LEONBERGER BREED INFO

Welcome to the Leonberger Club of America judge education section!

"A breed comes into the AKC just once, and it must be done thoughtfully and with great care, paying attention to the breed's history and functionality as a pet and working dog. The show ring is only part of any breed, but all aspects of the breed must be considered in the show ring." This quote from Beth O'Conner, President of the Leonberger Club of America from The Judges Eye in the July 2010 issue of the AKC Gazette reminds us all that judges have a big responsibility.
As a "new" breed entering the AKC Working Group as of July 1, 2010, we understand the importance of accessible and detailed information. The judges education section of our web site  includes the AKC Leonberger Standard, a History of the Breed, and an image of "Leonberger Characteristics" and 5 Major Characteristics of Type, both taken from the new The Leonberger - An Illustrated Breed Standard.  There is also a schedule of Seminars and LCA presenters and mentor contacts. 
While the onus is on the LCA to produce and update our AKC judge education materials, we also have very high expectations of judges. We invite you to make your education of the Leonberger breed a priority and attend a judge's education seminar. We also encourage you to invite a LCA mentor to join you ringside or at your next Leonberger judging assignment.  We also invite you to attend a regional and/or national club specialty when geographically accessible. You will find a warm and welcoming community at any Leonberger Club of America event. We invite you to seek out the Leonbergers attending AKC shows and take a moment to go over the dogs informally. Our members will gladly spend time with you.
We have spent 25 years showing and breeding Leonbergers based on their FCI, European background from which the AKC Standard has been developed (Read European Judges evaluation of our Leonbergers at the 2010 National Specialty). In order to keep our heritage, we ask you to look at the total dog, what they should be in form, type, temperament and structure.  Remember, "The show ring is only part of any breed, but all aspects of the breed must be considered in the show ring."
If you have questions or suggestions about the Leonberger Club of America's AKC Judges Education please contact Mary Decher (klingelberg@gmail.com) or Don James (dcjames1@gmail.com.

We welcome your comments and suggestions on our materials and most of all we thank you for taking the time to educate yourselves about our wonderful Leonbergers.