mouthed. They should not be drooling and I’ve never met one that does. Neither of mine ever drool. They are messy drinkers but they shouldn’t have shoelaces of drool and if they did they are not breed standard!

Mine can’t even jump into the car nevermind over a 6ft fence but I don’t doubt that there are ones that have high prey drives. They are very big and bulky so they aren’t very agile. They are high energy for a giant but they don’t come close to something like a GSD.

To be fair I had a bulky Rottweiler that used to jump a 6ft fence … and it wasn’t a prey drive thing, she just liked to go and play with the local kids in the area 😂 this was in the 90s, imagine this scenario now? 😱😂

Thanks @Leonberger - on average how much exercise do they need? Are they ok off lead? Are they ever reactive?

@Leonberger sorry I thought this was my thread, I’ve posted asking for experience of them too ☺️

@SweatyCrustySocks I can imagine the horror 😄 My biggest one is about 80kgs and requires a ramp because he can’t possibly leave the floor. The female is a bit better and will at least try. I’ve heard there are some out there with really strong prey drives though!

On average mine get about about 45mins morning and night but they will do more or less, comfortably up to around 6miles before they start dropping behind. If they miss a walk they don’t spend all day spinning about like my GSD, they are happy enough to play in the garden.

Mine are perfect off lead, stay close and always recall but I don’t allow them off around strangers. This is because people will constantly grab/hassle/touch them and other dogs nearly always have a go, I think they are intimidated by the size. Even the most ‘friendly’ dog seems to become very defensive when an 80kg male is looking at them and it can cause tension. I’m not sure I would have them if I had to walk in a dog park type scenario every day.

There are reactive ones, although proportionately less than other breeds I would say. Most love everyone and everything, there are some that are more aloof and I think that comes down to socialisation, specific lines and the individual personality much like anything. There are reactive ones out there (there’s one on Southend dog training at the moment although I don’t recommend that training company!)

I’ve got one of each, one that is all for family and isn’t bothered about strangers and just tries to keep himself to himself. I expect across the lines there’s probably a lot of variety but on the whole they should be friendly and non-aggressive.

Thank you so much, I’ve seen the one on Southend dog training and I must admit it did put me off a bit, that’s a hell of a lot of dog to control if it’s like that 😱 I’ve messaged a few breeders through the kennel club website but none get back to me. The only one that did get back to me was one who I found out to be rather “controversial” in the Leo world (£3k puppies, constant litters, reusing the same stud dog despite an issue he passes down with undescended testicles or something?!). They said they had puppies available now and I could book a time to go and see them. I replied saying I’m not yet ready for a pup as still researching and could I just go and meet their dogs … suprise surprise they never got back to me 🤦‍♀️

Can you recommend a breeder? Via pm if needed?

I wouldn’t walk any of my dogs through a dog park either, I’m pretty unsociable and like to walk places I can avoid human conversation 😂

@SweatyCrustySocks You’ll get the constant comments. Is that a bear, you could get a saddle on that, how much does that eat, who’s walking who… They even stop traffic! I walk in the middle of nowhere where possible with earplugs in 😄 I do take them to public places occasionally but I can tell the dogs get fed up after the 300th person stops us.

I’ve got an aunt who’s always had standards and they are wonderful dogs, all of them without fail have been fun, easy to train without being too clever(so they don’t outwit you or work out how to open the fridge), good with children and visitors, none of hers have ever been dog reactive etc and generally really reliable recall (with good training).
Lovely dogs, if DP liked them I’d get one tomorrow

Mine can open every door in the house and the dishwasher- I suspect he's working on the fridge.
I joke he's like an oxbridge professor can calculate complex stuff, but not do up his shoe laces. He has fallen over his own feet on more than one occasion.

goodness! After reading through this thread, I’ve just watched the Southend dog training video of the Leo….😳

@SweatyCrustySocksif you’ve never had a giant breed or do not have an existing Leo owner to vouch for you, it is incredibly difficult to get on a list as people fancy ‘a big dog’ without considering the pitfalls of their lifestyle. Whilst affectionate, Leo’s are not really sofa/cuddly dogs, they like to be cold and like to be stimulated. Yes they sleep a lot, but only after exercise and a bored Leo can be destructive in the home. They are not dogs you leave for hours whilst you go to work, they want to be part of your pack and know where you are. Our breeder has had unsocialised males returned to her who behave like the one in the video, and they could not be returned to anyone as pets as they are unpredictable. This is not the dog’s fault. Obviously the best breeders don’t really want unsocialised dogs returned to them hence they want to understand your lifestyle, garden, family etc. My boy is 75kgs and from the off has taken hours of work for socialisation with humans, horses, and other dogs. Especially not reacting to other dogs having a go at them. As @Leonberger has said, people don’t think when you are out and about and approach and touch them, sometimes without asking hence the need to socialise carefully. In your shoes, assuming you have the space, a fully enclosed garden and no tiny children (Leo’s knock over everything when they turn unintentionally) I’d start with getting in touch with the owners club and seeing what is available near you in terms of getting to know the breed to start with.

@Salamamca to offer another view, this I just spent the past few days (with my Leo and a friends Leo) with an American standard poodle. It was a very busy dog (did not sit down even after a 6k walk) and lack of socialisation meant it was not good with other dogs. It also worked out how to break out of every room 😂 The busyness was in complete contrast to other standard poodles I know, so I’d be looking at the temperament of both mum and dad if I could.

As with any intelligent dog, poodles need good socialisation and training throughout their lives, and stimulation and exercise on a daily basis. This is especially so of the standards as any large dog, if badly trained or unsocialised, is going to be a nightmare to live with and a danger to others.
That said, they are very trainable, hence why they were used in circuses in days gone by, and are increasingly being used again as working gundogs.

Leonbergers don’t slobber or drool, I’ve seen this stated on a few threads and it’s incorrect. They produce nothing like the slime fest you may be associating with Newfies! The worst they can be accused of is forgetting to shut their gob after their last slurp of water, so drip water around them.

my, now sadly departed, girl did discover that sticking her nose in water and blowing produced bubbles - she seemed to enjoy that every so often.

I dony find the grooming easy - where am I going wrong?!

Do you have a grooming table? Do you wash and dry first? Any tips gratefully received as ours looked nightmare when I did it myself.

Don't *