Training

Leonbergers are not natural obedience and agility zealots; however, they are so loyal and conforming to their family's culture and expectations that they tend to participate in obedience exercises in order to please. Because they are so calm and stable, they perform well even when their handlers are stressed. They usually excel in commands like Down, Stay! Achieving a perfectly executed Sit, Stay! is another story. Leonbergers are known in obedience classes for their casual approach to sitting. The sitting part is not a problem, but sitting up straight is not a priority for a dog that prefers to be laid back and relaxed. Retrieving is also not a favorite activity. Chasing a ball, a toy, or a stick is great fun, but bringing it back is such a bother! There are Leonbergers with obedience and agility titles, but these don't come as easily as they do for smaller dogs.