A Leonberger is a dog, a "rare breed".  What is the IDEAL height for
the RIM of a feeding/water bowl for an ADULTt male Leonberger ?

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Request for Question Clarification by tar_heel_v-ga on 11 Nov 2002 11:21 PST

jhh..

I have sent emails to several Leonberger breeders asking your
question.  As soon as I get a reply, I will let you know.

Regards,

-THV

jhh..

A beauttful breed, the Leonberger was bred over 150 years ago in,
imagine that, Leonberger, an area outside Stuttgart, West Germany. 
While a very large breed, there is a misconception is that large
breeds require more food than smaller breeds.  Larger breeds do not
tend to be as "active" as smaller breeds, hence their food
requirements are not as high as one would think.

I spoke with a gentleman at Leonberger Rescue Inc.,
(http://www.leonberger.com/LeoRescue/) and here is the information he
provided:

There really is no specified height or size requirements of a bowl for
your Leo.  There is an ongoing argument regarding "feeding tables". 
These are platforms that you set the bowl on at about chest high. 
Those for these tables say it takes stress off of the muscular and
skeletal system of the dog while eating.  Those who do not see the
value in these platforms say that in the wild, the dog eats from the
ground, with it's head bowed, so there isn't a problem.

The gentleman also gave me some tips on feeding.  Leos tend to be
ravenous and will eat what you put in front of them.  He recommends
that as opposed to feeding them once a day, if you can, two or three
smaller portions would be best.  This will minimize the chances of
bloat in the dog.  If you are starting with a puppy, there are several
dog food manufacturers that have developed special blends for large
breeds.  While at1 or two years old, these dogs appear to be fully
mature physically, they are not until around age three, so their
nutritional requirements are very demanding up to that time.

Thank you for your question.  Goof luck with your Leo.  From my
research, they appear to be a wonderful breed. If you need any further
clarification, please let me know.

Regards,

-THV

Search Strategy:
Leonberger Feeding

References and additional information:

New Zealand Kennel Club
http://www.nzkc.org.nz/breeds/leon.htm

Continental Kennel Club
http://www.ckcusa.com/l_breeds/m2_leonberger.htm

Leonberger Rescue
http://www.leonberger.com/LeoRescue/

Big help + help in forwarding on. Many thanks. Another Tar Heel.

It doesn't appear there is really an ideal height; more important
is that it needs to be relatively large and heavy (something that
can't be tipped; one breeder uses a small crock!) as a Leonberger
loves to play in the water.

http://www.ckcusa.com/l_breeds/m2_leonberger.htm

talks about bowls, feeding, nutrition and more...

There are a variety of feeding dishes to choose from hard plastic,
stainless steel, and earthenware dishes, available in many shapes and
sizes. Choose one that is large enough to hold each meal, but will not
tip over or spill as your dog eats. It is very important to keep your
dog’s feeding and watering dishes clean on a daily basis. Once the dog
has finished it meal, throw away any uneaten food and clean the
dishes. They should be washed using hot water and soap, and then
rinsed and dried.

jhh...
I ran across a discussion of this by an authority of some
sort a long time ago, and incorporated the information in
feeding my cat. The essence of it was that the height of 
feeding bowls should accommodate a healthy posture for the
animal, whatever the breed, in that it allows the animal
to maintain a good alignment of the head, neck and body.