What Am I Looking For in My Owners?


  • I'm looking for owners who have read our puppy pack, have met a few
    Leos in person taken the time already to  learn as much as they can about our
     breed rather then just buying one on a whim   I will only place a puppy
    with someone who has met and interacted with the breed.

  • I expect the people who become our puppies' owners to train them to be good ambassadors of the
    breed and love them as part of their family while respecting their doggie culture.  

  • I look for owners who will consider joining the Leonberger Club of America  and who will seriously
    consider contributing to the health of the breed by doing the same health testing at 2 years of age that
    we, as breeders do for our owners. Without data from  pet owners, breeders can't possibly know what
    their breeding dogs are carrying. It isn't magic. If you want your next Leo to be healthy, you have a
    responsibility to help that happen.

  • I'm looking for owners with an appropriately large, fenced yard - minimum 1/2 acre, preferably at least 1
    acre, not including your house, but attached to it -  where your Leo can spend time with your family.
    Leos' roots are as farm dogs.  I do not place puppies in unfenced nor small yards, nor apartments.   It's
    not in the puppy's best interest.  Leonbergers do not boundary train and need appropriate 5'-6'
    fencing.  Invisible fencing is not appropriate for a Leo. Although this article is from the Bernese
    Mountain Dog site, it is applicable as well to the Leonberger. Fencing for Bernese Mountain Dogs.

  • I'm looking for owners who are financially able to provide for a giant breed dog. The purchase price of
    any dog is a small percentage of what it will cost you over its life! Owning a dog is a large financial
    commitment. The bigger the breed, the more expensive the maintenance, from food to vet bills.  
    (Having a Leo's teeth cleaned runs about $300. Curing a bad ear infection can be upwards of $400 and
    cruciate ligament surgery, $4,000) If you don't have the resources, please wait till you do.

  • There are well documented studies now on health issues that may be connected with neutering
    before a dog reaches maturity.  Neutering doesn't curb adolescent behavior, training does. That is the
    same in every species. Hormones are there for reasons other than sex. If you neuter your male before
    his growth plates close 18-24 mos. he will look more like a female. Please go to an article from the AKC
    Canine Health Foundation on early spay neuter and health problems.

                                                 I am looking for 100% of the household to be thrilled that they are getting
                                           a puppy from us, not just some of the members. It's a family affair!  Puppies
                                            will get you up in the middle of the night to go out for the first few weeks,
                                            bite you and the kids with those sharp little puppy teeth because that is what
                                            they have always done with their littermates, have accidents on the oriental
                                            for the first few months if you aren’t paying attention, chew on your dining
                                            room table if you aren’t in the room watching them, dig up your plants, eat
                                            the remote control, knock the kids over etc. In other words they act like
    normal puppies – only bigger.  Be sure all of you are ready for a puppy! Check out this Australian You
    Tube video for the “really real”!  The Leonberger - A Low Energy Dog

  • I'm looking for owners who can either drive or fly to Ohio to pick up their puppies at 8 weeks of age.
    We do not ship . We are 35 minutes from Cleveland Hopkins airport and about an hour from Akron
    Canton airport. A number of airlines allow you to  take your pup home in a pet carrier under your seat.  
    A female MAY fit the bill but a male could easily be over 20 lbs. so be sure to ask the airlines if they
    have weight restrictions. You may want to  plan on driving . Check with your airlines. We do not allow
    puppies to be placed in cargo. It is not in their best interest. FDA requirements also now require
    owners and buyers to meet in person.

    If you are within traveling distance you are welcome to make an appointment to come out and visit
    our dogs if we have a litter planned and your approved questionnaire is on file. We want to meet our
     potential owners beforehand where possible and we're sure you would want to meet us and our girls as
     well. As we can’t influence the sex or number of pups our bitches will produce,
     you are more likely to get a pup from us if you are open to either sex. While there were 72,704 Golden R
    etrievers born in the US there were only 517 Leonbergers born here last year. 338 of those were born to
    LCA Member Breeders. We are a rare breed. The females in the breed, although better watch dogs, are
    easier to live with as teenagers, and usually challenge their owners less than the males who are prone
    to testosterone surges from around 15-36 months. Males are not a good choice for owners who have
    not owned a very large,  intact working breed male before or who might not have strong leadership
    abilities. Leo females  are just as beautiful and a lot larger than the dogs most owners have previously
    owned!
                                                                                                                                           

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Cherrywood Kennels
PUPPY PACK: What I Look
For In Owners
Grafton, OH 44044 |cell (440) 328-5647 | cherrywoodleos@yahoo.com
25 Years of Photos