Leonberger Health Foundation International
  • Home
  • About
    • History
    • Founder >
      • Waltraut Zieher Award
    • Our Team
    • Gesundheit
  • Donate
    • Make a Donation
    • Buy a Calendar
    • Ways to Give
    • LHFI History of Financial Support
  • Health
    • General Information
    • Research >
      • You & Your Leo Can Participate
      • Publications
    • The Grey Muzzle Award >
      • Grey Muzzle Application
      • Grey Muzzle Hall of Honor
      • Grey Muzzle Breeder Award
    • Genetic Testing
  • News
  • Contact

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: 
  • ~ 5,500 samples housed at the University of Bern
  • ~3,000 samples housed at the University of Minnesota
Of those approximate 8,500 samples, we have SNP array data on 1,200 individuals and 50 whole genome sequences.

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.
Picture
Donate

Leonberger Health Foundation International

The LHFI is an independent charitable foundation whose mission is to improve the life, health, and longevity of the Leonberger. 
We are a 501c3 non-profit and all donations are tax deductible. Our EIN is 91-2169552.
  • Home
  • About
    • History
    • Founder >
      • Waltraut Zieher Award
    • Our Team
    • Gesundheit
  • Donate
    • Make a Donation
    • Buy a Calendar
    • Ways to Give
    • LHFI History of Financial Support
  • Health
    • General Information
    • Research >
      • You & Your Leo Can Participate
      • Publications
    • The Grey Muzzle Award >
      • Grey Muzzle Application
      • Grey Muzzle Hall of Honor
      • Grey Muzzle Breeder Award
    • Genetic Testing
  • News
  • Contact