The Leonberger Club of America, Inc., (LCA) was founded in 1985 as a breed club with an independent registry for Leonbergers in North America. The Leonberger Club of America is the oldest and largest Leonberger breed club in the United States. The core purpose of the club is to preserve the health, temperament, and type of the breed.
What's different about the LCA and why is it important to anyone interested in a Leonberger?
The Leonberger Club of America is more than a club - it is a community. It is a community of people with shared values and beliefs on protecting the Leonberger breed in the United States. The LCA offers ways for every type of Leonberger owner to be involved! Breeders, pet owners, competitors in the various dog sports, and owners doing animal assisted therapy are all welcome and encouraged to join!
The LCA is a club for pet owners
Most of the over 800 member households represent pet owners. While most of those enjoy their Leonberger purely as family members, a very large group of LCA members do therapy work with their Leos, sharing their love with others. Another group is involved in a wide range of working activities... ranging from water rescue, obedience, and tracking, to agility. Still more simply gather at annual picnics, sled pulling days or monthly beach get togethers and just spend time together sharing the joys of owning a Leonberger! Our LCA national and regional specialties even provide a venue to show your spayed or neutered pet in the conformation ring, possibly even earning an LCA Conformation Certificate. The friendly, family atmosphere of our shows is one of the elements our members enjoy most about the club.
FACT: most of us NEVER even thought about showing a dog before attending an LCA show...80% of our competitors are "newbies" and we like it that way!
Why are LCA breeders unique and why is it important for you to understand the difference?
The LCA Member Breeders and Stud Owners pledge to uphold the club's Member Practices. While most dogs clubs have little or NO breeding requirements, LCA breeders agree to abide by a set of Member Practices.
The LCA is the only internationally-recognized Leonberger club in the United States
The Leonberger Club of America, Inc. is affiliated with the majority of Leonberger clubs of the world through the International Leonberger Union, all of which work together for the protection and betterment of the breed. The International Leonberger Union recognizes and gives voting status to only one Leonberger club in each Union member country, and the LCA is the representative for the United States. Every year, the Leonberger Union meets annually in Leonberger, Germany to discuss issues affecting Leonbergers throughout the world.
The LCA is a resource for puppy seekers
The LCA offers something for all of its members including a comprehensive web site, a high quality quarterly magazine filled with pictures and articles, an LCA members-only e-mail list, educational seminars, certificate programs, and more. The LCA also provides paid for advertising for LCA Member Breeders and Stud Owners which assists in helping you locate a litter via our LCA Puppy Referral contact.
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New Puppy Owner Contact: Tom Atwood (207) 892-3695
The LCA is deeply involved in the welfare of Leonbergers on all fronts
The LCA maintains a close relationship with Leonberger Rescue, Inc. and the Leonberger Health Foundation. In fact, both organizations were founded by LCA members and continue to be staffed by LCA members. Since their founding, each organization has incorporated on their own for tax and liability reasons, but their foundation is rooted in the Leonberger Club of America. These organizations are dedicated to re-homing displaced Leos and advancing health research to better the breed. They rely on the donations of devoted Leonberger lovers to provide and maintain the highest level of service to the breed possible.
The LCA web site offers information on every aspect of the Leonberger dog; we believe you will find all the information you need to make an informed decision on if the Leonberger is the right dog for you and if so, why the LCA is the right place for you and your Leo!
We encourage anyone who owns or is interested in owning a Leonberger to maintain their LCA membership. Your membership keeps you informed and helps to support the club efforts to keep our American Leonbergers as sound and healthy, as possible.
