Leonberger - real experience and thoughts?

Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
372
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
Canada
#1
I'll just put it out there - I'm in love with the Leonberger, though mostly from a distance. In searching for our next breed (currently have an awesome 10 year old shih tzu) I decided I really wanted a large breed that would be suitable for therapy work. Knowing that any breed could do therapy work, but some have a higher propensity, I started researching breeds.

This led me to the Leonberger, and I fell head over heels. I've read everything there is to read, and have visited with a breeder. The dogs in person were even better than I hoped, with one exception. The level of hair left on my pants after an hour of petting a herd of adult Leos was remarkable. I mean, truly a crazy amount.

I am not sure I could live with that level of shedding. However, I am wondering (i.e. grabbing at straws) if the dog was bathed and professionally groomed every 4 weeks, and I committed to brushing a couple times a week in between, if the hair would be manageable. I'm ok with more cleaning in the house, but I just don't think I can live if *I* a constantly covered in a thick mat of hair, let alone my kids.

Any Leo owners out there dealing with the hair successfully?
 

Romy

Taxiderpy
Joined
Dec 2, 2006
Messages
10,233
Likes
1
Points
38
Location
Olympia, WA
#2
In general, any of the heavy shedding breeds will drop less hair if you bathe and blow dry with a forced air dryer often. I don't know how often a leo would need it, they do shed a truly huge amount.

Do you have a space (like a garage?) you can set up for grooming? Having a dog professionally bathed that often will get really expensive. You can get a professional quality forced air dryer for $200-$400 and it makes such an enormous difference.

My friends with rough collies do their own bathing and grooming, and the forced air dryers are the difference between wading through herds of dust buffalo all over the house and having a nice relatively clean floor. lol
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2014
Messages
372
Likes
0
Points
16
Location
Canada
#3
Thanks Romy. I'm not really concerned with the cost of professional grooming, though I do have room in the garage to set up a grooming area. I think I'd probably do both ;)

Aside from the Golden I grew up with (and was a kid so paid no attention to shedding), I haven't lived with really hairy dogs. Your friends with the rough collies - are their clothes full of hair?
 

Members online

Top