ament . ▁The ▁first ▁dogs ▁registered ▁as ▁Leon berg ers ▁were ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 6 ▁and ▁had ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁pri zed ▁qual ities ▁of ▁the ▁bre eds ▁from ▁which ▁they ▁were ▁derived . ▁The ▁popular ▁legend ▁is ▁that ▁it ▁was ▁b red ▁to ▁res emble ▁the ▁coat - of - ar ms ▁animal ▁of ▁Leon berg , ▁the ▁l ion . ▁The ▁Leon berger ▁dog ▁became ▁popular ▁with ▁several ▁European ▁royal ▁households , ▁including ▁Napoleon ▁II , ▁Em press ▁Elisabeth ▁of ▁Austria , ▁the ▁Prince ▁of ▁Wales , ▁Otto ▁Von ▁B ism ar ck , ▁Emperor ▁Napoleon ▁III , ▁and ▁Um berto ▁I ▁of ▁Italy . ▁Ess ig ' s ▁claim ▁of ▁bre eding ▁the ▁dog ▁as ▁described ▁is ▁disput ed . ▁Records ▁from ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 5 8 5 ▁may ▁indicate ▁the ▁existence ▁of ▁Leon berger - type ▁dogs ; ▁documents ▁d ating ▁from ▁ 1 6 0 1 ▁held ▁by ▁the ▁Met tern ich ▁family ▁describe ▁similar ▁dogs ▁used ▁to ▁d eter ▁the ▁the ft ▁of ▁liv est ock . ▁ ▁Either ▁way , ▁ ▁no ▁doubt ▁exists ▁that ▁Ess ig ▁named ▁and ▁registered ▁the ▁bre ed ▁first . ▁A ▁black - and - white ▁eng ra ving ▁of ▁the ▁Leon berger ▁was ▁included ▁in ▁The ▁Illustr ated ▁Book ▁of ▁the ▁Dog ▁by ▁V ero ▁Shaw ▁( at ▁p .   4 8 8 ) ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 1 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁Ess ig ' s ▁Leon berg ers ▁were