Author: thomasstigwikman

My name is Thomas Wikman. I am a software/robotics engineer with a background in physics. I am currently retired. I took early retirement. I am a dog lover, and especially a Leonberger lover, a home brewer, craft beer enthusiast, I’m learning French, and I am an avid reader. I live in Dallas, Texas, but I am originally from Sweden. I am married to Claudia, and we have three children. I have two blogs. The first feature the crazy adventures of our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle as well as information on Leonbergers. The second blog, superfactful, feature information and facts I think are very interesting. With this blog I would like to create a list of facts that are accepted as true among the experts of the field and yet disputed amongst the public or highly surprising. These facts are special and in lieu of a better word I call them super-facts.

Tips for Traveling with Your Dog

Today November 15 is “I Love to Write Day” and I am dedicating this post to all professional content writers including Ryan Goodchild a professional content writer who contacted me about me posting an article he had written called “Top Tips for Traveling with Your Dog for a Smooth and Happy Trip”. The article is below. I provided some pictures. To all professional content writers, authors, bloggers, and other writers, you are important and what you do is an art.

Our Leonberger Bronco travelling in the car. Our Japanese Chin Ryu and Pug Daisy. Our Japanese Chin Ryu and Pug Daisy want to come with us on our trip. Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is sad that he can’t come. Rollo is looking out the window as we leave. However, a friend is coming to take care of him. Rollo is driving a car. My wife is loading our Labrador Baylor in the trunk where there is a crate for him. Bottom right, a Leonberger leaning its head through an open car window, Shutterstock asset id: 4219089479 by Angela Buser.

Top Tips for Traveling with Your Dog for a Smooth and Happy Trip

For pet owners planning their first few trips with a pup, traveling with dogs can feel like a balancing act between excitement and worry. The core tension is simple: keeping comfort and routines intact while handling the logistics of dog-friendly travel and protecting pet safety on trips. One missed detail can turn a fun getaway into a stressful scramble for everyone involved. With the right dog travel preparation, dog-friendly adventures become calmer, safer, and genuinely enjoyable.

A black and white Japanese Chin sitting in a red suitcase. — Our Japanese Chin Ryu is ready to travel.

Pre-Trip Dog Travel Checklist to Finish Today

This checklist turns nervous guesswork into calm, step-by-step preparation so you and your dog arrive safe, settled, and ready to enjoy the trip. Since 78% of American pet owners bring their dogs along when they travel, a simple routine like this can prevent common last-minute surprises.

Our Leonberger Bronco is sticking his head between the front car seats, and he is looking straight into the camera. — Our Leonberger dog Bronco is in the car. You can place the dog in a crate or use a dog seatbelt attached to a harness. You should not let them travel unprotected even though we sometimes did that.

✔ Confirm pet-friendly lodging rules, fees, and any breed or size limits

✔ Book a vet visit and request needed meds or motion-sickness support

✔ Pack food and treats for the full trip plus two extra days

✔ Pack collar tags, leash, harness, and poop bags in an easy-grab kit

✔ Prepare a travel crate or seat-belt harness and a familiar blanket

✔ Review travel documents and save photos of records on your phone

✔ Plan rest stops and locate nearby emergency vets at your destination

Check these off, and you can focus on making good memories together.

A black and white Japanese Chin in a carrier for airplanes. — We took our Japanese Chin Ryu with us on plane rides. You can put small dogs in carriers and keep them in the plane cabin. However, make sure you have vaccination records, other paperwork and that you follow the airlines restrictions on weight, size and other rules. Picture generated with the help of ChatGPT.

Gather and Share Your Dog’s Travel Documents in Minutes

Once your to-dos are lined up, take a few minutes to pull together the paperwork you might be asked for on the road. Before traveling, gather your dog’s vaccination records, any required health certificates, identification details, and pet insurance information. Save digital copies on your phone so you can pull them up quickly at check-in, a hotel front desk, or a vet’s office. If your scans are too large to store or send easily, use a fast PDF size reducer so files are simpler to email or upload when someone requests them. With documents handy and easy to share, you can focus on keeping your travel day calm from the moment you leave home to the moment you arrive.

Funny business Maltese dog with ticket ready for summer vacation. — Whether travelling by plane or with other means, make sure you have paper works such as vaccination records. Shutterstock asset id: 2635847505 by Pixel-Shot

A Calm Travel-Day Rhythm You Can Repeat

This workflow turns a busy departure into a set of predictable checkpoints, so your dog gets what they need without you improvising under pressure. It also helps everyone in the car stay on the same page about timing, stops, and safe dog travel practices.

Stage	Action	Goal
Set the environment	Pack the car, set a temp, stage water and towels	Reduce scrambling and stress before moving
Secure and settle	Buckle harness or crate, do a quick sniff break	Safe restraint and calmer energy
Start slow	Drive gently, avoid loud music, reward quiet behavior	Smooth transition from home to road
Break and reset	Stop for potty, short walks, and a water offer	Comfort stays steady across miles
Arrive and decompress	Offer water, walk, then feed when breathing normalizes	Healthy arrival routine with fewer tummy issues

Each phase supports the next: a tidy setup makes restraint simpler, and a calm start reduces frantic mid-trip behavior. Regular breaks create a pattern your dog can predict, which often lowers restlessness and helps you spot issues early.

A mini-Australian Shepherd dog sitting in the back seat of a car. He is wearing a harness, and he has dog seat belt attached to the harness and to the seat belt receptacle. — Mini-Australian Shepherd in the car with a harness and seatbelt. Create with the help of ChatGPT. However, I will take a photo of our dog with harness and seatbelt as soon as it is morning again.

Dog Travel Questions People Ask Most

Q: What’s the safest way to transport my dog: crate, carrier, or harness?
A: Choose the option your dog can ride in calmly and that stays secured during sudden stops. A crash-tested harness clipped to a seat-belt system works well for many medium and large dogs, while a secured crate or carrier can help dogs who settle better in enclosed spaces. Do a few short practice rides so your dog learns what “car time” feels like.

Q: How do I decide between driving and flying with my dog?
A: Driving gives you control over temperature, breaks, and routine, which can be less stressful for many dogs. Flying can be workable for confident, healthy dogs who fit airline rules, but it requires more planning and fewer variables you can control. When in doubt, ask your vet about your dog’s stress signals and health risks.

Q: What should I look for in truly dog-friendly accommodations?
A: Prioritize clear pet policies, realistic fees, and specific rules about where dogs can be left alone. It can help to book places that note nearby walking areas and have easy outdoor access. Many pet owners turned down travel when pets were not welcome, so confirm details before you pay.

Q: Which travel apps actually reduce hassles for pet owners?
A: The most useful apps help you find pet-friendly lodging, locate vets and emergency clinics, and pin rest stops you can count on. Look for recent reviews that mention accurate pet filters and easy-to-find contact info. The growth in the pet wellness apps market size also means more options, so pick one or two and keep it simple.

Q: Can I leave my dog alone in the hotel room for a quick errand?
A: Only if the property allows it and your dog can stay quiet and relaxed. Start with a short test while you stand outside the door, then increase time gradually. If there’s any barking or panic, use pet daycare, a sitter, or take your dog along.

Leonberger lying in an open campervan doorway above the fold-out step, with the vehicle wheel beside the entrance. — Leonberger dog in a campervan. Shutterstock asset id: 4219079871 by Angela Buser.

Planning Dog-Friendly Trips That Stay Calm and Memorable

Traveling with a dog can feel like balancing excitement with the worry of stress, surprises, or a rough day on the road. A calm, plan-first mindset, choosing the right transportation, setting clear expectations, and leaning on dog-friendly resources, keeps planning pet trips simple and steady. The payoff is more positive pet travel experiences: fewer meltdowns, smoother transitions, and the real benefits of dog travel, like shared adventures and stronger routines away from home. A well-planned trip lets your dog relax, and lets you actually enjoy the journey.

Seven Leonberger dogs relaxing on a sandy beach. There are waves in the background. — Seven Leonbergers relaxing on the beach and having a good vacation (Photo by my friend Jen O’Keefe).

A Good Fence Makes Good Dogs

Esther’s writing prompt: November 11, 2026: Fence

This is my response to Esther’s November 11th prompt Fence. Click here or here to join in.

Our Leonberger dog is standing on a red sofa. He is stretching to give me a hug, — Young Bronco is giving me a hug.

One thing that is abundantly clear to any dog owner who is letting their dog out in their backyard without supervision, which I think is very common, is that you need a good fence. Unless you have perfect control of your dog, they would like to roam the neighborhood unsupervised if given the chance, and you don’t want to give them that chance. That was especially true for a 140lbs Leonberger dog. A big dog can cause all kinds of damage to the neighborhood if unsupervised. Below is a picture of a good fence.

Backyard, relax and portrait of dog on grass for obedience, support and fun in leaves in sunshine. Nature, foliage and Labrador with tongue out in garden by fence. — Labrador in front of fence in the backyard. This is good fence but has a potential dig spot. Shutterstock asset id: 2485564001 by PeopleImages

Below are some real life stories from our life with dogs and the importance of good fences.

The Great Dog Escape

We used to have a Japanese Chin called Ryu and a Pug called Daisy. They were like a couple. Always together. Typically, it was the Pug Daisy who followed our Japanese Chin Ryu around everywhere, and Ryu could be quite adventurous.

Our pug Daisy is sitting as our Japanese Chin Ryu is standing and licking her ear. — Our Japanese Chin Ryu and our Pug Daisy. Ryu is licking Daisy’s ear, the charming gentleman he was.

One afternoon, my wife Claudia got a phone call from a woman who had found a small black-and-white dog walking around the streets of North Dallas with a pug following close behind. She thought they looked hilarious, but she realized that this was hardly a good situation and decided to help. She rounded up the dogs, checked their tags, and called us, for which we were very grateful. It wasn’t the first time Ryu and Daisy had escaped, and it worried us. We couldn’t figure out how they managed to do it.

Then one day I caught them in the act. At the back of the area in our yard that we call the dog run, there is a concrete wall, and by the corner of that wall there used to be a hole in the fence, a bit above the wall. I had never noticed it before because it was hidden and pretty small. Ryu and Daisy would jump up on the wall at its lowest spot, then walk down the wall to the fence, then climb up a bit on the fence and slink through the hole. Of course, after seeing that, I fixed the hole. No more holes in our fence.

The picture shows our pug and Japanese Chin walking on a concrete wall and through a hole. — Our Japanese Chin Ryu is leading our Pug Daisy through a hole in our fence that I had not noticed. I created this picture with the help of ChatGPT.

Baby Jail or Private Puppy Residence?

Unfortunately, Ryu got cancer and passed away. We got another dog, a mini Australian Shepherd named Rollo. He grew up with out big Leonberger dog Bronco and our pug Daisy.

Rollo often pushed his luck with Bronco—climbing all over him, sitting on him, and stealing his possessions. Bronco was very patient and protective of little Rollo, but we were afraid he would lose patience with him one day when we were not present. Therefore, we put Rollo in a playpen whenever we left the house. The playpen was a like a fence protecting Rollo (from himself).

The photo shows our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo biting and pulling on our Leonberger Bronco’s tail. — To my astonishment, Bronco didn’t react angrily when Rollo swung like Tarzan from his tail.

The playpen had a door that swung open and could be locked. Soon he learned to go through the door on his own when we asked him to. We would say, “Rollo, playpen,” and he would march right in. We made sure that the playpen contained water and toys and that the door was locked behind him. Of course, we didn’t leave him there for too long. Experts recommend a maximum of two hours when the puppy is two months old and a maximum of three hours when the puppy is three months old. Even when Rollo was older than that, we never left him in the playpen longer than four hours.

Rollo’s relationship with his playpen was interesting. When Daisy tried to walk in, Rollo would get angry. The playpen was Rollo’s, and no one else could enter. It was his little house within a house. Sometimes he would walk in even if we didn’t ask him to, and he would just sit there for a while, as if he needed some alone time.

The picture shows our mini-Australian Shepherd with a toy inside his playpen. The playpen was about three by three meters. — When Rollo was in his playpen, we were sure he would be safe in case Bronco decided he had had enough of his younger sibling’s antics.

Our younger son’s girlfriend came up with a great name for Rollo’s playpen: baby jail. So that’s what we called it, and Rollo seemed to like it. When we told Rollo, “Rollo, baby jail,” he would march right in, just as he did when we called it a playpen. Even though he didn’t seem to mind it, he was always eager to come back out when we got home. He would stand on his hind legs, jump up and down, and bark. Then we would rush to greet him and lift him out of his baby jail. The baby jail was another example of the way a good fence makes good dog neighbors. Maybe we all need a baby jail?

The Tornado and our Fence

A photo of severely damaged house. The roof is lying in the street. — Our street, just a couple of houses down from us

On October 20, 2019, our neighborhood was destroyed by an F3 tornado. We were lucky compared to our neighbors. The houses of many of our neighbors were completely destroyed. Our house stood but it had some damage. Our chimney was smashed by flying debris from our neighbor’s roof, and our roof was damaged and needed to be replaced. The garage door was destroyed, the wiring in the attic needed to be replaced, the grill flew away and our fence was damaged. Because of our dogs repairing the fence was the first priority.

This happened right after our Leonberger dog Bronco had a toe amputation due to toe cancer. It was a very stressful time. You can read more about it here “Five Years After the Dallas Tornado of October 20, 2019”.

The picture shows a Leonberger lying down in front of a broken fence. — This photo is taken after a tornado went through our neighborhood. Our old Leonberger Bronco recently had a toe amputation in picture, and he has a plastic bag around the bandage.

I have many more stories about the importance of having a good fence in your backyard when you have dogs. Suffice it to say, a good fence makes good and safe dogs.

My Other Responses to Esther’s Prompts

Prompt : Small : Small Microscopic Subatomic and Strings
Prompt : Kind : Leonbergers Are Kind Dogs
Prompt : Window : What Does Rollo See Out His Window
Prompt : Charge : Electric Charge is not the only type of Fundamental Charge
Prompt : Promises : Promises To My Dog
Prompt : Shade : A Total Solar Eclipse the Ultimate Moon Shade
Prompt : Money : Ten Money Facts
Prompt : Edge : The Edge of the Observable Universe is 46.5 billion Light Years Away
Prompt : Fish : Ten Amazing Fish Facts
Prompt : Promise : I Promise Not to Post AI Generated Comments
Prompt : Respect : Respect your Dog
Prompt : Giving : Leonbergers Giving Gifts to Pugs
Prompt : Family : Dogs Are Family
Prompt : Snow : Snow and Ice in Norrland
Prompt : Red : The Universe has a Redshift and its Increasing
Prompt: Shapes : Conic Sections are the Shapes that Shape Our World
Prompt: Flying : 10 Wind Blowing Facts About Birds
Prompt: Drive : Letting Your Dog Drive the Car
Prompt: Memories: False Memories Strange Memories Unpleasant Memories and Amnesia
Prompt: Magic: Magic In New Orleans a Travel Overview
Prompt: Vision: Human Vision Only Detects a Sliver of the EM Spectrum
Prompt: Flower: Leonberger Dogs with Flowers
Prompt: Capture: Carbon Capture and Storage an Unfulfilled Promise
Prompt: Eyes: The Evolution of Eyes is Convergent
Prompt: Pet: The Joy of Having a Pet
Prompt: Cross: Why did the Dog Cross the Road
Prompt: Close: Close Encounter with Grizzly Bear Number 399
Prompt: Block: 60 million Lego Blocks
Prompt: Bank: The Riverbank of Moälven
Prompt: Rich: Super Rich
Prompt: Test: When our Leonberger took a Car for a Test Drive
Prompt: Fire: Climate change worsens wildfires Globally and Human land-Use Changes Reduces them
Prompt: Exercise: Dogs Make you Exercise and you Live Longer
Prompt: Play: Dog Play
Prompt: Catch: Playing Catch with Dogs
Prompt: Classic: Modern Physics is Fundamentally Different from Classical Physics
Prompt: Snake: Texas the Snake State

Voices Coming from the Radio

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that I love and therefore want to promote. This time I would like to promote A Peril in Unseen Frequencies: A Medium’s Peril Book 4 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene.

Paperback – Independently published (September 23, 2026), ASIN : B0HKTFCD8Z, ISBN-13 : 979-8176416503, 95 pages, Item Weight : 7 ounces, dimensions : 6 x 0.22 x 9 inches, it currently cost $4.75 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle – Publisher : Ríordáin Books (September 22, 2026), ASIN : B0HKPZ7TH4, 70 pages. It is currently $1.00 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Audio Edition – Publisher : Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene (September 23, 2026), ASIN : B0HKNDVYDM, listening Length : 1 hour and 24 minutes. It is currently $0.99 on Amazon.com with membership. Click here to order it from Amazon.com

The front cover features the title and author and a ghost, a blond woman and an old radio. — Front cover of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies: A Medium’s Peril Book 4 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene. Click on the image to go to the paperback edition of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies on US Amazon.

Amazon’s description of the book

All-human written. In this paranormal novelette, elderly and rich widow Etha Yates is diagnosed with a heart condition. Her doctor warns that any sudden shock or excitement could kill her — and that she needs a diversion. Her attentive nephew, Donald, who lives with her, gets her to install a new crystal set radio to keep her entertained.

Soon, Etha is shocked to hear a voice cutting through the broadcast. The voice claims to be her late husband, Chester. The ghostly voice warns her that soon come for her. Terrified but determined, Etha proceeds accordingly.

This is my five star review for the book A Peril in Unseen Frequencies: A Medium’s Peril Book 4 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Hearing Mysterious Voices from the Radio

The story is set in the 1920’s and is narrated by Clover, an apprentice to a famous medium. Clover becomes the assistant of Etha Yates, an elderly rich woman who is diagnosed with a heart condition and is warned against any excitement. Her nephew Donald, who lives with her, urges her to install a crystal set radio. Etha begins hearing messages from the crystal radio from what she believes is her dead husband. Clover gets warning messages from the mysterious beyond.

The story is filled with mystery and danger as well as paranormal elements. There are some quite interesting surprises for the reader. Strange things are happening and things are not what they seem. I loved the mystery, the surprises, and the spookiness but it does not go too far into horror. The story is very well written, and the author seems to be very familiar with the 1920’s. The setting and the way the characters speak really feels like the 1920’s. You are taken back in time 100 years. It is an entertaining story that I highly recommend.

The back cover features the description of the book on a black background, a photo of the author and an introduction to the author. — Back cover of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies: A Medium’s Peril Book 4 by Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene. Click on the image to go to the Kindle edition of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies on US Amazon.

About Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene

Photo of Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene author of A Peril in Unseen Frequencies

Driven to create wondrous worlds, despite horrors of the past, Teagan Ríordáin Geneviene is certain that

“The pen is in your hand.”

After a life shaped by the tragedy of losing a sibling to Munchausen syndrome by Proxy, along with the abuse she herself survived, Teagan took that metaphorical pen into her hand. She wrote her way to a new chapter of life with a successful career authoring and editing technical documentation. With another revision that pen took her to the next chapter, working alongside highly placed Federal executives to compose their communications. However, Teagan wasn’t finished. The pen was still in her hand. In her latest chapter she is an acclaimed multi-genre author, living in a high desert town in the Southwest of the USA. Rescue cats, the §coobies — Velma and Daphne, offer unsolicited advice on all stories, as well as the book covers Teagan designs.

This author’s stories range from paranormal to high fantasy and urban fantasy, to various steampunk (and other types of punk), to mysteries with historic settings. In addition to fiction, she has created the Author Tool Chest series of non-fiction works as resources for writers and anyone who loves language. In free time she enjoys conversations with friends, singing karaoke, and playing her piano.

See her book trailer videos at Youtube.

Click here to visit her website

Starting Your Green Pet Care Business

A professional content writer by the name of Ryan Goodchild contacted me about me posting an article he had written called “Starting Your Green Pet Care Business: Practical Steps for Success”. The article is below. I provided some pictures.

Leonberger meet and greet, from left to right, Kuiper, Caspian, Rilian, Austin, Obi-Wan (Photo by friend Ira Van Order). Seven Leonbergers on the beach (Photo by my friend Jen O’Keefe). Our Labrador Baylor and German Shepherd Baby. Paintings of our Leonberger Bronco and our Pug Daisy. Shutterstock asset id: 1340980898 by hedgehog94. Shutterstock asset id: 2390820575 by andysavchenko. Shutterstock asset id: 2469644009 by PeopleImages

Starting Your Green Pet Care Business: Practical Steps for Success

For local pet service providers, boutique shop owners, and other new business owners, pet industry trends are making one thing clear: customers want care that matches their values. The challenge is that the environmental impact of pet care, waste, packaging, and ingredient sourcing, can clash with the trust a pet brand needs to earn. An eco-friendly pet care business meets that tension by pairing everyday essentials with sustainable pet products and clear standards. With the right mindset for green entrepreneurship, this demand can support a business that feels practical, credible, and built to last.

Three Eco-friendly pet product banner templates.

Build Your Eco-Friendly Pet Care Startup Plan

This process helps you turn “eco-friendly” into a real, shop-ready or service-ready plan by selecting products, packaging, and operations that reduce waste. For general readers, it makes the startup path less overwhelming by breaking big decisions into a few clear, practical actions.

Step 1: Pick a tight “starter shelf” of essentials
Start with three everyday categories people already buy often: biodegradable pet waste bags, organic pet treats, and recycled-material toys. Keep options limited at first so you can test what sells and avoid overstock. Product demand is trending up, and the natural dog treats market is one signal that more customers are shopping for cleaner ingredient lists.
Step 2: Set simple standards for what you will and won’t carry
Choose a few non-negotiables such as plant-based or recycled materials, minimal dyes and fragrances, and clear ingredient labels. Write these standards down and use them to screen every supplier, so your eco-claims stay consistent. A helpful benchmark for what “good” looks like across the industry is the state of sustainability snapshot.
Step 3: Match your packaging to your promise
Choose compostable packaging options for items like treats and sample sizes, and right-size boxes and mailers to reduce filler. Ask vendors for documentation on materials and disposal instructions so you can explain it in plain language at checkout. Clear guidance reduces customer confusion and lowers the chance that “compostable” ends up treated like regular trash.
Step 4: Build a natural grooming and cleaning toolkit
If you offer grooming or pet sitting, stock natural pet grooming products and surface cleaners that avoid harsh fragrances and unnecessary additives. Test products on your own tools and towels first so you know how they perform and what they smell like in a real home setting. Then standardize what you use so every appointment delivers the same experience.
Step 5: Plan low-waste delivery and sustainable transportation
Choose the least resource-heavy option that fits your services, such as walking routes, bike-friendly neighborhoods, route batching, or an efficient vehicle for longer trips. Create a weekly schedule that groups appointments by area to cut miles and time, and communicate your service windows clearly so clients can plan. This step often saves money as well as emissions, which helps your business stay sustainable in every sense.

The picture shows a pet business office with a Leonberger inside it. There are three signs stating, "we recycle pet bottles", "natural dog treats" and "natural grooming and cleaning" — I created this image with the help of ChatGPT.

Build the Business Skills That Keep Your Startup Profitable

Once your startup plan is mapped out, the next challenge is building the business know-how to attract customers and keep cash flow steady. Going back to school for a business degree can be a practical way to sharpen the marketing and business skills that help your eco-friendly pet care venture grow. Whether you earn a degree in marketing, business, communications, or management, you can learn skills that can help your business thrive. If you need flexibility while you keep serving clients and running daily operations, online business degree programs can make it easier to handle school and business at the same time.

Businessman with beard holding clipboard near rocket shaped lightbulb on yellow background. Concept of innovative leadership, startup growth, digital marketing, and visionary strategy. — A business launch plan. Shutterstock asset id: 2684334261 by Master1305

Eco-Friendly Pet Care Startup Questions, Answered

Q: What licenses or permits do I usually need for a green pet care business?
A: Most startups need a standard business license and sales tax registration if you sell products. Grooming, boarding, and transport can trigger extra rules like animal welfare standards, zoning approvals, or facility inspections. Call your city or county licensing office and ask for a checklist for your exact services.

Q: How can I keep costs manageable while choosing eco-friendly products?
A: Start with a tight service menu and buy only what supports those services, then expand after you see repeat demand. Choosing a clear focus helps you avoid waste and overstock, especially when you determine your specific niche. Track product cost per appointment so you can adjust pricing early.

Q: How do I attract customers if I’m new and competing with cheaper options?
A: Lead with results, not buzzwords: coat health, low-odor cleaning, sensitive-skin options, and clear ingredient transparency. Some markets show people will pay for quality, and pet owners in Thailand and India prioritize quality over price, which is a helpful reminder to highlight value. Ask happy clients for short reviews and referral texts they can copy.

Q: What makes pet grooming “environmentally safe” without risking pet health?
A: Use fragrance-free, biodegradable shampoos with clearly listed ingredients and avoid harsh disinfectants on skin-contact tools. Add simple safeguards like patch testing for new products, proper dilution, and strong ventilation. If a pet has allergies or skin issues, request vet guidance and document what you used.

Q: How can I find reliable sustainable suppliers and avoid greenwashing?
A: Ask for proof, such as ingredient disclosures, safety data sheets, and third-party certifications where relevant. Start with small trial orders and track quality issues, shipping reliability, and customer feedback before committing. Keep a backup vendor list so shortages do not stall your services.

A woman is grooming a small hairy dog. — Sustainable grooming a small hairy dog. From pexels.com by Tima Miroshnichenko.

Make Sustainability Visible: 9 Upgrades Customers Notice

Small sustainability choices are easy to miss, until you make them obvious. Use the upgrades below as a pick-and-choose menu to deepen your impact without blowing up your budget or your licensing timeline.

Run a quick energy “tighten-up” in your workspace: Swap in LED bulbs, put frequently used equipment on smart power strips, and set a simple closing checklist: lights off, washer/dryer off, HVAC set back. If you’re grooming, schedule high-energy loads (laundry, dryers) back-to-back so machines run fewer total cycles. Add plants and daylight where possible, since office design trends often highlight how biophilic design can create a more calming, sustainable workspace customers immediately notice.
Standardize eco-friendly cleaning products (and document it): Choose a small set of safer cleaners you use for every service, floor, table, tools, and crates, so staff aren’t improvising with harsh chemicals. Create a one-page “Clean & Green” protocol that lists what you use, where it’s stored, and pet-safe contact times. This also protects you when customers ask detailed questions, a common hurdle when you’re building trust early.
Make sustainability part of your intake form, not a side note: Add two questions to your client onboarding: “Any fragrance sensitivities?” and “Would you like low-waste service options?” Then offer clear choices: minimal packaging, towel-only drying when appropriate, refillable shampoo add-on, or digital receipts by default. This turns customer engagement strategies into something measurable you can track monthly, which helps you budget for what people actually choose.
Create a DIY sustainable pet toy station with clear rules: Offer one in-shop example (and a take-home instruction card) for toys made from safe, reclaimed textiles, like old cotton T-shirts braided into tug ropes. Post simple safety guidance: supervise play, avoid loose threads, and size toys to the pet. It’s a visible, low-cost way to reinforce your brand values while reducing “new stuff” pressure that many customers are already trying to cut back on, including buying fewer new products.
Add homemade healthy pet treats only if you can do it safely and legally: If local rules allow, start with one recipe, one size, one label template (ingredients, allergens, storage, and “not a complete diet”). Batch once a week, freeze portions, and track feedback like you would any product test. If licensing is a barrier, partner with a permitted local baker and co-create a “low-waste treat pack” that fits your sustainability standards.
Turn your supply chain into a “proof wall”: Instead of saying “eco-friendly,” show it: a small display of your refill containers, packaging returns bin, and a printed list of your top three sustainability criteria (recycled content, concentrated formulas, local sourcing, etc.). This supports the sourcing advice from earlier, customers see you’ve done the vetting work, which reduces price pushback.
Teach one bite-sized sustainability lesson per month: Host a 20-minute community sustainability education mini-talk: compostable poop-bag myths, how to wash pet bedding with less energy, or choosing durable gear over disposable. Keep it practical, one handout, one action, one Q&A, and invite attendees to bring a donation for a local shelter. Consistent education builds authority and makes your eco brand feel community-owned, not just marketed.

The picture shows a female teacher talking to a class of three women and three men all of them having dogs of various kinds including two Leonbergers. Behind the teacher there is a sign saying "learning sustainable dog care" — Lesson on sustainability and dog care.

Turn Eco-Friendly Pet Care Into a Brand Customers Trust

Running a pet care business can feel like a constant trade-off between cost, convenience, and doing right by animals and the planet. A sustainability-first mindset, building thoughtful operations, transparent choices, and community-centered values, meets rising market demand for green pet care without losing practicality. When those choices are consistent, the benefits of eco-friendly pet businesses show up as stronger loyalty, clearer positioning, and sustainable business growth that can weather trend changes. Build the brand that serves pets today and protects their world tomorrow.

Corporate businessman, financial chart, plants and newspaper in a briefcase: green business and sustainability concept. — Shutterstock asset id: 2316083079 by Stokkete

Leonbergers as Therapy Dogs

A professional content writer by the name of Eleonor Sterling contacted me about me posting an article she had written called “Leonbergers as Therapy Dogs: Gentle Giants at Work”. The article is below. I provided some pictures.

The photos include : Our Leonberger Bronco at three months old. Bronco our Leonberger dog with Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd. Six Leonbergers and a New Year’s celebration, the Photo was taken by my friend Jen O’Keefe. Our Leonberger dog Bronco gives me a hug. Digory and Obi two old sweetheart Leonbergers . Leonbergers are calm, a family-oriented breed – Shutter Stock Asset id: 1741753382 by Elena Podrezenko. A majestic and well-groomed Leonberger on a grassy knoll. Shutterstock-ID: 731020957 by Peter Josto. Shutterstock asset id: 1474761425 by AnetaZabranska.

Leonbergers as Therapy Dogs: Gentle Giants at Work

The first time I watched a Leonberger work a room, it was a hospital waiting area, and honestly, I expected it to go badly. A dog that size — he was 130 pounds if he was an ounce — in a place full of anxious people, wheelchairs, IV poles? I thought we’d last five minutes.

We stayed an hour. Nobody asked us to leave. People kept drifting over, one by one, and the dog just… received them. No jumping, no whining at the beeping machines. He stood there like he’d been hired to do exactly this, and at some point he leaned, good and solid, against an old man’s chair and stayed until the man got called in.

That lean is the whole story, really. But let me back up.

Two women behind a large Leonberger. The woman on the left is an elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair. — Our daughter-in-law’s mother is on the left, and her mother is on the right. She gave me permission to use this photo. The Leonberger is in the middle front.

First, what this work actually is

A therapy dog is not a service dog — people mix these up all the time. Service dogs are trained for one person’s disability and have legal rights to go everywhere with them. A therapy dog works with his owner, visiting hospitals, nursing homes, schools, hospices, just to comfort people. That’s it. There’s no task, no trick. The dog himself is the point.

Most of the work looks like nothing. Your Leo is lying on a library floor while a kid who hates reading out loud reads to him anyway, because the dog doesn’t correct her. Or he’s sitting next to a woman in a memory care unit who can’t tell you her grandson’s name but will stroke that big double coat for twenty minutes, calm as anything. If you need excitement, this isn’t your hobby.

Seven Leonbergers lying or sitting on the sand on a beach. — Seven Leonbergers by the beach. Photo by my friend Jen O’Keefe.

Why Leos are good at it

They were bred in Germany as companions. Impressive-looking, yes — that was the idea — but made to live in the house, close to their people, not to guard a fence line or run something down. It shows in three ways that matter here.

They read the room. Every Leo owner I know says some version of this: the dog who’s a clown in the kitchen walks into a sickroom and gets careful. Slower. Softer about where his feet land. Nobody taught him that. It’s just in there.

They can be still. A therapy visit is mostly standing around being petted by hands that aren’t steady. A busy, driven dog gets fed up with that fast. A grown Leo treats doing nothing like a perfectly respectable way to spend an afternoon.

And kids love them on sight. To a nervous seven-year-old, a Leonberger is a storybook that breathes. School reading programs know this, which is why Leo handlers keep getting asked back.

A boy sits with a Leonberger Therapy Dog, and he reads a children’s book to the dog. — Boy reading to a Leonberger. I generated this picture with the help of ChatGPT.

Now the parts nobody puts in the brochure

Size. It cuts both ways. You will wedge yourself into small hospital rooms and tiny elevators and become an expert in turning a very large dog around in places he barely fits. Some patients are scared of big dogs, full stop, and when someone says no you smile and move on. Every time, no exceptions.

A big Leonberger dog is sitting in my wife’s lap, and he is bigger than she is. They are sitting in a red sofa. — Bronco was a very big dog.

The coat. It collects everything — dust, leaves, whatever’s on the floor of your car. Therapy dogs arrive clean, so you’ll brush before every visit and bathe the dog far more often than either of you enjoys. And there’s drool. Not movie-level, but enough. Towel in the visit bag. You’ll thank me.

Age. A two-year-old Leo is a clown wearing a giant suit, and I mean that with love. Most handlers I know didn’t start until their dogs were three or older, when the silliness had settled into something steadier.

The last one is the hard one. Leonbergers live eight to ten years, give or take. The people you visit will ask for your dog by name. They’ll notice when he isn’t there. Losing him doesn’t just end a hobby — it ends a dozen small relationships you built together. I’m not saying don’t do it. Handlers will tell you those years counted double. But walk in with your eyes open.

My wife holds the diploma standing next to our Leonberger Bronco. The diploma says, “The Grey Muzzle Award for Leonberger Longevity is Presented with Gratitude by The Leonberger Health Foundation International to Bronco for offering hope and potential for longer lives for Leonbergers throughout the world.” — Our Leonberger Bronco receives the Grey Muzzle Award from the Leonberger Health Foundation International. This is an award given to all Leonbergers who live longer than 12 years, which is unusual. These Leonbergers offer hope and potential for longer lives. We sent in his DNA for analysis.

How people usually start

If your Leo is calm with strangers, walks on a loose leash without dragging you toward every interesting smell, and shakes off surprises instead of escalating them, you’ve probably got the raw material. The usual road:

Obedience first. Nothing fancy. Sit, down, stay, leave it, and walking past another dog without losing his mind. Reliable beats impressive.

The AKC Canine Good Citizen test. Most therapy organizations ask for it anyway, and it’s honestly a good checklist of the exact manners visits demand.

An evaluation with a therapy group. Pet Partners and the Alliance of Therapy Dogs both evaluate you and the dog together, simulating the real thing — wheelchairs rolling past, clumsy petting, things getting dropped, strangers crowding in.

The paperwork side. Vaccinations, a vet’s sign-off, health checks kept current. Every facility adds its own list on top.

One more thing, and I’d tattoo it on the application form if I could: not every Leo should do this. A dog who’s shy of strangers or miserable in new buildings will hate visiting, and a dog who hates it can’t do the job — and will tell you so, if you’re watching. The evaluation isn’t just there to protect patients. It protects him.

A Leonberger is sniffing two pinkish-reddish tulips. — A Leonberger is sniffing a couple of tulips. Shutterstock Asset id: 1352450168 by EmmaEEVPersson.

The lean, again

Ask handlers what their dogs actually do on a visit and most of them laugh, because the true answer is so small. He leans. Against the chair in the oncology waiting room. Against the reading kid’s crossed legs. Against the nurse at the end of the shift from hell.

A hundred and thirty pounds of warm, breathing, unhurried dog, saying the only thing he knows how to say: I’m here. Take your time.

Leonbergers have been leaning on their people for a hundred and fifty years. Therapy work just gives them more people.

Two big Leonbergers next to each other. — Digory and Obi, two Leonbergers. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

CBC News profiled a Leonberger named Scout who works with residents at a mental health hospital in Hamilton, Ontario.

By clicking on the video you’ll see the video about the therapy dog Scout. — By clicking on the video screenshot you’ll see the video about the therapy dog Scout.

About the author

Eleanor Sterling writes about dogs, training, and the working roles our breeds were made for. She has a soft spot for gentle giants and strong opinions about dogs being given jobs that suit them.

Playing Catch with Dogs

Esther’s writing prompt: October 22, 2026: Catch

Playing catch with dogs is my response to Esther’s October 21^st prompt Catch. Click here or here to join in.

Playing catch with a dog is a fun way to provide exercise for the dog and perhaps for you too. Many dogs love to play the catch game whether it is with a ball, a squeaky toy or some other kind of toy. You just need to be a little bit careful not to overdo it. The wrong kind of toys can hurt their teeth and be careful, so you don’t accidentally throw the toy right at the dog and hurt them. Nobody likes to have a ball land on their head.

Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo loves balls, and he loves playing catch with balls and squeaky toys. Today October 22^nd it is National Make a Dog’s Day, and we played with Rollo and he also got a little bit bigger dinner than usual.

Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is rolling and biting a soccer ball. — Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo love balls. Here he is playing with a soccer ball. My photo.

Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is rolling and biting an orange volleyball. — Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo love balls. Here he is playing with an orange volleyball. My photo.

I took the photos above, but I do not have any photos of our dogs playing catch and therefore I am using Shutterstock photos or pictures I generated using ChatGPT for dogs playing catch.

Rollo’s Bad Blue Ball Day

As mentioned, Rollo loves playing catch with balls and with squeaky toys.

The picture shows a dark brown and white mini-Australian Shepherd with a green and brown mallard duck in his mouth. — Illustration of our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo with a squeaky duck in his mouth. I generated this picture using ChatGPT.

However, it does not always go well, for example, the time when I threw a big blue ball really far and he ran after it really fast and tried to catch it, but it landed right on top of his head. He did not get hurt but he yelped a little. We were done playing catch the ball after that incident. What a disappointing ending to a fun game.

The picture shows a dark brown and white mini-Australian Shepherd with a blue ball on top of his head. — Our mini-Australian Shepherd gets a ball on his head while playing catch the ball. I generated this picture using ChatGPT.

Our Dogs Playing Catch

We used to have Yellow Labrador, Baylor, and he loved playing catch. Well, he was not a pure Labrador. He was quarter Rhodesian Ridgeback. If I threw a ball or another toy he would run after it very excitedly, come back and then we did it again. It was something he could do over and over. He might have been the most playful dog we’ve had.

A close up photo of our yellow lab Baylor. His face is towards the camera. — Our labrador Baylor (allegedly quarter mix with Rhodesian ridgeback) was a very playful dog.

Picture of a Yellow Lab jumping after a green tennis ball. — Illustration of Baylor catching a tennis ball. I generated this picture with the help of ChatGPT.

Our German Shepherd called Baby was not as playful as Baylor, but she sometimes played with toys and might run after a ball if she was in the right mood.

Photo of Baylor and Baby. They are laying down. — Our yellow lab Baylor on the left. Our black German shepherd named Baby on the right. Our photo.

Our Japanese Chin Ryu was almost as playful as Baylor and Rollo. He loved playing with toys and running after balls. However, he preferred the squeaky toys over balls.

Black and white Japanese Chin lying on a red sofa. — Our Japanese Chin Ryu on the sofa. My photo.

Black and white Japanese Chin running to catch a thrown toy duck. — Japanese Chin trying to catch a toy duck.

Our Pug Daisy sometimes played with toys, like her favorite duck toy, but getting her to play catch the ball was mission impossible. She was not interested in such silliness.

A toy duck and our Pug Daisy laying on her back. — Our pug Daisy played with the squeaky duck for a while and then she spent the afternoon sunbathing in the warm sun. She did what she enjoyed best. My photo.

Leonbergers Playing Catch

Leonberger dogs are big and very playful dogs, and you can play catch the ball with them, but only so much. They get bored by repetition, and our Leonberger dog Bronco was that way. If you threw the ball, he would run after it and come back with it. If you threw the ball a second time, he would walk to get it and come back. If you threw it a third time, he would just stare at you as if he was thinking “what’s wrong with you? You get it this time.”. However, he was more interested in other kinds of games. For example, he loved swimming and chasing ducks in the water.

The picture shows a Leonberger running on grass chasing a green tennis ball. — A Leonberger dog is chasing a tennis ball. Leonbergers are playful but not fond of repetitive play, so throwing the ball will only work for so long. I made this picture with the help of ChatGPT.

The picture shows a man who is throwing a tennis ball in a field. A Leonberger dog is standing there looking at him. A thought bubble above the Leonberger's head says "I already got you the ball. This time you go get it." — With our Leonberger you could only throw the ball so many times. I made this picture with the help of ChatGPT.

Leonberger is swimming with a ball in his mouth. Leonbergers are playful and love swimming. Stock Photo ID: 720242263 by Christian Mueller.

Finally, a video about a Leonberger catching sausages. The Leonberger named Hagrid appeared on Britain’s Got More Talent in 2017, and in other places. Hagrid was attempting to set a new Guinness world record for catching the maximum number of sausages in his mouth in the shortest period of time. You can watch Hagrid’s attempt below. The video is 4 minutes and 46 seconds long.

My Other Responses to Esther’s Prompts

Prompt : Small : Small Microscopic Subatomic and Strings
Prompt : Kind : Leonbergers Are Kind Dogs
Prompt : Window : What Does Rollo See Out His Window
Prompt : Charge : Electric Charge is not the only type of Fundamental Charge
Prompt : Promises : Promises To My Dog
Prompt : Shade : A Total Solar Eclipse the Ultimate Moon Shade
Prompt : Money : Ten Money Facts
Prompt : Edge : The Edge of the Observable Universe is 46.5 billion Light Years Away
Prompt : Fish : Ten Amazing Fish Facts
Prompt : Promise : I Promise Not to Post AI Generated Comments
Prompt : Respect : Respect your Dog
Prompt : Giving : Leonbergers Giving Gifts to Pugs
Prompt : Family : Dogs Are Family
Prompt : Snow : Snow and Ice in Norrland
Prompt : Red : The Universe has a Redshift and its Increasing
Prompt: Shapes : Conic Sections are the Shapes that Shape Our World
Prompt: Flying : 10 Wind Blowing Facts About Birds
Prompt: Drive : Letting Your Dog Drive the Car
Prompt: Memories: False Memories Strange Memories Unpleasant Memories and Amnesia
Prompt: Magic: Magic In New Orleans a Travel Overview
Prompt: Vision: Human Vision Only Detects a Sliver of the EM Spectrum
Prompt: Flower: Leonberger Dogs with Flowers
Prompt: Capture: Carbon Capture and Storage an Unfulfilled Promise
Prompt: Eyes: The Evolution of Eyes is Convergent
Prompt: Pet: The Joy of Having a Pet
Prompt: Cross: Why did the Dog Cross the Road
Prompt: Close: Close Encounter with Grizzly Bear Number 399
Prompt: Block: 60 million Lego Blocks
Prompt: Bank: The Riverbank of Moälven
Prompt: Rich: Super Rich
Prompt: Test: When our Leonberger took a Car for a Test Drive
Prompt: Fire: Climate change worsens wildfires Globally and Human land-Use Changes Reduces them
Prompt: Exercise: Dogs Make you Exercise and you Live Longer
Prompt: Play: Dog Play

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine Share Superfact 69 – Polar Nights Are Phenomenal and Cover a Large Area

Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Thomas Wikman’s Superfacts – Polar Nights Are Phenomenal and Cover a Large Area

Can you imagine my delight when I saw the post above. Sally Cronin from Smorgasbord Blog Magazine shared my post about super-fact 69:

Super fact 69 : Polar nights happen in the regions north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle. Together the two polar regions cover an area double as large as the United States, and it includes a population of millions of people. During a polar night the sun does not rise for days, or months, up to six months. The polar nights are special, not just for the daytime darkness, but for the spectacular aurora borealis, the starlit skies, the extremely clear air, and the fact that people often lose track of time during polar nights.

In her post she is also promoting my Leonberger dog book for which Diana Wallace Peach wrote a great review. Thank you so much Sally and Diana. Please visit her post above at the Smorgasbord blog magazine and read it.

Stunning aurora borealis lights up the night sky with vibrant colors, creating a mesmerizing natural display in the Arctic wilderness. — Aurora Borealis are often spectacular in the polar regions, especially during the polar night. Asset id: 2499746583 by HappyVibeArt

Today Is Rollos Eight Birthday

Today is our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo’s eight birthday. Rollo grew up with his big brother the Leonberger Bronco and his sister Daisy the Pug. Now a day he is an only dog. We celebrated his birthday today by singing Happy Birthday and he ate a hot dog.

Photos from Rollo’s Birthday Today

Our mini-Australian Shepherd is sitting on a chair by the kitchen table. On the table there is hot dog with two candles. He is looking into the camera. — Rollo with his hot dog with two candles. It is his 8^th birthday.

The photo shows Rollo sitting on a chair but without his blue party hat. — Rollo is looking into the camera, but he has just used his paw to remove his blue party hat.

The photo shows Our mini-Australian Shepherd wearing his blue party hat again. — The blue party hat is back on. We are singing Happy Birthday to Rollo.

The photo shows Our mini-Australian Shepherd and two red brightly shining candles in the hotdog. — We continued singing to Rollo. Happy 8^th birthday Rollo.

Older Photos of Rollo

Our mini-Australian Shepherd is lying on the grass in our backyard. — Rollo as our new puppy. He had just arrived at our home.

Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is lying on a black spotted blanket. He is looking into the camera. — Rollo is lying on a blanket on our sofa.

Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo lying in front the gate to the kitchen and our Leonberger Bronco is standing behind him. — Rollo with his big brother the Leonberger Bronco.

Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is behind our Leonberger Bronco. He is biting and pulling Bronco’s tail. — Rollo is terrorizing his big brother the Leonberger Bronco.

Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is wearing a blue party hat and is staring at his pupcake. — This photo is from Rollo’s fifth birthday. He ate a pupcake, which is a cupcake for dogs. Unfortunately, the pupcake store has closed.

Three Vampires and Thousands of Years

The focus of this blog is Leonbergers but sometimes I post about books that are not about Leonbergers but are books that I love, and I therefore want to promote. This time I would like to promote Dragon’s Fall: Rise of the Scarlet Order Vampires by David Lee Summers. In this book David Lee Summers tells a captivating and very suspenseful story about three vampires and their adventures taking place during a couple of thousands of years.

Paperback – Publisher : Hadrosaur Press (June 2, 2020), ISBN-10 : 1885093926, ISBN-13 : 978-1885093929, 302 pages, Item Weight : 13.6 ounces, dimensions : 5.5 x 0.76 x 8.5 inches, it currently cost $15.95 on US Amazon. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.
Kindle – Publisher : Hadrosaur Press (June 2, 2020), ASIN : B089LQZNYQ, 304 pages. It is currently $3.99 on Amazon.com. Click here to order it from Amazon.com.

The front cover title and author on the background of a white flower growing out of black asphalt. — Front cover of Dragon’s Fall: Rise of the Scarlet Order Vampires by David Lee Summers. Click on the image to go to the paperback edition of Dragon’s Fall on US Amazon.

Amazon’s description of the book

Three vampires. Three lives. Three stories intertwined.

Bearing the guilt of destroying the holiest of books after becoming a vampire, the Dragon, Lord Desmond searches the world for lost knowledge, but instead, discovers truth in love.

Born a slave in Ancient Greece, Alexandra craves freedom above all else, until a vampire sets her free, and then, she must pay the highest price of all … her human soul.

An assassin who lives in the shadows, Roquelaure is cloaked even from himself, until he discovers the power of friendship and loyalty.

Three vampires, traveling the world by moonlight—one woman and two men who forge a bond made in love and blood. Together they form a band of mercenaries called the Scarlet Order, and recruit others who are like them. Their mission is to protect kings and emperors against marauders, invaders, and rogue vampires as the world descends into the chaos of the Dark Ages.

This is my review for Dragon’s Fall: Rise of the Scarlet Order Vampires by David Lee Summers.

A Captivating Epic Vampire Fantasy Across Thousands of Years

Dragon’s Fall: Rise of the Scarlet Order Vampires is an epic story beginning during the time of Alexander the Great. It follows three vampires that eventually become thousands of years old. They are Alexandra a former slave girl in ancient Greece. Desmond (Lord Draco) who was a Dragon, or knight serving Duke Ambrosius in England, and Roquelaure. There are other vampires in the story too, such as Theron, Wolf and Nabila. At the beginning of the book the vampires are often called Blutsauger. The moniker “vampyr”, or “vampire”, is adopted later.

They travel across Rome, medieval Europe, the Byzantine Empire, the middle east, and Africa. They are part of many adventures, quests, battles, wars, and Desmond who is thirsting for knowledge seeks the holy grail, and the scroll of Jesus among other holy books. They form the Scarlet Order of Vampires. There are legends (including King Arthur) as well as real history ion the book. The various peoples they encounter, fight or live among include some I know something about such as Picts, Saxons, Magyars, and Dacians and others I had to look up such as Avars and Khagans. You encounter ancients cities, places and castles, which are described realistically. Aside from the obvious legends, the historical events in the book are described accurately, as far as I can tell. So, this novel is in a sense also about world history. The author is clearly very knowledgeable.

One thing that I really liked about this novel is that the physical capabilities of the vampires were possible to believe. For example, in vampire stories, it is common for a person bitten by a vampire to become a vampire as well, which would quickly lead to the entire human population turning into vampires. In this book, you become a vampire by drinking the blood from the vampire who bit you and drank your blood first. This could happen by fighting back but it is a rare event that won’t lead to the exponential growth of the vampire population. In addition, vampires do not need to kill humans to drink their blood, unless they drink too much. Vampires can even feed on sleeping human’s without them ever finding out about it. This makes a vampire epic covering thousands of years believable. The vampires are also not necessarily nice guys but not evil either, which makes it easier to relate to them.

That does not mean that the vampires do not have magical powers. They are much stronger than humans, they can sense the feelings and thoughts of others (even though not exactly read thoughts), and implant thoughts and feelings into humans to control them, and they can shape shift. Having magical powers and living thousands of years may not be realistic but unlike many other vampire stories you don’t have to deal with the impossible to believe. I love that.

This novel is exciting, intriguing and full of adventure and great stories. The character development is great, and you can relate to the vampires. The historical references were interesting. There are sex scenes in the book. I did not mind but be forewarned that the vampires in this book have a sex life and it is depicted in the book. The novel was on occasion scary and brutal, but it was more of an epic fantasy adventure than horror. I highly recommend this fascinating vampire tale. Especially for Halloween.

The back cover features the description of the book on a background of red and what looks like blood flowing. — back cover of Dragon’s Fall: Rise of the Scarlet Order Vampires by David Lee Summers. Click on the image to go to the Kindle edition of Dragon’s Fall on US Amazon.

About David Lee Summer

David Lee Summers is an author, editor and astronomer living somewhere between the western and final frontiers in Southern New Mexico. He is the author of twelve novels. His short stories and poems have appeared in numerous magazines including Cemetery Dance, Realms of Fantasy, Star*Line, and The Santa Clara Review.

David also edited Tales of the Talisman Magazine for ten years. When he’s not writing, he operates telescopes at Kitt Peak National Observatory.

Click here to visit his website

Click here to visit his blog

Click here to see my review of The Astronomer’s Crypt, another of David Lee Summer’s books.

Click here to see my review of Vermillion Highway, another of David Lee Summer’s books.

Click here to see my review of Solar Sea, another of David Lee Summer’s books. This is a science fiction.

Dog Play

Esther’s writing prompt: September 30, 2026: Play

Click here or here to join in.

For this prompt I decided post stories about dog’s playing as well as pictures of dog’s playing. Some of the pictures are my photos. Some pictures I generated with the help of ChatGPT. My first story is about when our big Leonberger dog playfully greeted our neighbor by putting our neighbor’s head in his mouth like the circus lion trick.

Swallowing the neighbor’s head is impolite

A Leonberger dog is putting his paws on a short man’s shoulders while licking his face. — Our friendly neighbor and our big playful dog. I made the picture with the help of ChatGPT.

On one occasion, one of our neighbors came over to say hello to our big Leonberger dog Bronco. We’d had Bronco for a year by then, so he was big. As our neighbor entered our hallway, Bronco came running, and before I had a chance to stop him, he jumped up and put his paws on our neighbor’s shoulders. This man is somewhat short, so Bronco was able to lick his head, which he proceeded to do. Then Bronco did something we were totally unprepared for. You know the circus trick in which the lion tamer puts his head in the lion’s mouth? Yes, that’s the trick Bronco performed on our friendly neighbor.

Bronco was just playing and having fun, but that’s not how to greet a neighbor. I apologized profusely, but our neighbor said that it was perfectly all right and that there was no harm done. He looked a bit unnerved, and obviously he had not expected to be part of a circus act, but he said that Bronco was a wonderful dog and that he really loved the big galoot.

A Leonberger dog is putting his paws on a short man’s shoulders while opening his mouth big and putting the man’s head in his mouth. — Our shocked neighbor and our big playful dog. I made the picture with the help of ChatGPT.

Despite what happened, our neighbor was always very nice to Bronco. However, for us that first encounter was a red flag. We had to get the jumping-up-on-people problem under control.

Japanese Chin Sings Opera

We used to have a Japanese Chin called Ryu. One of the things that stood out about Ryu was his singing. Japanese Chins are famous for their singing—well, actually, it’s closer to howling, but Ryu’s was a beautiful howl, and he was very proud of it.

The photo shows the bottom half of a girl hold the front paws of a happy black and white Japanese Chin. The dog’s mouth is wide open. — Our happy Japanese Chin Ryu. Our daughter is holding his paws. This is my photo.

As soon as he discovered that he got a lot of attention for it, he started doing it quite often. Whenever we came home, he would sit politely, look at us intently—it seemed like he was clearing his throat, too—and howl. Like an opera singer, he would slowly turn his head to look at us, as if he were performing. In fact I think Ryu’s howling sounded just like a night at the opera—especially when the lyrics are sung in Italian.

We would say, “Good boy, Ryu,” and clap, and he looked mighty proud. Other people thought it was cute and wonderful, too, and they gave him lots of praise, and of course he loved doing it and got good at it. When Rachel played the harmonica, Ryu would howl along. They made quite a duo. “Good boy” might not be the kind of praise Andrea Bocelli would want, but Ryu was perfectly happy with it.

The picture shows the same hallway as above. However, in this case there is Japanese Chin howling, a girl playing the harmonica and a family of four standing in the background clapping their hands. — Ryu howling while our daughter is playing the harmonica. I made the picture with the help of ChatGPT.

Our German Shepherd Baby & our Leonberger Puppy Bronco

We used to have a German Shepherd called Baby. She came from a shelter and from not so good circumstances. Even though Baby was a shy and anxious dog at first, once we got our Leonberger puppy Bronco, her personality changed. She loved Bronco, and she took on the job of being Bronco’s adoptive mom. She played with him; she watched him; she was fiercely protective of him. Bronco was her puppy. She seemed rejuvenated, as if she had found an important job to do a purpose, if you will. It was beautiful to see her take care of Bronco and play with him. She became happier and more confident, and Bronco loved her.