Research funding approach
The LHFI funds research projects which focus on diseases and conditions that will benefit Leonbergers. Since we are a relatively small organization, we usually provide supportive grants to researchers in conjunction with studies principally funded by major foundations and funding sources.
Funding process
Although the Leonberger was firmly established a decade before the Victorians founded the dog fancy, the breed’s world-wide population has remained relatively small. The worldwide community of breeders and owners, however, is notably and uniquely larger, more congenial and generous than the breed population would predict. Interest in and funding for breed health has been vigorous for more than 20 years.
The LHFI preference is to establish a personal relationship with researchers before offering funds. Although the LHFI has often participated in fund-matching solicitations by the Canine Health Foundation, the Morris Animal Foundation and others, we will also respond to direct asks from researchers in support of specific needs.
We invite researchers to contact us to discuss research projects and needs.
We believe that the Leonberger breed is uniquely placed as a study population because of three main factors:
1) We have a very large bio bank of DNA samples that could potentially be made available to research projects. According to Katie Minor at the University of Minnesota, as of May 2018 our DNA bank consisted of:
2) We have health updates on the ongoing condition of a very large proportion of the individual animals whose DNA is banked, making it possible to identify those with reported issues.
3) Our breed has an extremely comprehensive searchable pedigree database going back to the earliest history of the breed, allowing for in-depth pedigree analysis. Visit the Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database at http://www.leonberger-database.com.
We are also proud to have a very connected, largely willing, and demonstrably cooperative owner population with a proven track record of pro-active participation in health initiatives.
The LHFI preference is to establish a personal relationship with researchers before offering funds. Although the LHFI has often participated in fund-matching solicitations by the Canine Health Foundation, the Morris Animal Foundation and others, we will also respond to direct asks from researchers in support of specific needs.
We invite researchers to contact us to discuss research projects and needs.
We believe that the Leonberger breed is uniquely placed as a study population because of three main factors:
1) We have a very large bio bank of DNA samples that could potentially be made available to research projects. According to Katie Minor at the University of Minnesota, as of May 2018 our DNA bank consisted of:
- ~ 5,500 samples housed at the University of Bern
- ~3,000 samples housed at the University of Minnesota
2) We have health updates on the ongoing condition of a very large proportion of the individual animals whose DNA is banked, making it possible to identify those with reported issues.
3) Our breed has an extremely comprehensive searchable pedigree database going back to the earliest history of the breed, allowing for in-depth pedigree analysis. Visit the Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database at http://www.leonberger-database.com.
We are also proud to have a very connected, largely willing, and demonstrably cooperative owner population with a proven track record of pro-active participation in health initiatives.
