Puppy Care
Mealtime and Food
The pups should stay on 3 meals a day until they do not eat each meal with appetite – this usually happens around 10 weeks of age. Then I start giving two meals a day. At present they get in the morning and evening 1/2 Canidae kibble (crushed) the mush mixed in and as much water to make it cereal consistency. I do believe that canned/dry dog food is not enough for any dogs health and therefore I have all these years made a mush with raw apples, carrots, bananas, broccoli, lettuce or whatever fruit and veggies I have in the house (except onions and potatoes) in the blender and then I mix equal amounts of ground chicken necks or raw ground beef and yogurt or cottage cheese and Rice in with that. This mix goes over the kibble every morning and the dogs love it. Of course half of the puppies food in the morning and evening is that mush.
In a group these puppies are very good eaters. But once they are in a different environment this might change, especially if there is no other dog in the house. If your puppy gets to be picky and does not gain steadily, you might have to feed three meals longer or put a mush over the food at every feeding. If your puppy is pigging out every time he eats you might have to mix some more adult food in and wean him off puppy food early. Canidae is a food for all stages of life! I usually do not feed puppy food longer than 4 to 6 month of age depending on the pup's appetite. The stool of the puppy is in my opinion a very good indicator of overeating. Many times loose stool happens if he is overeating or the food has too much protein content (I prefer max. 24 % protein). Of course if the puppy has loose stool it could also be parasites or an oncoming illness so this has to be watched closely. Too much calcium in the diet can cause bone disorders in large breed dogs, so supplementing with CA has to be done very careful and only in conjunction with extra meat in the diet. I do NOT recommend free feeding - that is leaving food out all the time - it makes generally picky eaters eat even less. With my own dogs and puppies I will stand there and watch them eat to make sure everyone is doing well and getting what they need and take the uneaten portion up after they are done - of course they enjoy the company very much.
Housebreaking
If you feed your puppy at the same time each day and then let it out immediately afterwards, first thing in the morning, last thing at night, and right after each nap, Leonberger puppies will learn quickly what is expected and will be housetrained in no time. Puppies are very close to fully trained when they are sent to their new homes at eight weeks old. Crate training also helps pups to learn quickly since they will not soil or wet their own bed, but instead, will let you know when they need to go out.
Biting and Chewing
Every puppy has a tendency to use its teeth and can do some serious damage. It is important to train a puppy in a positive way that chewing anything other than chew toys, rawhides or bones is unacceptable. A good way to stop unwanted chewing is to put a toy or a rawhide into a pup's mouth as soon as he starts to bite you or something that he is not supposed to bite. Roughhousing or tug-o-war games are not good activities for big dogs like Leonbergers.
Obedience and Socialization
It is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL to take a Leonberger to obedience school while still a puppy. Obedience school attendance provides more than the usual obedience training such as sit, stay, fetch-the-newspaper, and no-counter-surfing. In obedience school you and your puppy will encounter other pets and pet owners in the public forum. These encounters may trigger normal puppy behaviors that might include aggression (snarling, growling, maybe an attempt to bite) toward others. In the presence of a trainer, will help you and your puppy gain the skills needed to become good canine citizens. This is so important for the Leonberger breed that my Kennel von Stutensee sale contract requires obedience school attendance.
The Leonberger has guard dog instincts. The guard dog instinct can cause your pet to be aggressive toward strangers or to friends that he decides are strangers. Positive training methods work best since Leos are a sensitive, intelligent breed and are anxious to please their owners. The work that you do with your puppy in the first two years will pay off and she will become a wonderful companion.
Exercise
Your Leo is ready to go with you whenever you want to take him. However, puppies do not yet have the muscle development needed to support their large-boned frame and can strain or pull a muscle or damage a joint. So, for about a year, let your puppy dictate the pace and length of your walks together.
Stop often for rest and water.
Stay cool.