Leonberger Club of America

Esther’s writing prompt: October 1st : Club

Just a few minutes before I saw Esther Chilton’s writing prompt “club” I received my annual invoice for our family membership in the Leonberger Club of America. What a great reminder to pay my bill and create a post about the Leonberger Club of America. We haven’t had a Leonberger since the summer of 2020 when our Leonberger Bronco, or Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle passed away. However, we’ve kept our membership because I love their LeoLetter magazine, I know some people, I have this blog, and I wrote a book about our Leonberger and the Leonberger breed after the passing of Bronco (see the side bar on the right or click here for more information).

The Leonberger Club of America

I can add that the Leonberger Club of America, LCA for short, is the official national parent club for the Leonberger breed in the United States (and Canada). It was founded in 1985. Its mission is to preserve and promote the health, temperament, and original type of the Leonberger through education, events, performance programs, and social engagement. The American Kennel Club (AKC) recognizes the LCA as the official Leonberger breed club in the United States.

The Leonberger Club of America make sure that the Leonberger dogs are protected. You are about as likely to find a Leonberger at Petland/Puppy-Mill as you are finding an Elephant for sale there. You typically buy/get a Leonberger dog from an LCA certified Leonberger breeder or from the Leonberger Rescue Pals, and if you don’t that might be a problem. Leonberger breeders interview prospective Leonberger owners and make sure they are a good fit. If you are found to have mistreated a dog in the past, turned one into a shelter, or sold one on an auction, you cannot buy a Leonberger. The breeders are also required to take back the dog if it does not work out. To see the transcript from our Leonberger interview, click here.

Our three months old Leonberger Bronco wearing a red scarf. He is looking straight into the camera. — We bought our Leonberger Bronco (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle) in 2007 from Julie Schaffert, a certified LCA breeder since 1992. This is a photo of him at three months old.

There are only about 3,000 Leonbergers in North America and about 2,000 Leonbergers in the United States but the Leonberger Club of America has more than 1,000 members. They publish the Leo-Letter, a quarterly Leonberger magazine. So, the Leonberger Club of America has a very prominent place among Leonberger owners. Click here to see a summary of the Leonberger Breed Standard.

A majestic Leonberger in standing on a podium and receiving an award. There are two people in picture, judge and handler. — Photo of a Leonberger from the LCA website

Other clubs associated with the Leonberger Club of America are New Jersey Leonberger Club, Great Lakes Leonberger Club, Greater Bluegrass Leonberger Club, Mid-Atlantic Leonberger Club Of Virginia, Tarheel Leonberger Club, AKC Licensed Specialty Club, The Frontier Leonberger Club Of The Southwest, Leonberger Club Of The Northwest, Northern California Leonberger Club, and the Surf And Sand Leonberger Club Of Southern California. I am a member of The Frontier Leonberger Club Of The Southwest. Other Leonberger clubs are the Leonberger University, Leonberger Health Foundation International, and the Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database. You can learn more about the Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database by clicking here.

The History of the Leonberger Club of America

Leonbergers have a long history in North America and the United States—despite the fact that until 1985, there were only seventeen Leonbergers known to be living in the United States. See: Lusby, Leonberger, page 15.

Front cover of the book Leonberger, Special Rare-Breed Edition, A Comprehensive Owners Guide, Madeline Lusby. It features a photo of an adult Leonberger and a puppy Leonberger. — Leonberger, Special Rare-Breed Edition, A Comprehensive Owners Guide, Madeline Lusby

In the 1870s, Leonbergers were brought to Newfoundland to invigorate the stock of Newfoundland dogs. Around the same time, two Leonbergers named Caesar and Sultan were purchased from Heinrich Essig’s kennel (founder of the Leonberger breed) and transported across the ocean to join the Wellesley-Sterling theater company in the United States as the stars of their productions. Then in 1879, Caesar and Sultan visited President Ulysses S. Grant, who called them the largest and most magnificent dogs he had ever seen and presented them with gold medals. During the years between World War I and World War II, a New Jersey family, the Wolfs, opened their home as a temporary refuge for Jews fleeing Germany: they also imported Leonbergers. Unfortunately, this introduction of the breed into the United States did not last, and it would be another fifty years before the Leonberger appeared in America again.

See: Bliss-Isberg, Leonberger, page 60, page 64, page 101

Front cover of the book Leonberger, A comprehensive guide to the lion king of breeds, by Caroline Bliss-Isberg. It features the face of a large Leonberger. — Leonberger, A comprehensive guide to the lion king of breeds, Caroline Bliss-Isberg

During the late 1970s and the 1980s, a few families—Waltraut and Klaus Zieher, Brian Peters, Manfred and Sylvia Kaufmann, Keri Campbell and Melanie Brown, and Mary and Reiner Decher brought Leonbergers to the United States. The Dechers had started a breeding program and were looking for a mate for their first dam, Viona. By chance their neighbor discovered through a newsletter that there was another Leonberger in the United States, and that led to the families’ finding and connecting with one another. I should add that the Dechers were careful to conform to the German breeding regulations and performed hip X-rays that they then submitted to the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). Viona became the first OFA-certified Leonberger in America.

See: Bliss-Isberg, Leonberger, page 152.

On Saturday, November 2, 1985, eight of these Leonberger enthusiasts met at a hotel in Denver, Colorado, to found the Leonberger Club of America (LCA). This group of founders, which has since been dubbed the Denver Eight, appointed a registrar, formulated a breeding acceptability checklist, and instituted various policies, including the requirement that OFA certification is mandatory for breeding. LCA membership grew: it held social gatherings, began publishing LeoLetter, and imported an increasing number of dogs. Now the LCA has thousands of members across the country, and Leonbergers receive high ratings on health tests relative to other large breeds. For example, in 2000, the OFA reported that only 14.6 percent of Leonbergers tested positive for hip dysplasia, compared to 47 percent of Saint Bernards.

See: Bliss-Isberg, Leonberger, page 154, page 176.

Founding of the Leonberger Health Foundation International

Another important historical event was the founding of the Leonberger Health Foundation International (LHFI), in 2000 (it was just called the Leonberger Health Foundation back then). According to its website, the organization was founded by Waltraut Zieher and other memers of the LCA’s health, education, and research committee to “facilitate the solicitation and distribution of donations given to support health related breed-specific research.” The LHFI also administers a program that collects DNA samples from Leonbergers to share with universities and research institutions, and of course it administers the Grey Muzzle Award (long living Leonbergers). Our Leonberger Bronco was a recipient of the Grey Muzzle Award, and we provided them with his DNA.

The Grey Muzzle Award diploma features a photo of Bronco and contains the text “The Grey Muzzle Award. For Leonberger Longevity is Presented with Gratitude By The Leonberger Health Foundation International To Bronco, for offering hope and longer lives for Leonbergers throughout the World.” — Bronco’s Grey Muzzle Award, which he received for being an unusually long lived Leonberger.

LHFI’s global biobank contains DNA samples from more than nine thousand Leonbergers. Among the organization’s notable achievements are the eradication of Addison’s disease among Leonbergers and the raising of nearly half a million dollars for research into conditions that affect canine health, including osteosarcoma, hemangiosarcoma, glaucoma, cardiac diseases, thyroid diseases, and neurological disorders. Its research also supports healthful longevity and aging as well as population diversity. Another success is the fact that since 2011, no Leonbergers with two copies of the LPN1 gene mutation (which causes Leonberger polyneuropathy) have been recorded in LHFI’s biobank. LHFI is one of my favorite charities.

The Dog Wars of America

The end of the twentieth century marked not only the end of the Cold War but also the beginning of what I call the Dog Wars of America. In 1985, the American Kennel Club (AKC) registry comprised one-third of the world’s known dog breeds. But the AKC had recognized only a few new breeds since 1887—a period of ninety-eight years. So, the organization decided to change that policy, but this did not always go smoothly. The members of rare-breed clubs often did not want to be part of the AKC. For example, the Australian Shepherd Club of America (ASCA) was very reluctant to join, so a relatively small splinter group, the United States Australian Shepherd Association, was formed and designated the official member club of the AKC, which was not welcome news to the ASCA. The border collie is another example. Charles Krauthammer, the late political columnist, called the AKC the politburo of American dog breeding.

See: Bliss-Isberg, Leonberger, page 159.

Similarly, in 2003, a new Leonberger club was formed—the Leonberger Club of the United States—with the goal of becoming the Leonberger member club of the AKC. This essentially forced the LCA’s hand, so they applied for membership in the AKC, a process that took years to complete. But ultimately the AKC approved the LCA as members in 2010: Leonbergers would officially become part of the Working Group. Fortunately, 90 percent of LCA breeders agreed to continue following LCA regulations regardless of whether the club would remain independent or become part of the AKC. Also fortunately, AKC membership afforded more opportunities for Leonbergers to participate in dog shows, which is important to many owners.

See: Bliss-Isberg, Leonberger, page 187

For more information on the history of the Leonberger starting in 1830’s click here.

On the left there is a color photo of our Leonberger as a puppy. He is wearing a scarf. On the right he is big, old and gray and lying in the grass looking into the camera. — On the left our Leonberger Bronco at three months old. On the right Bronco as an unusually old Leonberger at almost 13.

Bronco is standing on our red leather sofa giving me hug and a kiss. — Bronco our Leonberger is giving me a kiss. He is about one year old and not yet fully grown.

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

Todays Mail the LeoLetter Badlands and Reunion Coda

Today I received interesting mail. In addition to the usual junk mail and a couple of bills I got the LeoLetter, the Leoberger magazine, and I got a box from Amazon containing two brand new books that I am very excited to read.

The LeoLetter

The “LeoLetter : Great Dogs, Great People,” is the official quarterly publication of the Leonberger Club of America. You can read about the history of the Leonberger Club of America here. What makes today’s LeoLetter special to me is because I have an Ad in it for my book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger”. To visit the Amazon location for my book, click here.

The Ad features the front cover of the book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle as well as information and praise for the book. — This is my ad for my book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. Click on the picture to visit the Amazon location for the book.

The gold and beige book cover features the face of our Leonberger Bronco and the text "The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger." — The front cover of the book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. Click on the picture to visit the Amazon location for the book.

The back cover in gold and beige features a photo of a Leonberger in a snowy forest and an introduction to the book. — The back cover of the book The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. Click on the picture to visit the Canadian Amazon location for the book.

Badlands

Next, I opened the box in it was two books. One of them was Badlands (Savage Land) by Jacqui Murray. I bought the paperback version. I have only read the beginning, and it is very exciting. It is book two in a trilogy about prehistoric man. I read the previous book Endangered Species, a book I loved, and you can read my book tour post here and my review here. There is an ongoing book tour for Badlands, and you visit the five first book tour posts here:

The front cover features a volcano and a woman surrounded by wolves. — Front cover of Badlands by Jacqui Murray. Click here or on the picture to visit the Amazon location for the paperback version.

Below is Amazon’s Overview of the Badlands

Savage Land is the third trilogy about prehistoric man in the series, Man. Vs. Nature.Written in the spirit of Jean Auel, Savage Land explores how two bands of humans survived one of the worst natural disasters in Earth’s history, when volcanic eruptions darkened the sky, massive tsunamis crossed the ocean in crushing waves, and raging fires burned the land. Each of the tribes considered themselves apex predators. Neither was. That crown belonged to Nature and she was intent on washing the blight of man from her face. Join me in this three-book fictional exploration of Neanderthals. Be ready for a world nothing like what you thought it would be, filled with clever minds, brilliant acts, and innovative solutions to life-ending problems, all based on real events. At the end of this trilogy, you’ll be proud to call Neanderthals family.

In Badlands, Book Two, the tribes must split up, each independently crossing what Nature has turned into a wasteland. They struggle against starvation, thirst, and desperate enemies more feral than human. If they quit or worse, lose, they will never reunite with their groups or escape the most deadly natural disaster ever faced by our kind.

The back cover features the overview of the book. — This is the back cover of the book Badlands by Jacqui Murray.

Reunion Coda

Another nice surprise in the box was Reunion: Coda: Book 2 of the Reunion Duology by Alex Diaz-Granados. I also read parts of this book so far, and I loved it. It also has a lot of nice pictures to support the story. The end of the book features my interview with the author, which you can read here. You can read my review for the first book in the duology (Reunion) here <<Link-10>>.

The front cover features a photo of New York at night taken from above. — Front cover of Reunion: Coda: Book 2 of the Reunion Duology. To visit the Amazon page for the paperback version of the book you can click here or on the picture.

Below is Amazon’s Overview of the Reunion Coda

In Reunion: Coda, Jim Garraty’s journey continues as he navigates the intricate dance between past regrets and present hopes. Now a successful history professor, Jim’s life is a tapestry of unspoken love, haunting memories, and the pursuit of emotional closure.

As Jim reflects on his high school years and the profound impact of his relationships, he grapples with the lessons learned from missed opportunities and the unpredictable nature of life. Through introspective moments and heartfelt letters, Jim uncovers the strength to confront his deepest fears and embrace new beginnings.

Reunion: Coda delves into the complexities of love, loss, and the enduring power of memory. It also explores the significance of friendship and the unpredictable turns that shape our lives. This poignant novel is a heartfelt exploration of the choices that define us, the connections that sustain us, and the hope that guides us on the journey of self-discovery.

The back cover features the Amazon overview of the book. — Back cover of Reunion: Coda: Book 2 of the Reunion Duology.

What if we get it right?

However, before I finish the two books above I will finish another good book that I am reading for my book club called “What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson”.

The front cover features the title and author and an illustration of the sun in the upper right corner and a blue planet in the lower left corner. — Front cover of What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. You can visit the hardcover version of the book by clicking here or by click on the picture.

Below is Amazon’s Overview of What If We Get It Right?

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “With a thoughtfully curated series of essays, poetry, and conversations, the brilliant scientist and climate expert Ayana Elizabeth Johnson has assembled a group of dynamic people who are willing to imagine what seems impossible, and articulate those visions with enthusiastic clarity.”—Roxane Gay

Our climate future is not yet written. What if we act as if we love the future?

A SMITHSONIAN BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Sometimes the bravest thing we can do while facing an existential crisis is imagine life on the other side. This provocative and joyous book maps an inspiring landscape of possible climate futures.

Through clear-eyed essays and vibrant conversations, infused with data, poetry, and art, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson guides us through solutions and possibilities at the nexus of science, policy, culture, and justice. Visionary farmers and financiers, architects and advocates, help us conjure a flourishing future, one worth the effort it will take—from every one of us, with whatever we have to offer—to create.

If you haven’t yet been able to picture a transformed and replenished world—or to see yourself, your loved ones, and your community in it—this book is for you. If you haven’t yet found your role in shaping this new world or you’re not sure how we can actually get there, this book is for you.

With grace, humor, and humanity, Johnson invites readers to ask and answer this ultimate question together: What if we get it right?

The back cover features a brief introduction to the book, a list of names of people who contributed to the book, and a blue planet in the lower right corner. — Back cover of What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.

Reminder Leonberger Book Promotion

Our late Leonberger Bronco’s birthday and the two years anniversary of the release of my book about him was at the beginning of July. Therefore, I decided to have a promotion for the month of July. I lowered the price of both the paperback and the kindle version on Amazon by two dollars in all countries (or close to two dollars). For the United States I lowered the price of the Kindle version from $4.99 to $2.99 and for the paperback from $19.95 to $17.95. In Sweden I lowered the price from 180 Swedish Crowns to 150 Crowns or 159 Crowns with VAT.

This is a reminder of that promotion. Since I sort of forgot about my promotion and this reminder is late I am extending it three more days until the end if August 3^rd, midnight Central Standard Time.

I should add that I am donating the proceeds from the sale of this book to the Leonberger Health Foundation International

The back cover in gold and beige feature a photo of a Leonberger in a snowy forest and an introduction to the book. — This is the back cover of the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. Click on the image to go to the Amazon.com location for the kindle version of the book.

The endorsements say “A wonderful tribute to the author's beloved Bronco. The stories are heartwarming as well as informative - a true glimpse into life with a Leonberger. D'Nae Wilson, President, Leonberger Health Foundation International.” and “A lovely tribute to Bronco, with lots of resources for general Leonberger information. Julie Schaffert, LCA breeder since 1992.” — These are the endorsements for the book. Click on the image to got to the Barnes and Noble location for the book.

In this book you’ll read about some of Bronco’s amazing feats: the night he scared away a prowler; the day he performed a hamster search and rescue; the time he stumped the Geek Squad; and the late night he snuck into the kitchen and ate a two-pound bag of dog treats, a box of pastries, a loaf of bread, a grilled chicken, and a Key lime pie, all in one sitting. You’ll also read about his unflappable calm during a north Texas tornado and his stoicism as he endured health challenges in his later years.

In addition to entertaining stories, these pages contain a wealth of practical guidance, including:

a history of the Leonberger breed;
advice for the care of very large dogs;
breed-specific health and genetic information;
training and feeding tips;
suggestions for finding a breeder;
the official breed standard; and
an extensive resource guide.

Below is a list of places where you can get my book.

PeopleNewsPapers Wins Award for Review of My Leonberger Book

Park Cities People and Preston Hollow People Magazine here in Dallas (Preston Hollow) received 15 awards in this year’s National Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest. The National Newspaper Association (NNA), founded in 1885, has over 2,300 members, making it the largest newspaper trade association in the United States. There are slightly more than 100 categories and there is a first price, second price, third price, and an honorable mention, so a bit more than 400 opportunities for an award. Considering that there are 2,300 newspapers I think winning 15 is quite impressive. It is certainly a high-quality magazine. They earned three first-place awards, two second places, five third places, and five honorable mentions. One of the honorable mentions was for Best Book Review. That book review was written by Journalist Kersten Rettig and the book in question was “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”.

The book review of “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. Including photos and text. — This is a photo of the page of Preston Hollow People Magazine where the review appeared. If you click on the picture (or click here) you can see the online version of the book review in Preston Hollow People Magazine.

Big congratulations to Kersten Rettig for winning the honorable mention for best book review.

It is certainly not my accomplishment. It is the newspaper’s award and Kersten Rettig’s accomplishment, but I am very happy about this for myself as well, since I wrote the book, and that is kind of exciting.

Left side of the review of “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. It features a picture of Kersten Rettig and Bronco with a blue birthday hat. — Close up of the review in Preston Hollow People Magazine.

Right side of the review of “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. It features a picture of Bronco as a puppy, an illustration of Bronco with puffy cheeks filled with hamsters and a picture of the front cover of my book. — Close up of the review in Preston Hollow People Magazine.

I’ve written about this book review before back when it was published in September/October last year (2023). You can click here or here to see those blog posts. Finally, a reminder. To celebrate Bronco’s birthday (July 3^rd), for the month of July I am lowering the price of the paperback on Amazon from $19.95 to $17.95 and I am lowering the price of the kindle from $4.95 to $2.95. That applies to all countries. By clicking on the pictures below you can visit the Amazon locations for the book.

Below is a list of places where you can get my book.

Our Leonberger Bronco and The Book About Him

Our Leonberger Bronco was born in British Columbia, Canada (nearby Vancouver), on July 3^rd, 2007. That was 17 years ago today. His full name was Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. His father’s name was Priamos Vom Dreiburgenland and his mother’s name was Justus Aria Von Drevas. He had four full siblings, or twins, Little Jonah, Love Ryan, LRV’s Moose, and Lakeisha Makita. That was his litter. Notice that all names begin with an ‘L’. He had 83 siblings in total. The breeder’s name was Julie Schaffert, who is a Leonberger Club of America certified breeder (since 1992), and arguably North America’s most prominent breeder.

A screenshot of Bronco’s entry in the Worldwide Leonberger Data Base — Bronco’s entry in the Leonberger Data Base. Click on the picture to visit the Leonberger Data Base.

About 8-9 weeks later he came to Dallas, Texas to be with his new family. That was us. 13 years later he passed away. The name we picked for him was Bronco. However, we were told that his name needed to begin with an ‘L’, so my wife said, “Let’s do Le Bronco”, intending it to be “Le Bronco”. It took us several years to change his name from “Lets Do Le Bronco”, which also begins with an ‘L’, to “Le Bronco”.

This is a photo of Bronco’s original birth certificate from LCA (Leonberger Club of America). It features his name, his pedigree, breeders, etc. — Bronco’s original birth certificate from LCA (Leonberger Club of America). His name at this time was “Lets Do Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”.

Portion of original birth certificate from LCA showing the name to be “Lets Do Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” — Close up of his name, which incorrectly was “Lets Do Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”.

On the left our Leonberger Puppy wearing a scarf and on the right him almost 13 years later lying on the ground looking old. — Bronco at the age of three months and at the age of almost 13.

Bronco quickly grew to become a big dog. At one point he was 167lbs but his ideal weight was 135lbs. When he joined our family, we had two other dogs, a Labrador (or Labrador mix) called Baylor and a female German Shepherd called Baby. Baby was like a mother to Bronco, and she was fiercely protective of him. We would soon get two more dogs, a Japanese Chin called Ryu and a pug called Daisy. Once Bronco was older, we would get one more dog, a mini-Australian Shepherd called Rollo. Bronco loved all the other dogs, and he was very protective of them. He saved the life of our Labrador by sniffing out an oncoming insulin shock and he saved our pug Daisy from an attacking German Shepherd.

Bronco is standing on a red sofa and giving me a hug. — This is Bronco and me. He is about one year old. Not yet fully grown but still big.

My wife is sitting on a sofa and our very large Leonberger is sitting on her lap. She is essentially disappearing under him. — Bronco when he was 167lbs sitting in my wife’s lap. He went on a diet after this photo.

The dogs are standing. Daisy our pug on the left, Ryu our black and white Japanese Chin in the middle and our Leonberger Bronco on the right. — Bronco with our pug Daisy and Japanese Chin Ryu.

The dogs are lying on the floor. Daisy our pug towards the top, Ryu our black and white Japanese Chin in the middle and our Leonberger Bronco is towards the bottom. — Bronco with our pug Daisy and Japanese Chin Ryu again.

A painting of Bronco our Leonberger. His face is facing forward. — The portrait was drawn by Veniceme at Etsy (Natasha Dall’Ara) and it is based on one of our photos.

One thing that we are proud of is that Bronco lived very long for a Leonberger. The typical lifespan for a Leonberger is 8-10 years. Giant breeds tend to have a short lifespan. The Leonbergers who live at least 12 years are awarded the so-called Grey-Muzzle Award by the Leonberger Health Foundation International, and Bronco was a recipient. The Leonberger Health Foundation International (LHFI) is supporting research that aims to solve health issues in Leonbergers and other giant breeds. All proceeds from the sale of my book are donated to the Leonberger Health Foundation International. I can add that when Bronco passed away, we sent his DNA to the University of Minnesota to be used in research. This was facilitated by the LHFI.

A scan of Bronco’s Grey-Muzzle Award. The text 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.” — Bronco’s Grey-Muzzle Award.

Bronco was a very special dog, and he also gave us many amusing stories. Some of the stories were great, like when he chased off a trespasser / peeping Tom who had been terrorizing my wife and the other women in the neighborhood, but that the police and the private detectives I hired could not catch. Or when he saved runaway hamsters or saved the lives of other dogs. He also gave us some embarrassing stories, such as when he put our neighbor’s head in his mouth, like the circus lion trick, or pushed our German Shepherd into a storm drain. After Bronco passed, I decided that the world needed to know about Bronco, so I wrote a book about him. It is a tribute to him as well as a collection of funny stories. I also added information about Leonbergers in the book, their origins, care, training, health, etc.

On the left a trespasser sitting in one of our lawn chairs and looking through our bedroom window. On the right, Bronco our Leonberger, chasing off the trespasser. — Bronco is chasing off a trespassing peeping Tom who had been terrorizing the women in the neighborhood at night. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

On the left Bronco’s face has puffy cheeks because there are hamsters in them. On the right my wife is using her finger to give a hamster CPR. — Bronco with hamsters in his mouth. When he dropped them, they were unconscious, so my wife gave the hamsters CPR. They were fine. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Our German Shepherd is in a storm drain. I am lying on the ground holding her around the chest as I am dragging her up. Bronco our Leonberger is acting crazy. — Bronco acting wild pushing our German Shepherd into a storm drain. I am trying to get her up. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Finally, I would like to give an overview of my book about Bronco and Leonbergers. I intended to release the Book on July 3^rd, 2022, on what would have been Bronco’s 15^th birthday. However, Amazon was quicker than I expected. The Kindle version became available on the day I uploaded it July 1^st, 2022, and the paperback version July 2^nd, 2022, but I did not tell people about it until July 3^rd. Well today it is July 3^rd again. To read more about my book click here.

Screen shot of the Amazon from July of 2022. It features the “#1 New Release in Dog Breeds” label. — In July of 2022 my book was the number one new release on American Amazon in the category “dog breeds”

Sample spread of page 102 and 103 featuring two photos showing the interaction between our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo and our Leonberger Bronco.In the photo on the left Rollo wants Bronco to give him a belly rub. In the photo to the right Rollo is pulling on Bronco’s tail. — This is a sample spread from my book (The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle). It is page 102 and 103. The other dog is our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo.

If you haven’t already, please take a look at my book

A Beautiful Review of my Leonberger Book

Read this review of my book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. Bronco was my best friend and I love when someone loves the book about him.

Book Review: “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Lowenhohle”

The Interview

There are so many bad dog owners out there. There are owners who mistreat their dogs. There are owners who return their dogs to shelters or worse owners who abandoned their dogs. There are owners who get rid of their dogs when they become old, less fun, more difficult to take care of and have expensive veterinary bills. So many dog owners should never have been allowed to become dog owners. Imagine if prospective dog owners had to go through an interview and sign a contract protecting the dog’s well being before they are allowed to buy a dog. Another problem is substandard breeders and puppy mills.

An old Leonberger dog is lying on the sidewalk. — Bronco our Leonberger was very old in this photo. Almost 13 years old and he had health problems.

The Leonberger Club of America (LCA) and the Leonberger community have taken control of both of these problems. The Leonberger Club of America keeps a list of breeders who follow approved breeding practices (there are inspections), treat the dogs well, and have pledged to take back the dog in the event an owner is unable to care for the dog. The breeder will also stay in contact with the new owners, mentor them, and help them with training and care. I am pretty certain there are no Leonberger puppy mills.

From left to right : A Leonberger in the snow, another Leonberger looking into the camera, our 3 months old Leonberger puppy Bronco, our Leonberger Bronco in a green bush, our Leonberger Bronco sitting in my wife’s lap, he is 167lbs, our Leonberger Bronco in the green grass, our old Leonberger Bronco lying in the green grass. — Leonberger photos. All photos are of Bronco except the two on the far left are from Shutterstock ID:705193912 and ID:46221958.

As a prospective owner you are required to go through an interview with the breeder and to sign a contract. For example, as an owner you are required to return the dog to the breeder if you are unable to care for the dog or transfer the dog to another approved owner in a manner that is endorsed by LCA. If you break the rules, you are never allowed to own a Leonberger again. Caring for a Leonberger is a serious commitment and you can feel it. Leonbergers are dogs that are larger than life. But maybe all dogs are larger than life.

A 167lbs Leonberger sitting in my wife Claudia’s lap. She is disappearing. — Our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle in my wife Claudia’s lap.

Below is the transcript of the online interview that my wife Claudia did with our breeder Julie Schaffert. I’ve posted this before here. However, that post is one my earliest posts, and this is my attempted improvement.

Kennel von der Löwenhöhle Questionnaire Questions are in bold :

Why do you want a Leonberger?

We have a dog book, and while looking at dogs we came across the Leonberger, a gorgeous dog from Germany. We also had the opportunity to meet some Leonbergers, a mother and her puppies, which were wonderful. We have read that Leonbergers are great with children and good guard dogs, which is something we’d like. We have two dogs, but we have not raised them as puppies. We have never had a puppy and would like to have one.

What do you like about the Leonberger and what do you know about its characteristics? Do you prefer male or female? Why?

They are very beautiful and love to swim. We have a huge pool, and my children love to spend their summers swimming. Leonbergers also make wonderful pets and are good guard dogs, and best of all they don’t drool. We don’t prefer a male or a female dog.

Are you aware this is at least a ten-year commitment?

Yes. We have two other dogs, and of course we are aware that they live up to ten years—hopefully more.

Do you have any other pets? Have you had any experience raising a giant-breed puppy?

We have a Lab and a German shepherd. We have two dwarf hamsters, Moldova and Montenegro. My son also keeps a baby ball python in a cage in his room (UGGH). As I said before, we have never owned a puppy, but we met some Leonberger puppies from a breeder who resides in Houston.

Where will your dog be kept—indoors or outdoors? Backyard or kennel?

Our dog would be kept mostly indoors. (We live in Texas, and it would get too hot outside.) At night we take all our dogs for walks and for occasional swims during the year. When the dog is still a puppy, we would keep it in a puppy playpen and take it out every half hour to go to the bathroom (until obedience training). We do have a fenced backyard the puppy can play in, and we have a dog run with a dog door so the dogs can come and go as they please.

Is your yard fenced?

Yes. Our yard has a seven-foot-high solid wood fence all the way around

How many hours will you be out of the house? Where will your Leonberger be while you are gone?

I am a stay-at-home mom, and we would almost always have someone in the house, such as our housekeeper, children, and family. If we are gone for a long periods of time, we have a dog sitter who comes to our house to take care of our dogs.

Do you have children? If so, what are their ages?

We have three kids, ages thirteen, ten, and eight. Two boys and one girl (in that order).

Describe a typical day at your house now. How do you think it will change once the puppy arrives?

On a typical day, the kids go to school, and I like to take a long walk. I go through some paperwork, I prepare dinner, then everyone comes home. On weekends, my younger kids have sports, but my oldest kid stays home (he plays during the week).

I would be with the dog most of the day and would do my shopping while the housekeeper is there. I do not plan on leaving the puppy for any long period of time. I’m sure that having the puppy will be like having another child. We have been told that the puppy will be quite rambunctious for the first three years of its life.

Have you observed any obedience classes in your area? It is very important that Leonberger puppies start obedience classes by sixteen weeks of age. Would you attend such classes?

We have not observed any obedience classes yet. However, we are interested in the International K9 training facility in Dallas and would absolutely attend these classes.

Von der Löwenhöhle puppies start their crate training at our kennel. Will you continue this training? If not, why not?

Yes, we would continue crate training at our home. We will follow your advice and that of our veterinarians in regard to further training.

What plans do you have for your Leonberger—e.g., showing, breeding, obedience, family companion, therapy? If you plan to show or breed, what experience, if any, have you had?

Our major purpose for wanting a Leonberger is to have a family companion.

Please add any other information you feel will help us pick out a puppy for you.

We would like a dog that will fit in well with our family.

On the left is a Leonberger puppy wearing a red scarf. On the right our old Leonberger Bronco lying in the grass and looking into the camera. — Our Leonberger Bronco three months old and almost 13 years old.

The end result was that we were allowed to buy Bronco. We did not follow through with the crate training as we promised because Bronco was whining at night when he was in the crate. So, we let him sleep between us in our bed. A few months later he started pushing me out of bed with his paws. I don’t like sleeping on the floor, so we had to put an end to that. We got him a big dog bed and he accepted that.

What do you think about having dog owners being approved and signing a contract ?

The Day Bronco Wearing a Leg Cast Chased Our Neighbor

An excerpt from my book : The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle

When Bronco was almost eight years old, we discovered a case of squamous cell carcinoma in one of his toes—or, rather, in one of his toenails. It was on his right rear paw.

Photo of a big fluffy Leonberger lying in the grass. — Our Leonberger Bronco, or Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle.

Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer that certain large-breed dogs, including Leonbergers, are susceptible to. It often grows out from the skin around the nail and can affect the bone and tissue around it. It is typically not very aggressive, but it can spread, and it is painful. It manifests itself as a swollen toe, or you may be able to see a large red papule that looks like a pimple. Sometimes the toenail falls off. The dog is likely to limp and lick the toe and may become reluctant to go for walks, although that was never the case with Bronco.

Close up of a bandage on one of Bronco’s paws with Bronco in the background. — Bandage on Bronco’s paw after a toe amputation.

Primarily because of the pain, but also because of the small risk of metastasis, it is usually recommended that the affected toe be amputated. So we went through with the procedure. When we picked Bronco up the day after the surgery, his paw was in a bandage. But he got some treats, and he was in a good mood. We went back to the veterinary surgical center for a bandage change a few times, and then he was done.

A big barking Leonberger standing in a doorway. Upon close inspection you see a missing toe. — An agitated Bronco stands guard at the back door. Note the missing toe on his left front paw.

Unfortunately, though, we discovered another lesion a year later. This time it was on a large toe on his left front leg. We asked the doctors if the cancer had spread to this toe. We were told no—Bronco was just prone to getting this type of cancer. But the cause could also have been something in the environment. In Texas, the ultraviolet radiation from the sun is significant. We really don’t know why this happened to him, but we were assured that it was not because the cancer had spread.

Bronco our Leonberger Bronco wearing a large soft cone. It barely fit through the doorway. — A cone of shame or as in this case a soft cone typically accompanied a bandage or a cast.

This time around, Bronco’s entire leg was put in a cast, to be replaced by a bandage after ten days. We were instructed to keep him inside during those ten days and keep him as still as possible. We were to make sure he wouldn’t bump the cast. This was, of course, almost impossible to do, but we were going to try.

However, Bronco really wanted to go out, which he showed us in various ways, such as scratching at the front door. After a week or so, Claudia suggested that we take him outside a little bit, just in our driveway. I agreed. When I handed her the leash, she said, “He can barely walk; do you think he’s going to run off without it?” We laughed, and I agreed that it didn’t seem like we needed it this time. So Claudia walked out with Bronco slowly limping beside her.

Illustration of an excited Leonberger towards us. He is wearing a cast on his left front leg (right from our perspective). — Bronco could barely walk with his full leg cast, but when motivated enough he could run. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Less than a minute had passed when I heard shouting outside. I opened the door and looked outside to see what was going on. First I saw our neighbor and his two corgis running down the street as fast as they could. Our neighbor was screaming at he top of his lungs, “Get him off me! Get him off me!” Behind him, Bronco was running with his cast going kabonk-kabonk-kabonk as it hit the sidewalk. Behind Bronco ran Claudia, who was also screaming at the top of her lungs. Bronco! Sit! Stay! Stop!” Finally, Bronco stopped, and Claudia grabbed him. Holding his collar, she led him back in.

Illustration of woman dressed in blue pants and pink shirt running. — Claudia running after Bronco. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Our red-faced and sweaty neighbor was very nice about it and forgave us. He even forgave Bronco, though Bronco was chasing the corgis, not our neighbor. But still, if I had been chased by a big dog wearing a cast, I would not have gotten over it that easily. Our neighbor is clearly a better man than I am.

Illustration of man with a hat running holding two leashes, each with a corgi at the end. — Our neighbor and his corgis running from Bronco. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

This was an embarrassing event for all of us, but at the same time it was one of the most surreal and amazing things I’ve ever seen. It was so unexpected, so bizarre, and so funny. I really wish I had had a video camera handy. Talk about a potentially viral video.

When we went back to the veterinary surgical center to have Bronco’s cast removed, we decided not to say anything about the incident to the doctors. We sat in the waiting room and wondered if the episode had caused any permanent damage to Bronco’s paw or leg. But when the veterinary technicians came back with Bronco in a bandage instead of a cast, they told us that everything looked good. Great job, everyone!

We thought they might not have checked his sore carefully enough, so we asked them again: Are you sure everything looks good? The sore, the stitches—did you really look at them thoroughly? They insisted that yes, they looked good. So Bronco got his treats, he looked happy, and we went home.

Another 25 Leonberger Photos and Illustrations

My blog is primarily about Leonbergers, an unusual and fascinating dog breed that is known for its size, affectionate nature, and intelligence. I know a lot about Leonbergers because we were lucky enough to live with one for thirteen years. His name was Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle—but we called him “Bronco” for short. I also wrote a book about Leonbergers and about Bronco’s many adventures : The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle. If you are on a desktop computer you’ll see the book on the right, and if you are on a phone you have to scroll to the bottom of the page. You can also click here.

This post features 25 photos and illustrations. Most of the photos are of our Leonberger Bronco, a few are photos by friends and the illustrations were created by Naomi Rosenblatt. If you want to see another set of 25 Leonberger photos click here. If you want to see Leonberger puppy photos, then click here.

This is a black and white photo of our Leonberger puppy Bronco at three months old. He is sitting and staring at the camera. He is wearing a silk scarf. — Our Leonberger Bronco at three months old.

Photo of a Leonberger swimming in a lake. — Bronco our Leonberger is swimming in White Rock Lake.

Bronco our Leonberger is standing in lake water. — Bronco is standing in the water in White Rock Lake.

Photo of a Leonberger lying on a leather sofa with my book leaning towards his chest. — A Canadian Leonberger called Mak with my book. Photo by Debbie Ireland.

Photo of our Leonberger lying on his back and taking up all the room in the sofa — Our Leonberger Bronco is sleeping on our big leather sofa.

Our Leonberger Bronco is lying on top of our red leather sofa as our Pug Daisy is walking next to him and away from him — Bronco with our Pug Daisy. They were sharing the sofa until Daisy decided to move.

Illustration showing our daughter lying on the ground while holding onto a leash. Our Leonberger Bronco is dragging her. — Bronco is pulling our daughter along the ground as she is desperately trying to hold on to him. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Colorful illustration showing a big dog wearing a cast on his front left leg and running with it. — Illustration showing Bronco running down the street while wearing a cast. He was not supposed to bump the cast. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

The photo is showing a beige pug on the left and next to her a black and white Japanese Shin and to the right of them both our Leonberger Bronco. — Our Leonberger Bronco with two small dogs, our Japanese Shin Ryu and our pug Daisy.

The photo shows our Leonberger Bronco wearing a cone shaped party hat. — It is Bronco’s birthday.

Two Leonbergers standing next to each other and wearing party headwear typical for a carnival. — Digory and Obi two Leonbergers. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

The photo shows a Leonberger in a bathtub. — Digory Jen O’Keefe’s Leonberger. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

The photo shows a Leonberger standing in water. — Swimming time for Digory Jen O’Keefe’s Leonberger. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

The photo shows two Leonbergers sitting next to each other. — Digory got bone cancer, had an amputation, and this photo is two years later. He lived long for a Leonberger with this condition. Here is with a Leonberger friend. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

The photo shows a Leonberger standing and looking into the camera. — Bronco our Leonberger is standing in front of our hallway. He is pretty old in this photo.

Our Leonberger Bronco is lying in the grass in the front yard. — Bronco in our front yard.

Photo shows our Leonberger Bronco standing in the backyard as a sun ray shines down upon him. — Bronco saved our pug’s life. He is a saint.

Photo shows our Leonberger Bronco standing next to my wife Claudia. She is holding the grey-muzzle award. — Bronco lived very long for a Leonberger. The typical lifespan is 8-9 years. The Leonberger Health Foundation International gives out a grey-muzzle award to Leonbergers who has lived 12 years or longer. Here Bronco is receiving his grey-muzzle award.

The Grey Muzzle Award states “For Leonberger longevity is presented with gratitude by the Leonberger Health Foundation Internation To Bronco for Offering Hope and Potential for longer Lives for Leonbergers throughout the world. — The Grey Muzzle Award.

The photo shows our big Leonberger on the left and our little pug Daisy on the right. — Bronco and our pug Daisy.

The photo shows our big Leonberger on the left and our little mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo on the right. — Bronco and our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo.

The photo shows our Leonberger Bronco lying in our backyard in front of our broken fence. He has a plastic bag over his foot where he has a bandage. — A tornado ravaged our neighborhood. Several of our neighbor’s houses were destroyed. Our house stood but the chimney, roof, attic, garage, and fence were severely damaged. It was a tough time for Bronco. He had just had a toe amputation due to cancer; he had ulcerous sores on his foot, then came the tornado and less than a week later he had a heart failure. He is not in good shape in this picture.

The photo shows our Leonberger Bronco wearing a large soft cone. He has just pulled the content on a table off the table onto the floor. — Bronco is walking around the house with his giant soft cone and pulling things off tables.

A very old Bronco lying in the grass and looking straight into the camera. — One of the last photos of Bronco.

The illustration shows a mini-Australian Shepherd on the right, a pug on the left, and a Leonberger in the middle. The mini-Australian Shepherd says, “They still talk about you”. The Leonberger answers “I know” — We will always remember Bronco. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

25 Leonberger Photos and Illustrations

First, check out my Leonberger book and consider purchasing it. It features amusing and amazing stories about our truly remarkable Leonberger Bronco, as well as information about Leonbergers. It is a great book for all dog lovers. All royalties/proceeds from sales are donated to the Leonberger Health Foundation International. To check out my book click on the book cover images on the right.

This post has 25 photos and illustrations. Most of the photos are of our late Leonberger Bronco (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle) but there are also Leonberger photos by friends as well as a few Shutterstock photos. The illustrations are from my book. The illustrations for my book were made by Naomi Rosenblatt (I don’t know how to draw).

Old black and white photo showing a man holding a Leonberger with a leash. — Bronco’s direct ancestor on the male side Leo von der Sagmuhle in Germany about 100 years ago (18 generations).

Claudia my wife sitting in a red sofa with our very big dog in her lap. — Our Leonberger Bronco sitting in my wife’s lap. He was 167 pounds at the time.

A Leonberger is lying on the floor and my book is leaning against the dog. — Hachi a one-year-old Canadian Leonberger with my book. The owner and photographer is Brenda Saito and her husband.

A photo a majestic Leonberger sitting in grass. — A majestic Leonberger. Shutterstock-ID: 731020957 by Peter Josto.

Brown big dog chasing a man running. — Bronco is chasing off a peeping Tom who was terrorizing the women in the neighborhood including my wife. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Bronco’s face has puffy cheeks. — Bronco’s puffy cheeks hold two hamsters he probably was trying to save. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

I am lying on the ground holding Baby and trying to drag her out of the storm drain, while at the same time holding Bronco’s leash. — Bronco accidentally pushed our German Shepherd Baby into a storm drain. I am trying to drag Baby out of the storm drain while holding Bronco as he is very excited about a dog across the street. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.

Leonberger puppy running through green grass. The puppy has its mouth open, and he is looking straight into the camera. — Leonberger puppy. My guess is that he is around two months old. Shutterstock-ID: 629624396 by TOM KAROLA.

On the right is our Leonberger Bronco’s behind and to the right is Rollo biting and pulling his tail. — Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo is biting Bronco’s tail. He even swung it in as if it was a swing.

The photo shows our pug Daisy on the left and our Leonberger Bronco on the right. They are both looking into the camera. Pieces of the gingerbread house are lying on the floor. — Bronco got into the kitchen, and he grabbed a gingerbread house. He and our pug Daisy are sharing the gingerbread house.

Bronco is standing in a blue kiddie pool. — Bronco is getting a bath in the kiddie pool.

The photo shows a Leonberger standing in the snow in the forest. — Leonberger standing in snow. Shutterstock-ID: 705193912 by Eric Isselee.

Amie is standing on top of a wooden bench on a mountain top. — Amie a Leonberger in Sweden who was at the top of a mountain that we hiked up to (Skule Berget). She must have been very athletic.

Close up of two Leonberger faces. All Leonbergers have a black face mask. — Digory and Obi two Leonbergers. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

Five Leonbergers lying in the grass. They are wearing hats showing the American flag. — Five Leonbergers including Digory on 4^th of July 2023. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

Little Rollo is lying in front of Bronco. Rollo is on the left. Bronco is on the right. — Bronco and Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd.

Close up of Bronco’s face. He is looking straight into the camera. — Close up of Bronco about 12 years old. Leonbergers typically live 8-9 years.

Bronco is wearing a very large soft cone. It barely fit through the bathroom door. He is looking straight at me. — Bronco our Leonberger kept following me around while he was recovering from a couple of sores that took a long time to heal. They get a very attached when they are not feeling well. Here he is barging into the bathroom. Rollo was terrified of the huge cone.

Six Leonbergers with celebration hats are looking straight into the camera. — Six Leonbergers and a birthday celebration. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.

A Leonberger photographed from the side. In the background there is a lake and a snowcapped mountain. — Sitting Leonberger. Shutterstock-ID:1333669760 by Britta Paasch.

In a snowy forest a Leonberger and a pug are running towards the left. — Leonberger and pug running in the snow. Shutterstock- ID:1659034960 by AnetaZabranska.

It is a picture of a Leonberger with 18 specifications in black text. — Overview of the physical aspects of the Leonberger breed standard.