Leonberger Dog Names

Given its not-so-popular status and the uncertainty of its history, Leonbergers are rarely used as a subject matter for various pop culture works. However, there are a few films wherein the Leo has had a major role or a feature. Undoubtedly the most renowned film to ever feature a Leonberger is the 1997 film Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon. This film was an adaptation of the classic adventure novel The Call of the Wild, by Jack London. This was the third version of the film based on the original novel.

The setting for the film was during the 1800s Gold Rush, when miners were in desperate need of big sled dogs. The film’s main character, a dog named Buck, was stolen from his California home and sold to be used as a sled dog in Yukon. His exposure into the harsh and wild environment causes him to become a feral and untamed dog. Moreover, Buck had to rely on his power and instincts in order to survive. He was constantly mistreated by his owners and even driven to exhaustion until he was found by a prospector, named John Thornton. The two form a connection and eventually, Thornton earns the trust and love of Buck.

After winning a sled-pulling contest with Buck’s help, Thornton was able to raise enough money to venture onto a “lost mine” in Indian territory. When he discovers the treasure, he ends up getting caught and killed by the natives. To avenge his master, Buck kills his Thornton’s attackers. Eventually, after grieving Thornton’s death, Buck decides to join the resident wolves and act as the “leader”.

Call of the Wild: Dog of the Yukon was dubbed by the critics as the best adaptation out of all three versions as it stayed true to the novel. One major difference between the novel and the film, however, was the Buck’s breed. In London’s novel, Buck was a mixed Scottish Shepherd/Saint Bernard breed while in the film, a Leonberger played the role of the Buck. The film was one of the first major exposures of the breed in a major movie.

Another more recent film involving a Leonberger was the made-for-TV special Grumpy Cat’s Worst Christmas Ever. The film’s plot revolves around the unlikely friendship between a grumpy cat living in a mall’s pet shop and a 12-year-old girl named Chrystal, who can understand and speak to the cat. The two also help each other out as one of the prized possessions of the pet shop, a Leonberger named Jojo, was stolen.  

With help from these movies, the Leonberger has gradually become a more renowned breed in the United States.