Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix

The Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix, is a mixed breed dog resulting from breeding the Leonberger and the Lhasa Apso. Both of these dogs can be friendly but personalities differ, so you never know. The Leonberger is known for being fearless, obedient, and loyal. All dogs need proper socialization and that will be a big factor in how they interact with others. What does this mixed breed look and act like? Is it more like the Leonberger or the Lhasa Apso? Those are the questions we will try and answer below. Continue reading below to see pictures, videos, and learn more about the beautiful Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix.

While we really recommend that you acquire all animals through a rescue, we understand that some people might go through a breeder to get their Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix puppy. That is, if they have any Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix puppies for sale.

If you are interested in helping animal rescues raise money, please play our quiz. Each correct answer donates to help feed shelter animals.

Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix History

All hybrid or designer dogs are tough to get a good read on as there isn’t much history to them. Breeding specific dogs like this has become common in the last twenty years or so even though I am sure that this mixed breed found it’s share of dogs to the shelter due to accidental breeding. We will take a closer look at the history of both parent breeds below. If you are looking at breeders for new, designer dogs please beware of Puppy Mills. These are places that mass produce puppies, specifically for profit and don’t care at all about the dogs. If you have a few minutes, please sign our petition to stop puppy mills.

Leonberger History

Leonberger—also known as Leo, Gentle Lion or Gentle Giant—is a giant dog breed. The name comes from the city of Leonberg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.

Leonbergers are loving, loyal and dedicated companions, but due to their size not everyone wants to take home a 100-pound plus pet. For those that do, they will enjoy a rambunctious puppy until they are a harder working adults who loves to spend time with each member of the family.

Leonbergers are not aggressive animals and are proud, strong and powerful. Great with kids and other pets as a friendly, gentle and playful animal, Leonbergers may take up all the room in an owner’s heart as much as their side of the couch.

Originally the Leonberger were kept as farm dogs. They pulled carts and did other tasks as needed. In the 20th Century, they became water rescue dogs, and they still continue to live in that role today.

In the 1830s a dog breeder named Heinrich Essig claims to have created the Leonberger by crossing a male dog that would later create the Saint Bernard breed along with a female Landseer Newfoundland. Later down the line, Essig claims to have added a Pyrenean Mountain dog to the mix, which created the large dog with long white coats.

This may just be a story since the claim is still disputed. The reason for this is due to a description that claims animals the looked like Leonbergers were owned by Austrian Prince Franz Metternich, of Wolfberg in 1585.

The more modern look of a Leonberger, which includes darker coats and black masks, came later in the 20th century. This happened when other breeds, such as the Newfoundland, were reintroduced to the genetic pool. The reintroduction was due to the loss of Leonbergers during World War I, and even though the breed started to thrive again, it was lost once more during World War II. Leonbergers were used to pull ammunition carts during these wars.

Interestingly, all Leonberger today can be traced back to the only eight survivors of World War II.

Lhasa Apso History

The Lhasa Apso—at one point called Lhasa Terrier—originated in Tibet. The origination of the name has two different ideas on the translation. The first being that Lhasa is the capital city of Tibet and the word “apso” means “bearded” in the Tibetan language. This means the first translation could mean “long-haired Lhasa dog.” The other suggestion is that the word “apso” is a form of the Tibetan word “rapso” which means “goat-like.” This means the other translation could be “wooly Lhasa dog.”

A Lhasa Apso was bred inside of the Buddhist monasteries with the main purpose of alerting the monks to any trespassers who entered. Today the Lhasa Apso is a non-sporting dog and mostly enjoyed as a companion more than anything else.

The origin of the Lhasa Apso breed dates back to Tibet over 4,000 years ago. The Lhasa Apso started as a small breed of mountain wolf. Around 800 B.C. it’s said that the Lhasa Apso was domesticated and then actively bred. If this is the case, then that would make the Lhasa Apso one of the oldest breeds in the world.

A few of the Lhasa Apso were brought home by military men in the early 1900s when they returned from the Indian subcontinent. The Lhasa Apso were never sold; they were only ever gifted. The first American pair of Lhasa Apsos were a gift from Thubten Gyatso, 13th Dalai Lama, to C. Suydam Cutting in 1933.

The American Kennel Club officially accepted the breed into its list of dogs in 1935 and added it to the Terrier Group. Later in 1959, it was then transferred to the Non-Sporting Group. The breed’s standard was approved by the American Kennel Club in July 1978.

Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix Size and Weight

Leonberger
Height: 26 - 31 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 90 - 160 lb.
Lifespan: 8 - 9 years

Lhasa Apso
Height: 10 - 11 inches at the shoulder
Weight: 11 - 18 lb.
Lifespan: 12 - 14 years

Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix Personality

The Leonberger and the Lhasa Apso are both loyal and affectionate. They are also very charming, so watch out! This dog will require a good training regimen as they can get excited. They are very loyal to their family. One of the best things you can do for any breed is to socialize it as much as possible. Please use positive reinforcement, it goes a long way! She should be rather affectionate and love being with you, she can also be stubborn so keep that in mind.

Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix Health

All dogs have the potential to develop genetic health problems as all breeds are susceptible to some things more than others. However, the one positive thing about getting a puppy is that you can avoid this as much as possible. A breeder should absolutely offer a health guarantee on puppies. If they won’t do this, then look no more and don’t consider that breeder at all. A reputable breeder will be honest and open about health problems in the breed and the incidence with which they occur. We obviously recommend that you look for a reputable animal rescue in your area to find your new mixed breed. Health clearances prove that a dog has been tested for and cleared of a particular condition.

The Leonberger mixed with the Lhasa Apso might be prone to joint dysplasia, panosteitis, cataracts, among others.

Note that these are just common problems in both breeds.

Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix Care

What are the grooming requirements?

Even if you know the breed, sometimes it is hard to tell if it will be a heavy shedder or a light shedder. Either way, Get ready to invest in a good vacuum if you want to keep your floors clean! Give them baths as needed, but not so much that you dry out their skin.

What are the exercise requirements?

Plan on taking them for extremely long walks and hikes to keep their energy level down. This mix will more than likely have a high energy level. This exercise will keep them from being destructive. A tired dog is a good dog. A tired dog is a good dog though. Never tie your dog up outside - that is inhumane and not fair to him.

What are the training requirements?

This is an intelligent dog that will be a little bit challenging to train. They are going to want to take the alpha position and need someone with a firm, strong, hand that can let them know their place. The best thing you can do is break the sessions into shorter daily sessions to keep their attention span higher. It might have a prey drive and be disposed to running for and chasing small prey, but if handled properly this can be managed. All dogs respond best to positive reinforcement. So make sure to praise her when she does well. She is an intelligent dog who loves to please, and loves a physical challenge. The more exercise she gets the easier she will be to train. Proper socialization is imperative to all dogs and puppies. Make sure to take her to the park and doggy day care to get her around as many people and dogs as possible.

Leonberger Lhasa Apso Mix Feeding

"A lot of times diet is done on a per-dog basis. Each one is unique and has different dietary requirements. Most dogs in the U.S. are overweight. A mix like this one that is prone to hip and elbow dysplasia should really be on fish oil and glucosamine and chondroitin supplements as soon as possible. A good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background.

Overfeeding any dog is not a good idea as that can really exacerbate health problems such as elbow and hip dysplasia.

I good diet to look into is Raw Food Diet. A raw food diet will be especially good for the Wolf background."

Leonberger Links

Links to other breeds you might be interested in