what are they  like? my OH met one a few days ago and has fallen in love...even though he's not that doggie!! I have never met one but do like the 'look' of them but dont really know anything about their temperaments

Temperaments are superb.   I guess you could call them gentle giants.

I meet one young pup years ago and was amazed on how much he reminded me of my tervuren girl who has pasted, think it must of been the coat colour?
Big beautiful dogs and would defo own one if I had a big enough house!

You need to PM Dee, she knows all about them! If only I could remember her username?! I'll have a search and see!

Dee's user name is Missie

Teri :)

Do you know what...I searched for MISSY...doh! Ta Teri, knew I could rely on someone clever!

Our friend has owned and bred them for nearly 20 years.  We have a mixture of large breeds at home but my sister decided to go for a Leonberger and got one from our friend last Summer.  The pup who is called 'Summer' is now nearly 8 months old.  She's already 28 inches at the shoulder and towering over everything.

I have to admit I find her hard work compared to my Rottie's but I think that is just the giant breed way - everything in her own time lol!

Lovely temperaments, gorgeous dogs and overall a lovely breed!

Fantastic dogs .... I would never be without mine :0)

Great with kids ..... totally hugable ...... funny .... loyal ..... loving..... great personality......they dont drool lol .......

I have a female who is just over 2 years old & a male coming up 9 months old .

All the ones i have come across, be them purely pets and/or show dogs as well they do have fantastic temperaments.

When i went to get my boy hip and elbow scored there was a couple there with a Leo, they also had Bernese and said that Leo's are so much more easy going and docile, again though does depend on the breeding lines as well in all breeds and how they are raised.

Lovely dogs. My brother has one. She was the most adorable puppy, all legs, paws and fluff!

She's now coming up 18 months and is a gorgeous dog. She's great with his two young children and even when my ten month old boxer is running around her and being a pickle she doesn't lose her temper, she just tolerates him!

She does drool a lot though so beware!

I have had Leos +15 years and absolutely love them!
Generally I would say they are pretty easy going and very trainable.
I have tried most doggy activities with mine from flyball, agility, water rescue and obedience to tracking/nosework, search&rescue etc...
Many people do not realise that Leos are not coach potatoes, they are happy to chill and relax but if you want to do things with them you can! This is something I like about the breed, they are very adaptable I would say.

Even the ones that are little challenging at the teenage age usually calm down and settle when they mature.
Most I would say are quite soft dogs compared to many other breeds.
Sensitive souls would describe many Leos pretty well...
The ones I have met with problems are usually from being soft than dominant/hard, very soft dogs being put on the spot and reacting to the pressure...
Some males can have a dominant strike to them but most are gentle giants.
I have only ever had Leos myself but have mixed/trained with loads of breeds so my opinions are based on this...
Coats can have different textures and some soft coats are pretty challenging to look after(at least compared to the "correct" texture).

Trying to remember back years ago I seem to think the breed standard (in Finland where I came from) used to list drooling as a fault.
I have to say I have not met many Leos that drool like other molosser breeds can... This was actually one reason why my mum let me have a Leo and it is why I still remember it being mentioned in the breed standard :) (we had a relative with a Goldie that drooled bucket loads and my mum hated the stuff!).
Lips are supposed to be close fitting and not open from the corners which I believe should mean a dog that doesn't drool loads?

Saying that many Leos make up for the non-drooliness by carrying the last mouthfull of water around the house everytime they have a drink!
Often they come and put their head on your lap, smile and release :)

They are totally addictive!  My first was a great big bouncy outgoing fur ball, my current pup is a very laid-back, docile little chap (40kg at 6 months, so maybe not so little!).  I've also send in my application for a rescue Leo because, as all Leo owners will tell you, one is never enough!  I've had other breeds but none come close.......................I am completely smitten!

> She does drool a lot though so beware!

In general Leos dont drool if drooling means shoestrings, but as Noora says they do have a habit of carrying water around and depositing it on your lap.
You have to have a sense of humour to be owned by leos

Barbara

> Often they come and put their head on your lap, smile and release

oh don't they just! and its surprising just how much water they can hold, you really can end up looking like you've wet yourself!

as for drooling, you can get a lot of slobber from their mouths which they like to clean on you but I wouldn't say they 'drool' a lot?
I had an Irish Setter that drooled for England! - especially when there was food around :)

Ha ha Noora that made me laugh - my sisters Leo pup loves water (lucky as she starts water rescue training in April) but she always gets a mouthful of water and brings it over to you - maybe they like to share lol!

Maybe drool was the wrong term.

Slobber is the better description.

My Boxer is pretty good at shaking his head and covering me in slobber but he is nothing compared to Sasha, my brother's Leo, she's a champ at slobber throwing!

mine only drools/slobbers/drips(whatever we're going to call it.LOL) when there is food about and thats only because my OH taught him to scrounge. stupid men!

i am smitten with the breed and would love another, and another, and another.........just need to kick out the family first to make room. only joking!

I would say drips is a good descriprion for any mouthy deposits from most Leos...

Its funny you say your brothers Leo is worse than your Boxer :).
We meet with few boxers for play and after playing with them my Leo is covered in drool(no other playmate manages to slobber her so badly).
I keep thinking boxers are lovely and so funny but not sure if I could cope with the amount of drool!

Maybe our friends are expectionally drooly boxers just like your brothers dog seems to be very slobbery Leo :).