What to Feed your Leo
You should always choose a premium dog food for your Leo. Each brand or "line" of food normally has a special formula for the different stages and requirements of your Leo. Giant breed dogs have special nutrition requirements when their puppies. You should use a special "Large Breed formula" for your Leo if you can. A number of manufacturers have a complete line of Large Breed food (puppy, maintenance, performance, etc). If you don't choose a large breed formula you should select "maintenance" type food for your Leo (Lamb and Rice formula is most easily digested). The reason for recommending a maintenance food over a "standard" puppy food is that the diet requirements for giant breed dogs is different than that of other dogs. Your Leo will be in "puppy stage" longer than other smaller dog breeds. Your Leo should be moved to his/her adult food at around 18 months to 2 years of age.

When you first receive your Leo pup you will need to keep him/her on the same food that your breeder was feeding. This will ensure that your Leo's digestive system is not thrown off. Dogs are not like humans. They don't require (and cannot tolerate) rapid changes in their diet.

Any change that you do make to your Leo's diet needs to be done gradually. You need to mix the old and new food, gradually reducing the old food and increasing the new food until your Leo is on only the new food. This mixing process should take 4 - 5 days.

Puppies should have their food moistened with water to aid digestion and to keep your pup from greedily gulping water after eating.

One final note: You must ensure that your Leo rests for at least an hour to an hour and a half after eating. Jumping about after a meal can cause the stomach to twist (see Bloat). This can be a fatal condition.

Water and your Leo
Always make sure your Leo has an ample supply of cool, fresh water. Leos do drink a lot. You will find that your Leo will love to play in water as well. The "pool" will depend on your pup's size at the time. If your pup is the right size, a "kiddie" pool with a few inches of water in it will provide plenty entertainment for your Leo.