iors , ▁bringing ▁them ▁back ▁from ▁almost ▁ext inction . ▁Leon berg ers ▁today ▁can ▁have ▁their ▁ancest ry ▁trac ed ▁to ▁the ▁eight ▁dogs ▁that ▁surv ived ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Trad itionally , ▁Leon berg ers ▁were ▁kept ▁as ▁farm ▁dogs ▁and ▁were ▁much ▁pra ised ▁for ▁their ▁ab ilities ▁in ▁watch ▁and ▁draft ▁work . ▁They ▁were ▁frequently ▁seen ▁pulling ▁c arts ▁around ▁the ▁villages ▁of ▁Bav aria ▁and ▁surrounding ▁districts . ▁Ar ound ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁Leon berg ers ▁were ▁imported ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Canada ▁for ▁use ▁as ▁water ▁rescue / l if es aving ▁dogs . ▁The ▁bre ed ▁continues ▁in ▁that ▁role ▁today , ▁along ▁with ▁the ▁New found land , ▁Lab r ador ▁Retrie ver , ▁and ▁Golden ▁Retrie ver ▁dogs ; ▁they ▁are ▁used ▁at ▁the ▁Italian ▁School ▁of ▁Can ine ▁L if egu ard . ▁ ▁They ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁successfully ▁as ▁f lock ▁guard ▁dogs . ▁ ▁The ▁Leon berger ▁received ▁American ▁Kenn el ▁Club ▁recognition ▁as ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Working ▁Group ▁on ▁January ▁ 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁alongside ▁the ▁I cel and ic ▁She ep dog ▁and ▁the ▁C ane ▁Cor so . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁ 1 6 7 th ▁bre ed ▁to ▁be ▁recognized ▁by ▁the ▁A K C . ▁ ▁Popular ▁culture ▁Three ▁Leon berger ▁dogs ▁( one ▁was ▁a ▁female , ▁and ▁two ▁males ) ▁played ▁the ▁main ▁character ▁Buck ▁in ▁The ▁Call