This blog feature amusing and heartwarming stories about our late Leonberger dog Bronco, as well as other Leonbergers. It also has a lot of information about the Leonberger breed, the history, care, training, Leonberger organizations, etc. I also wrote a Leonberger book, which I am featuring in the sidebar.
The focus of this blog is Leonbergers. However, sometimes I post about other things and today I am making a lighthearted post about an English idiom that I find interesting. An idiom that is not used in my native language Swedish. The idiom is “When all is said and done”, and it is used to introduce a conclusion, or the most important fact to remember in a specific situation.
The one minute youTube video below is in regard to a demon possessed toaster. This poor lady is in a truly horrifying and nightmarish situation. The question is. What is the most important fact to remember in this specific situation? By watching the video, you will find out.
Last week I was reading a blog post in which one of the characters ordered Voodoo Rangers IPAs using door dash. I asked the author, John Howell, if you really can order Voodoo Rangers using door dash. He reminded me that his story was a work of fiction. However, I wanted to try whether it was possible to do that, and John encouraged me to try. So, I ordered a 12 pack of Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA using door dash (which they picked up from a store here in Dallas called Tom Thumb). As it turned out, I got my Voodoo Rangers from door dash. So, when all is said and done, you can order Voodoo Rangers from door dash. Below are a few of photos.
When all is said and done, you can order Voodoo Rangers using door dash.In my backyard drinking New Belgium’s Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA, ABV 9.0%, IBU 85. The aroma is floral and citrusy. The flavor is white bread, caramel, citrus, grapefruit rind and moderate pine resin. When all is said and done, this is good beer.A lizard is climbing up the patio table leg in my backyard. Maybe he wants a sip of beer. When all is said and done, lizards like beer too.
Finally, a 3 minute of ABBA’s somewhat sad song “When all is said and done”. It is a reflection on the end of a relationship.
The focus of this blog is Leonbergers including Leonberger book reviews. However, sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I love and want to promote. This time the book is Story Chat Digest Where Stories Meet: An Anthology of Short Stories & Poems (Story Chat Series) by Marsha Ingrao, editor, and author, plus 25 more authors. Below I am giving an overview of the two formats for the book (I bought the paperback edition).
Paperback Edition – Publisher : Independently published (March 6, 2026), ASIN : B0GRH9CNJP, ISBN-13 : 979-8250922968, 212 pages, Item Weight : 13.4 ounces, dimensions : 6 x 0.53 x 9 inches, it cost $14.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle Edition – Publisher : Always Write Publishing Services (March 6, 2026), ASIN : B0GRKS8QDD, 310 pages. It is currently $5.99 on Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Front cover of Where Stories Meet. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback edition of the book.
Amazon’s Description of Where Stories Meet
Story Chat Digest: Where Stories Meet is an international anthology of short stories and contemporary poetry from writers around the world. Through literary fiction, reflective storytelling, and thoughtful verse, the collection explores mystery, memory, humour, resilience, faith, family, and the quiet complexities of everyday life.
Each story and poem stands on its own, yet together they create a rich tapestry of voices and perspectives that reflect the power of shared storytelling.
Perfect for readers who enjoy literary anthologies, short fiction, and contemporary poetry, Where Stories Meet invites you to linger, reflect, and return to the conversation again and again.
This is my five star review for the book Story Chat Digest Where Stories Meet
Stories and Poems of all Kinds
Story Chat Digest Where Stories Meet is a collection of stories and poems written by 26 authors including the editor and author Marsha Ingrao. The stories and the poems cover a lot of different topics including humor, the paranormal, love and romance, lost love, sad stories, fantasy, children stories, and there’s art including paintings of animals and fondant art. It also includes an interesting chapter on flash fiction. What it is, and how to write flash fiction. This chapter could be very helpful to aspiring authors.
Many of the stories are followed by exploratory inquiries and incisive questions for book clubs followed by possible answers to those questions by fictitious book club members. As someone who read the book primarily for entertainment and for the reflections directly stated in the poems and the stories, I did not focus on the book club questions too much. However, I can see how this, perhaps best referred to as a “bonus feature”, could be very helpful for book clubs and literature classes.
To give some examples of what kind stories are in this book. One of the stories is about a young orphan who was sent from foster home to foster home but not having much luck, well at first. This story really pulled on your heartstrings. Another poignant story is about a lost childhood love and the search for it. Another story was an alternative, or rather expanded, version of the Garden of Eden, in which all animals could speak as they do in CS Lewis’ Narnia. It made Eve’s encounter with the talking snake more plausible.
There is also a comical ghost story, a story about a man who could see how close people were to their death, a mysterious twilight zone like story called Springtime in Paris, a poem about a Cape Buffalo called Black Death. There is also a dreamy and comical science fiction story about amazing travel in the future, as well as a fun children’s story about people building a gingerbread church and it featured lots of pictures of fondant art. As you can tell, this book feature stories and poetry of all kinds. This does not make the book unfocused. The book is very well organized. It makes it more entertaining and interesting. I could never guess what the next story was going to be about.
The book is very well written, edited and well put together. It is an entertaining and an easy and enjoyable read. I highly recommend this book.
Front cover of Where Stories Meet. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the Kindle edition of the book.
About Marsha Ingrao
Marsha Ingrao is an author, editor, and founder of Story Chat Digest, an interactive literary community where writers and readers connect through short stories, poetry, and thoughtful discussion.
A retired educator, she brings a lifelong love of learning and storytelling to her work. She is the editor of the Story Chat Digest anthology series, international collections that reflect the voices and conversations of a global writing community. Her most recent volume is Where Stories Meet.
She is also the author of Embracing the Power to Live, a reflective, poetic memoir on resilience, faith, and personal growth.
In addition, she has contributed to multiple anthologies and is the author of Images of America: Woodlake, published by Arcadia Publishing.
Through her long-running blog, Always Write, Marsha shares stories, reflections, and creative inspiration while inviting readers to engage, respond, and become part of the storytelling experience.
Today, I’m having the honour to share the words and talents of one of my favourite bloggers and children’s authors, Esther Chilton. She is the host for the weekly writing prompt as well as many other blogging prompts. The weekly writing prompt is a lot of fun and very easy. I’ve written Amazon reviews for two of her books, The Secret Dragon, and this one Myths and Magic. You can read more here and here. Now, I give you Esther Chilton aka Esther Moonstomp (her very cool pen name).
Front cover of Myths and Magic.
Blog Tour Stop for Myths and Magic
Thomas has very kindly allowed me to take over his blog for a short period today as part of the blog tour for my second children’s book, Myths and Magic,written for 5-7 year olds. A huge thank you to Thomas for his support. I really appreciate it.
I’ve been sharing different extracts from the book on my tour, but as Thomas often shows wonderful pictures and diagrams on his blog, I thought I’d share a few of the inside black and white illustrations. I hope you like them.
Saffy has solved the first clue in her quest to save the magical world of Mandoreum from danger. Now it’s time to find the second.
She isn’t alone. Her new friend, Lily, a dragon from Mandoreum, wants to help. Together they take a trip and uncover special stories and unexpected surprises.
But Saffy soon learns that first appearances are not always what they seem. And plotting in the background is a witch who will do everything she can to stop them…
Author bio:
Esther has been a freelance writer for over twenty-five years, regularly writing articles and short stories for magazines and newspapers such as Writers’ Forum, Writing Magazine,The Guardian, Best of British, The Cat, This England, Yours and The People’s Friend.
Winner of several competitions, including those run by Writing Magazine and The Global Short Story Contest, she has also had the privilege of judging writing competitions and relished being given the role of head judge of the Writers’ Forum monthly short story competition.
Esther loves writing but equally enjoys helping others, which she achieves in her role as a tutor for The Writers Bureau. Always on the lookout for a new challenge, she is taking the distance learning college over at the end of July.
She has had two how-to books on writing published, with a third due out later this year, as well as two collections of short stories. Her second children’s book is coming out in May, where she writes under the name of Esther Moonstomp.
Today’s prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday May 16 is “sweet”. Use it way you’d like. The first rule is: there should be minimal planning and no editing except typos.
The first thing that came to my mind was how sweet my dogs have been and how many sweet dog photos I have taken of Leonbergers and of our other dogs throughout the years. I’ve also downloaded many shutterstock photos of Leonbergers. I intend to pick just a few of those. So, my stream of consciousness is to randomly pick sweet dog photos from the thousands of photos that I have. I will select 25 photos, but I don’t know yet which photos that will be. Let’s see!
25 Sweet Leonberger and Dog Photos my Quick Picks
Our Leonberger Bronco at three months old.Our Labrador Baylor and our German Shepherd Baby. Photo taken at the same time as the photo above. However, we couldn’t get Bronco sit still between Baylor and Baby.Our Japanese Shin Ryu when he was young.Our son David with our pug Daisy when she was a puppy.Our German Shepherd Baby playing with our 4 months old Leonberger Bronco.Bronco our Leonberger is giving me a hug. He is about one year old and not yet fully grown.Two Leonberger puppies. Shutter stock Photo ID: 2294202331 by Olga Shusters.Ten Leonberger puppies. My guess is that they are about two months old. Shutterstock-ID:561107710 by Akbudak Rimma.Leonberger puppy. My guess is that he is around two months old. Shutterstock-ID: 629624396 by TOM KAROLA.Two light colored Leonberger puppies playing. My guess is that they are three months old. Shutterstock-ID: 2141564415 by AnetaZabranska.Six Leonbergers and a birthday celebration. Photo by friend Jen O’Keefe.Seven Leonbergers by the beach. Photo by my friend Jen O’Keefe.Five Leonbergers including Digory on 4th of July 2023. Photo by my friend Jen O’Keefe.Our Japanese Shin Ryu sleeping next to our pug Daisy.Our Japanese Shin Ryu licking our pug Daisy’s ear.The day we picked up our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo. He was nine weeks old. The other puppy is an English bulldog puppy.Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo.Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo.Our pug Daisy and our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo.Bronco and our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo.Bronco and our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo.Our daughter with our Pug Daisy and mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo.Bronco our Leonberger and Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd.Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo playing with an orange ball.Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is playing with our Leonberger Bronco’s tail. Once he even dangled in it like a swing.
Finally, if you want to see other 25 sets of dog photos see below (this list I copied from another of my posts).
The focus of this blog is Leonbergers including Leonberger book reviews. However, sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books that I love and want to promote. This time the book is Myths and Magic by Esther Moonstomp. Below I am giving an overview of the two formats for the book (I bought the paperback edition).
Paperback Edition – Publisher : Troubador Publishing (April 17, 2026), ISBN-10 : 1806342103, ISBN-13 : 978-1806342105, 80 pages, Item Weight : 4.2 ounces, dimensions : 5.83 x 0.22 x 8.27 inches, it cost $ 16.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle Edition – Publisher : Troubador Publishing (May 28, 2026), ASIN : B0GX6T5C6R, ISBN-13 : 978-1806346684, 47 pages. It is currently $3.99 on Amazon or free with kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com. (Kindle version not released yet).
Front cover of Myths and Magic. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback edition of the book.
Amazon’s Description of Myths and Magic
Saffy has solved the first clue in her quest to save the magical world of Mandoreum from danger. Now it’s time to find the second.
She isn’t alone. Her new friend, Lily, a dragon from Mandoreum, wants to help. Together they take a trip and uncover special stories and unexpected surprises.
But Saffy soon learns that first appearances are not always what they seem. And plotting in the background is a witch who will do everything she can to stop them…
First a note. I bought this book for the children of friends of ours, but I read it myself first without bending the pages. This book is an adventure filled and imaginative book that is excellent for reading out loud to children, or for young readers to read on their own.
Lily is a friendly dragon from the magical land of Mandoreum. In the earthly realm she appears as a small dragon statue that you can put in your pocket but in Mandoreum she is something quite different, but she is still friendly. Dragons are not bad and dangerous, just misunderstood. Saffy, the little girl who is the protagonist of the story, is friends with Lily and she carries her around when in the earthly realm. I should add that Mandoreum is under the threat from a witch, Narla. Saffy, her mom and brother, and Lily, visit a museum when the magic of Mandoreum begins to manifest. Magical beings appear and dangerous things start to happen in the museum.
The story is full of adventure; it is very imaginative and features harmless and non-scary drama of the kind that children love. It is a sweet and fun book that is captivating. In the book there are a couple of dozens of illustrations of dragons, dragon eggs, magical books, ogres, mermaids, museum rooms, king and queens, flying brooms, and more. In the paperback edition, which I bought, the illustrations are black and white. The book is well written, and it is a good story. I highly recommend this imaginative and entertaining book.
Back cover of Fringes, Heartstrings and Lyrics. Click on the image to go to the kindle edition of the book.
Me and our Leonberger Bronco, my book about him, and other dogs are featured on Smorgasbord Blog Magazine as a Guest Post. The post described how Bronco (and the other dogs) influenced my life. Dogs and other pets can mean so much to us and reshape our lives. Please take a look.
I also would like to thank Alex Diaz-Granados for his wonderful review of my book. It is featured on Smorgasbord Magazine, so you can read it there, but you can also read it here on Amazon.
Check out her blog for lots of great posts which feature recipes, food experiences, travel and awesome nature photography.
As I understand, these are the rules for participating in the Sunshine Award
Display the award’s official logo somewhere on your blog.
Thank the person who nominated you.
Provide a link to your nominator’s blog.
Answer your nominators’ questions.
Nominate up to 11 bloggers.
Ask your nominees 11 questions.
Notify your nominees by commenting on at least one of their blog posts.
Eleven Questions for Me
Below are my answers to Jeanne’s eleven questions.
Question 1 : What’s a hobby you picked up as an adult that you wish you’d started earlier?
Learning French. It is not easy to learn a second language, and it is not easier when you are older. I started learning French when I was almost 60 and a few years later, I am still working on it. I should say English is also a second language for me (Swedish is my native language). However, it is a lot easier to become fluent when you are embedded among native speakers.
Question 2 : If you could invite three fictional characters to dinner, who gets a seat?
I think that would be Asterix, Obelix, and their little dog Idéfix, or as he is called in English Dogmatix. For those who don’t know, they are characters from one of the most successful French Bande Dessinée in history. The comic takes place during the Roman occupation of Gaul, what was then France. When I was a kid, I loved this comic strip and had pretty much all the albums.
Question 3 : What’s the most ridiculous thing you believed as a kid that you maybe… held onto a little too long?
When I was a kid, I and other kids in the neighborhood believed that there lived a witch in the forest next to our neighborhood. The witch was dangerous and ate children. We used to throw stones and scream into the forest to scare the witch. Another ridiculous thing was that I believed that planet Earth was 6,000 years old and that evolution was a hoax. I held that belief until I was almost 20.
Question 4 : What’s a movie or show you can quote without trying?
Interstellar and Annihilation. For example, the quote from interstellar “When you become a parent, one thing becomes abundantly clear. And that’s that you want to make sure your children feel safe”. “Once you’re a parent, you’re the ghost of your children’s future”.
Question 5 : Describe a habit you’re proud of building over the past year?
This year I am taking exercise more seriously and I am going to the gym several times per week.
Question 6 : What’s a small daily ritual that genuinely makes your life better?
I drink coffee and I floss every day, and I think those two daily rituals make my life better.
Question 7 : Share a memory that still makes you laugh, even years later.
We used to tell our kids “Why did the ….” jokes like “Why did the scarecrow win an award? Because he was outstanding in his field!” One day our 3 year old son had a “Why did the ….” Joke” too, so I listened. He said, “why did the elephant go to the store?” and I said “no why”, and he said, “to buy a moped”. The joke didn’t really work but it was so unexpected and silly that I started laughing and he thought that he had made a really great joke. It’s a funny memory.
Question 8 : If you could have a blog post, go viral, which one would you want it to be?
Question 9 : Is there a meal you can cook from memory without a recipe. You can just walk into the kitchen and create something.
Pancakes, waffles, ham and cheese sandwiches, grilling hot dogs and put ketchup and mustard on them. OK I guess that is not very challenging. However, I can brew IPAs without following a recipe as long as I have the ingredients and I know which hops are used for flavoring and which are used for aroma.
Question 10 : Tell us about something you’re looking forward to in the next few months.
At the end of May, we will visit our grandson Jack again. He is our first grandson, and he lives with his parents (my son and his wife) in Baltimore. We have decided that we are going to go fishing.
My son fishing with his son Jack.
Question 11 : You’re invited to my house for dinner. What should I cook?
What ever you like, but Swedish meatballs would work.
Here are my questions for my nominees:
For my nominees I am going to do the same as Jeanne, answer the same questions from above, but you can also pick an alternative from the questions below. So, basically you can pick one of two alternatives for each question.
Question 1 : What’s your favorite movie(s)?
Question 2 : What is something you’ve done or experienced that is unusual?
Question 3 : What’s one thing you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t yet?
Question 5 : If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
Question 6 : What’s your favorite way to spend a weekend or a day off?
Question 7 : What’s something you wish more people understood about you?
Question 8 : What’s your go-to comfort food or favorite meal?
Question 9 : If you could have dinner with any three people (dead or alive), who would they be?
Question 10 : What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Question 11 : What kind of music are you into?
Ten New Victims
Below are my nominees. Naturally, whether you participate or not is entirely up to you. I do not have any particular expectations, and I fully understand if you are not up to it.
The focus of this blog is Leonbergers including Leonberger book reviews. However, sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but that are books on other topics that I love and want to promote. This time the book is Fringes, Heartstrings and Lyrics by Jan Sikes (Author), Rick Sikes (Author), Sydney Klein (Author), Dianne Rich (Editor). Below I am giving an overview of the two formats for the book (I bought the paperback edition).
Paperback Edition – Publisher : RiJan Publishing (April 7, 2026), ASIN : B0GVJ3NP9D, ISBN-13 : 979-8998613111, 221 pages, Item Weight : 10.7 ounces, dimensions : 5 x 0.5 x 8 inches, it cost $ 9.99 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle Edition – Publisher : RiJan Publishing (April 7, 2026), ASIN : B0GRWQC3SH, 146 pages. It is currently $2.99 on Amazon or free with kindle unlimited. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Front cover of Fringes, Heartstrings and Lyrics. Click on the image to go to the Amazon page for the paperback edition of the book.
Amazon’s Description of Fringes, Heartstrings and Lyrics
At the edge of the world, and the center of the heart, you’ll find stories that linger.
Fringes explores dystopian futures where survival is uncertain and hope is fragile, a place where humanity is pushed to its limits.
Heartstrings turns toward the warmth of love, resilience, and second chances.with stories to remind us that the human spirit endures.
Lyrics captures life in poetry—moments of longing, faith, and deep reflection .
From chilling possibilities to comforting truths, Fringes, Heartstrings & Lyrics is a genre-blending collection of short fiction and poetry that will make you think, feel, and return again and again.
This book contains a collection of short stories and towards the end there are poems and short stories written by the author’s late husband and her granddaughter. This is certainly a very talented family of authors. The first part of the book feature stories that are dark, captivating but dystopian, which is something I like. One of the stories describe a future American society ravaged by extreme division and violence as well as an authoritarian regime. This story explains how one group of people survives and finds peace.
It struck me how easily this could happen. While reading this story I remembered reading another author’s description of when civil war broke out in his country. There were tensions and divisions but neighbors and friends across the divides still got along. This ended very quickly and neighbors were suddenly no longer neighborly and friends across the divides became enemies. The dystopian future described in the story is very possible.
The second part of the book feature stories about relationships and the choices we make in life. Some stories tell stories about unselfishness, love, and compassion, and people making good choices, while other stories tell stories about people making bad decisions as in Insatiable Hunger and a couple of more stories. This reminded me of a quote by the psychologist Dr. Ventress in the movie Annihilation “almost all of us self-destruct, in some way, in some part of our lives. We drink, we smoke, we destabilize a good job, or a happy marriage.” These stories are often partially based on real events and are very realistically and compellingly told. Lastly, the lyrical short stories and poems in the last part of the book are thought provoking and very beautiful.
In summary, this book is filled with engrossing and very well written stories and poems. It was a very enjoyable read and I highly recommend it.
Back cover of Fringes, Heartstrings and Lyrics. Click on the image to go to the kindle edition of the book.
About one of the authors, Jan Sikes
I’ve been an avid reader all my life. There’s nothing I love more than losing myself in a story.
Oddly enough, I had no ambition to be a writer. But I wound up in mid-life with a story that begged to be told. Not just any story, but a true story that rivaled any fiction creation.
Through fictitious characters, the tale came to life in an intricately woven tale that encompasses four books. Not satisfied to stop with the books, I released music CDs of original music matching the time period of each story segment. In conclusion, to bring the story full circle, I published a book of poetry and art. I was done.
Wrong!
The story ideas keep coming, and I don’t intend to turn off the creative fountain. I have now written numerous short stories, a series of paranormal romances and a series of historical fiction.
I love all things metaphysical and often include those aspects in my stories.
I am an dedicated fan of Texas music and grandmother of five beautiful souls. I reside in North Texas.
A professional content writer by the name of Ryan Goodchild contacted me about me posting a Leonberger related post he had written on my Leonberger blog, which I am certainly happy to do. The title is “How to Take Stunning Photos and Videos of Your Leonberger Dog”. I should mention that I used my Samsung Galaxy phone to take less than professional photos of our Leonberger. I’ve included a few photos of our Leonberger below, but most of the photos are from friends or stock photos. However, me not having many great photos that I took myself, won’t stop you from learning how to take great photos. See the article below. While Ryan did all the writing, I added photos.
The photo tile above includes three photos of our Leonberger Bronco. One from when he was a three months old puppy and one from when he was 12 years old, and in one photo our mini-Australian Shepherd is biting his tail. There is a shutter stock photo ID:731020957 by Peter Josto, a photo of a woman and her Leonberger dog, asset id: 1741753382 by Elena Podrezenko, and two photos showing Leonberger puppies with flowers, asset id: 561113224 and 561111403 by Akbudak Rimma and . The photo of five Leonbergers wearing patriotic hats lying on grass by a lake was taken by Jen O’Keefe, (from left to right; Obi, Delfi, Aslan, Gryphon, Digory). There is also a photo of six Leonbergers celebrating a birthday. That photo was also taken by Jen O’Keefe.
How to Take Stunning Photos and Videos of Your Leonberger Dog
Leonberger dog owners who love Instagram dog photography often discover a frustrating truth: photographing large dog breeds is both deeply rewarding and deceptively hard. A Leonberger’s size, dark coat, and constant motion can turn sweet moments into blurry frames, while shedding, drool, and aging-pet sensitivities add real pet photography challenges. On top of that, Leonberger personality capture depends on comfort and timing, and anxious dogs read tension fast. With a few grounded principles and a supportive dog owner community mindset, those everyday moments can become images worth sharing.
Leonberger in a beautiful landscape. Shutterstock-ID:1333669760 by Britta Paasch.
Quick Summary: Leonberger Photo and Video Tips
Use an adjustable tripod and remote-friendly setup for steady, stress-free shots.
Use natural lighting techniques to bring out your Leonberger’s coat and expressions.
Choose a comfortable, familiar location so your dog stays relaxed and engaged.
Try flattering dog photo angles to highlight size, face, and signature fluff.
Practice patience during pet photography to capture calm, authentic moments on camera.
Leonberger swims with a ball. Stock Photo ID: 720242263 by Christian Mueller.
Polish Leonberger Clips with AI-Assisted Video Creation
Once you’ve nailed the basics, good light, a clean background, and a steady angle, you can make your Leonberger videos feel even more “finished” with a little AI help. AI-assisted editing can tighten the story in your raw footage, smooth over rough moments, and add subtle creative effects without requiring advanced skills. With an AI video generator, you can turn a simple clip into dynamic, engaging Instagram content by adding cinematic b-roll effects, smooth camera motion, and stylized visuals, all from a text prompt or existing footage. If you’re curious what that looks like in practice, explore tools designed for high-quality video generation.
Set Up and Capture Camera-Ready Leonberger Shots
These steps turn “hope for a good moment” into a simple routine you can repeat on walks, in the yard, or at home. You will set up your gear, pick flattering angles for a big fluffy dog, and use quick cues and rewards so your Leonberger looks engaged in both photos and video.
Lock in a stable, dog-safe setup Start with a phone or camera you already own, then add stability: prop it on a solid surface or use a tripod at about chest height for your dog. Turn on grid lines, wipe the lens, and pick a wide frame so you are not constantly re-aiming while handling your Leonberger. If you can, connect a Bluetooth remote or use a 3 to 10 second timer so your hands stay free for cues and treats.
Choose an angle that flatters size and fluff Drop your camera to your dog’s eye level to make your Leonberger feel present and powerful rather than “tiny in a big world.” Frame with breathing room so the pose looks natural, and follow the composition reminder to give the dog space in the direction they are looking. For extra sparkle in the eyes, turn your dog slightly toward the light and avoid shooting straight into the bright sun.
Rehearse two easy cues for “photo mode” Pick one stationary behavior like sit or down and one attention cue like “look” or name response, then practice for 30 seconds before you start shooting. Keep sessions upbeat with tiny treats or a favorite toy, and reward fast for eye contact. Research on an increase in non-verbal communication highlights how attention and interaction can build, which is exactly what you want for a focused expression on camera.
Use remote shooting to capture the best expression Stand just behind or beside the camera so your Leonberger’s gaze lands near the lens, then click the remote in short bursts while you cue and reward. For photos, take 10 to 20 frames quickly because the “perfect face” comes and goes in a blink. For video, keep clips to 5 to 15 seconds and repeat the same action (sit, look, release to sniff) so you get clean, usable takes.
Get both a still and a clip from each setup Once you have a good pose, grab one sharp portrait, then immediately record a short video of the same scene with one simple movement like a head tilt, a step forward, or a gentle tail wag. This creates a matched set you can share across platforms without reinventing the session. Finish with a jackpot reward and a quick break so your dog stays eager the next time you bring out the camera.
Leonberger in nature in Norway. Stock Photo ID: 1779931691 by Britta Paasch
Habits That Make Leonberger Shots Consistently Great
Stunning Leonberger photos and videos come from routines your dog can predict and you can repeat. These practices fit real life, so your handling, timing, and results improve week by week.
Two-Minute Location Scout
What it is: Walk your route and pre-pick two clean backgrounds and one shaded spot.
How often: Weekly or before a planned shoot.
Why it helps: You spend less time searching and more time capturing great expressions.
30-Second Calm-and-Focus Warmup
What it is: Practice sit, down, and one “look” rep, then release to sniff.
How often: Before every session.
Why it helps: Your Leonberger settles faster and offers steadier eye contact.
Light Check Habit
What it is: Note sun direction, then move to open shade or side light.
How often: Every time you arrive.
Why it helps: Flattering light keeps fur detail and reduces squinting.
Why it helps: Your best moments become share-ready instead of stuck in your camera roll.
Leonberger standing in a snowy forest. Shutterstock-ID: 705193912 by Eric Isselee.
Build Confidence by Practicing and Sharing Leonberger Moments
Big, dark-coated, fast-moving floof can make it feel like the camera never catches what makes a Leonberger so special. The steadier path is the mindset used throughout: simple, repeatable habits, scouting, small patience cues, and a light editing routine, supported by community support for dog photographers who trade tips and celebrate wins. With regular pet photo practice, confidence builds and more sessions end with sharp eyes, true color, and videos that match real-life charm. Consistency captures the Leonberger you love, even on ordinary walks. Pick one tip to try on the next walk, share one memorable dog image, and set a long-term pet photography goal worth revisiting. Those small choices preserve connection and joy, and they keep celebrating Leonberger beauty as a calm, lasting part of life.
Please take a look at Smorgasbord Blog Magazine’s feature of my super fact #19 “An account impersonating you on Facebook does not mean you have been hacked“, and my Leonberger Dog book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”.
Leonberger Life 