This blog feature amusing and heartwarming stories about our late Leonberger dog Bronco, as well as other Leonbergers. It also has a lot of information about the Leonberger breed, the history, care, training, Leonberger organizations, etc. I also wrote a Leonberger book, which I am featuring in the sidebar.
This is another post with the “25 Leonberger photos” theme. This time the theme is “25 Leonberger Pictures with People”. I’ve selected photos and illustrations of our late Leonberger Bronco that also feature people. A few of the photos are stock images from Shutterstock but most of the pictures are mine. Below is a list of the previous posts using the theme 25 Leonberger photos.
Also, if you have not checked out my superfactful blog yet feel free to do so.
25 Leonberger Pictures with People
This is a photo of our family. It is a few years old. From left to right, our oldest son, our Japanese Chin Ryu, my wife Claudia and I am standing behind her, our Leonberger Bronco, our younger son, and our daughter with our Pug Daisy. I would like to add that since then I’ve gotten in better shape.Our one-year-old Leonberger Bronco wants to give me a hug. He wanted to give hugs all the time. We also danced a lot. He was a good dancer.Bronco’s direct ancestor on the male side Leo von der Sagmuhle in Germany about 100 years ago (18 generations). I got this information from the World Wide Leonberger Database.Leonbergers are muscular, big and strong. Bronco is pulling our daughter along the ground as she is desperately trying to hold on to him. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.Bronco is chasing off a peeping Tom who was terrorizing the women in the neighborhood including my wife. The trespassing peeping Tom never came back. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.This illustration depicts an occasion when Bronco was not so well behaved. We saw a dog across the street and our Leonberger Bronco became wild. He started barking and jumping around and he accidentally pushed our German Shepherd into a storm drain. I had to get her out while holding onto an agitated Bronco. The man across the street lifted his dog and ran as fast as he could down the street. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.Once Bronco had a toe amputation due to cancer and the doctor put a full leg cast on him. He told us that he should not bump the cast, and that he should not go for walks for ten days. But Bronco was begging to go out, so my wife finally took him for a walk. She did not use the leash because she thought that he could barely walk. A few minutes later I heard screaming, and I opened the door and saw this. Bronco was chasing our neighbor and his two corgis as Claudia was running after him and screaming at him to stop. The cast went bump, bump, BUMP, in the sidewalk. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.Our Leonberger Bronco got tired of watching the kids play games all day long. So, one day he calmly walked over to their laptop and bit the laptop hard. That was the end of the laptop. You could see the bite marks on the laptop. I took it back to Best Buy where the Geek Squad guy really wanted to know what happened. He said he had never seen anything like it. Luckily, they replaced the laptop. It is written Nerd Brigade instead of the Geek Squad in the illustration because of potential copyright issues. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.Our Leonberger Bronco at the dog park at five/six months old. He is wearing a bandage on his knee because he got a condition from growing too fast. The two ladies are the owners of the little dog.Our Leonberger Bronco is sitting in my wife’s lap. He was 167 pounds at the time. Silly Bronco thought he was a lap dog.My wife Claudia with Bronco’s Grey Muzzle Award. Leonbergers typically don’t live long and therefore Bronco’s long life was unusual. The Leonberger Health Foundation International awards Leonbergers who live longer than 12 years with an award called the Grey Muzzle Award.Bronco lived very long for a Leonberger. The typical lifespan is 8-9 years. As mentioned above, the Leonberger Health Foundation International gives out a grey-muzzle award to Leonbergers who have lived 12 years or longer. Here Bronco is receiving his grey-muzzle award.Photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was very young. Less than one years old. He is sleeping on the floor. The kids are playing in the background.Our niece Jessica is giving Bronco a kiss.Our oldest son and our daughter are sitting in the sofa. Our Leonberger Bronco is in the foreground. In the back is our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo.My wife Claudia with our Leonberger Bronco.Me and Bronco during Covid-19 times.Claudia with Bronco and our pug Daisy down by White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas.A nurse is putting on a bandage on Bronco’s paw. This was because he had a toe amputation due to a cancer cyst on his toe. The cancer was not aggressive and did not spread. The toe amputation took care of it. First, he had a cast. Then he had bandages.Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is giving Bronco a kiss. Our son is overseeing and petting them both.Young Leonberger, probably less than a year old. Leonbergers aren’t fully grown until they are close to two years old. Stock Photo ID: 2089116934 by cynoclub.Young Leonberger and woman in front of white background Asset id: 2022376910 by cynoclub.A little boy is playing with a giant dog in the garden Asset id: 1044912799 by Lolostock – by Apex Studios.RONNEBY, SWEDEN – JULY 05, 2014: Blekinge Kennelklubb international dog show. A Leonberger dog and a female handler running in a show ring. Asset id: 204221011 by ImfotoA woman and her Leonberger dog. Asset id: 1741753382 by Elena Podrezenko
At about 8:00AM Central Standard Time my Leonberger blog surpassed 100,000 views. At the moment of this writing, I have 55,000+ visitors, 10,600+ comments, 16,800+ likes, and 326 posts. I am very grateful for all of your visits, likes and comments. Thank you so much!
I started this blog to promote my Leonberger book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger” (see picture below). That was a bit more than three years ago. I can add that the three-year anniversary of the release of my book is coming up in July. Click here to read more about my book.
Since the launch of my blog, my blogging has evolved and in addition to Leonbergers my blog has become a personal blog featuring book reviews, travel stories, and other topics. In other words, I am using my blog for my personal entertainment, in addition to on occasion promoting my Leonberger book.
The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Lowenhohle
This is the front cover of the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. It is the original reason for launching my blog. Click here or on the image to go to the United States Amazon location for the paperback version of the book.This is the back cover of the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. Click here or on the image to go to the Amazon.com location for the kindle version of the book.These are the endorsements for the book. Click here or on the image to go to the Barnes and Noble location for the book.
Three Leonberger Photos
This is a photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was three months old. It is the photo I’ve used the most throughout this blog. Click here to visit the blog which organizes and lists all of my 300+ posts.Hachi a Canadian Leonberger featured with my book. He was one year old when this photo was taken by Brenda Saito and her husband. Click here or on the photo to visit the paperback version for the book on Canadian Amazon.A Canadian Leonberger called Mak with my book. Photo by Debbie Ireland. Click here or on the photo to visit the page for the book on Chapters Indigo.
This is another post with the “25 Leonberger photos” theme. This time the theme is “25 silly Leonbergers”. The post feature Leonbergers looking silly or being in funny situations. A lot of the photos are of our late Leonberger Bronco but there are also Leonberger photos provided by friends as well as a couple of Leonberger stock photos. Below is a list of the previous posts using the theme 25 Leonberger photos.
Also if you have not checked out my new superfactful blog feel free to do so.
25 Silly Leonbergers
The first photos are not really silly, but they are photos of Leonberger puppies and they are cute and act silly. The first photo is of our Leonberger puppy at three months old. It was a chore to get him to sit still.
This is a photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was three months old.Two light colored Leonberger puppies playing. My guess is that they are three months old. Shutterstock-ID: 2141564415 by AnetaZabranska.The silly Leonberger puppy is kissing a chihuahua who is getting annoyed. Stock Photo ID: 2166660069 by cynoclub.Baby our German Shepherd is playing with our four months old Leonberger Bronco. Baby loved Bronco as if it was her own puppy. They were playing all day long. Silly dogs.Our Leonberger Bronco at the White Rock Lake dog park at about five/six months old. He is wearing a bandage on his knee because at the time he had a condition from growing too fast. He had fun playing with the little dog. The two ladies are the owners of the little dog. As you can see one of them has an issue with her knee, just like Bronco.Our one-year-old Leonberger Bronco wants to give me a hug. He wanted to give hugs all the time. We also danced a lot. He was a good dancer and a silly Leonberger.Our Leonberger Bronco is sitting in my wife’s lap. He was 167 pounds at the time. Silly Bronco thought he was a lap dog.
A Leonberger in Action Illustrated
For a couple of weeks there was a peeping Tom who trespassed on our property and sat outside our bedroom window shouting obscenities and threats primarily at my wife. As it turned out the peeping Tom was doing the same thing to a lot of other women in the neighborhood. He had been quite busy looking through bedroom windows at night.
The police were not able to do anything about it, so I hired private detectives. The plan was that they were going to catch him in the act and turn him into the police. They sat in our backyard behind the bushes with a whole bunch of instruments, cameras, recording devices, and metal detectors. They also hid in a dark car parked nearby our house. My father-in-law was surprised that I was able to find the detectives. He did not think people like them existed and he asked me “how did you find them?”. I found them in the phone book (phone books still existed back then). They reminded us of the Ghost Busters with their enthusiasm, dress, and all their instruments.
Unfortunately, Ghost Busters, I mean the detectives did not catch the peeping Tom, so I had to let them go. However, that’s when Bronco stepped in. One night we heard a shuffling outside the house, and I sent Bronco out to chase him. It worked. The peeping Tom was really frightened, and he never came back. Bronco probably just wanted to say hello and lick him, but the peeping Tom did not know that. Bronco saved the entire neighborhood. Well Bronco was not the one who was silly this time, but everyone else was including the detectives.
Bronco is chasing off a peeping Tom who was terrorizing the women in the neighborhood including my wife. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
Back when Bronco our Leonberger was young, the kids had pet hamsters—Moldova and Montenegro. The hamsters escaped from their cages sometimes, but Bronco usually helped us find them whenever they did. Claudia would tell him, “Bronco, find the hamsters,” and he would go around the house sniffing until he found them. One time he found them in the linen closet; another time he found them on a shelf in the living room.
On one occasion, a friend of David trusted us with his two hamsters while he and his family went on vacation. A couple of days later, Claudia noticed that the two hamsters were missing from their cage. The next thing she noticed was that Bronco’s cheeks looked puffy, so she said, “Bronco, drop it!” Out came the two hamsters, both unconscious.
In a panic, Claudia started performing CPR on the unconscious hamsters. She put one hamster at a time in her hand and gently compressed each tiny chest using the finger of the other hand. Fortunately, one hamster revived right away. The CPR didn’t seem to be working on the other hamster, but Claudia put both of them back in their cage, and soon the second hamster also woke up. We decided to keep the incident to ourselves. Hamsters don’t squeal. In this case I think Bronco was silly, even though he might have been a hero.
Bronco’s puffy cheeks hold two hamsters he probably was trying to save. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
On yet another occasion Bronco was really silly. He had a toe amputation, and we were instructed to keep him inside for 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.
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 the 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. This time Bronco was really silly.
This is an illustration showing Bronco running down the street while wearing a cast. He was not supposed to bump the cast. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
Another time that Bronco was silly was when he started barking and jumping around when he saw a dog across the street. In the process he accidentally pushed our German Shepherd baby into a storm drain. I had to lay down on the ground and lift Baby out of storm drain all while holding onto Bronco. The owner of the other dog lifted up his dog into his arms and ran as fast as he could down the street. That was embarrassing and stressful. Silly Bronco.
Once when Bronco was not so well behaved. He pushed our German Shepherd into a storm drain and I had to get her out while holding onto an agitated Bronco. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
Additional Silly Leonberger Photos
Bronco our Leonberger get washed off at a fairly young age. He liked water.Bronco standing by the kitchen gate. The kitchen gate was there to keep him from going inside the kitchen and do counter surfing.Bronco and our Pug Daisy. Daisy is leaving because she thinks Bronco is hogging the sofa.Our Leonberger Bronco is sleeping on our big leather sofa.Our Leonberger Bronco in the bushes.Our Leonberger Bronco in the backyard. He was a saint. This time it is me, the photographer, who is silly.It is Bronco’s 11th birthday.After a toe amputation due to toe cancer, Bronco needed to wear a cone, a big soft cone. Unfortunately, he frequently cleared tables as he swung the cone back and forth. Here he has just pushed a pile of books and papers off a table.Bronco and our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo. Bronco is nicely welcoming our new puppy, but the size difference is silly.
In the photo below it is really our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo who is being silly. But he is very silly pulling Bronco’s tail. He even swung in it like a swing.
A rambunctious Rollo is biting Bronco’s tail. Bronco was very patient. One time Rollo swung in his tail as if it was a swing.
Below is a photo of silly gingerbread stealing dogs.
Bronco our Leonberger with Daisy our Pug in the Kitchen. Bronco says, “look what Daisy did to the gingerbread house that stood on the counter”. Actually, what really happened was that Bronco grabbed the gingerbread house and shared it with Daisy.Digory and Obi are two Leonbergers. Digory was a very brave Leonberger who fought cancer. He was featured in the Leo-Letter a Leonberger Magazine Photo by Jen O’Keefe. Jen is a friend in the Leonberger community.Five Leonbergers including Digory on 4th of July 2023. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.Six Leonbergers celebrating a birthday. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.
When you are gone your dog misses you so much that his heart is sick. When you are gone his love for you is killing him. When you leave his life stops. He is howling, but no one can hear him.
Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd is looking out the window. He is watching the neighborhood and waiting for us to come home.
“Rollo go look out the window” is what we tell our dog Rollo when we leave. He runs to the window, and he looks out the window. We used to have two other dogs, a large Leonberger dog called Bronco, and a little Pug named Daisy. Bronco and Rollo were best friends, and he loved his little sister Daisy. They both died and now Rollo is alone. Now he is alone looking out the window when we leave. However, he does not accept any other dogs so there is not much we can do.
Are you leaving your dog to face his despair all by himself?
Are you going to leave your dog at home, sitting by the window all alone waiting for you? He is looking out the window, looking for you. It is like he is in a dark train station at night. There is only emptiness. When you are gone, he is like an orphan, like a stupid lonely kid singing to himself, howling into the emptiness. He does not have a life anymore. After you leave him, he cannot dream. He feels ugly without you. He feels dirty without you. He feels sick without you. Are you abandoning him? You should be happy dogs don’t drink whiskey to comfort themselves.
I wrote the above with the song below in my mind. It is a French song called “Je suis malade…” (I am sick…) by Lara Fabian about a lover leaving his beloved. However, I think it fits the way the dogs seem to feel when you leave them. We listened to it in French class. That’s how I came across it. I am learning French as a hobby. It is the saddest song I’ve ever heard but it is also a very beautiful song, so you may want to get your tissue box out. There are English subtitles.
Sometimes you have to leave your dogs for a little bit, and it is difficult. They are not happy. We cannot get a dog sitter every time we leave for a short bit, but we try to take him with us as much as possible. We are lucky. We have found a very professional dog sitter willing to stay almost 24/7 with our Rollo when we go on vacation. She is a veterinary assistant and Rollo loves her.
French Song Lyrics for « Je suis malade »
Je ne rêve plus, je ne fume plus Je n’ai même plus d’histoire Je suis sale sans toi, je suis laid sans toi Je suis comme un orphelin dans un dortoir
Je n’ai plus envie de vivre ma vie Ma vie cesse quand tu pars Je n’ai plus de vie et même mon lit Se transforme en quai de gare Quand tu t’en vas
Je suis malade, complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu’elle me laissait seul avec mon désespoir
Je suis malade, parfaitement malade T’arrives on ne sait jamais quand Tu repars on ne sait jamais où Et ça va faire bientôt deux ans Que tu t’en fous
Comme à un rocher, comme à un péché Je suis accroché à toi Je suis fatigué, je suis épuisé De faire semblant d’être heureux quand ils sont là
Je bois toutes les nuits, mais tous les whiskys Pour moi ont le même goût Et tous les bateaux portent ton drapeau Je ne sais plus où aller, tu es partout
Je suis malade, complètement malade Je verse mon sang dans ton corps Et je suis comme un oiseau mort quand toi tu dors
Je suis malade, parfaitement malade Tu m’as privé de tous mes chants Tu m’as vidé de tous mes mots Pourtant, moi j’avais du talent avant ta peau
Cet amour me tue, si ça continue Je crèverai seul avec moi Près de ma radio comme un gosse idiot Écoutant ma propre voix qui chantera
Je suis malade, complètement malade Comme quand ma mère sortait le soir Et qu’elle me laissait seul avec mon désespoir
Je suis malade, c’est ça, je suis malade Tu m’as privé de tous mes chants Tu m’as vidé de tous mes mots Et j’ai le cœur complètement malade Cerné de barricades T’entends, je suis malade
Song lyrics English Translation for “Je suis malade”
I no longer dream, I no longer smoke I don’t even have a story anymore I’m dirty without you, I’m ugly without you I’m like an orphan in a dormitory
I don’t want to live my life anymore My life ends when you leave I no longer have a life and even my bed Transforms into a station platform When you leave
I’m sick, completely sick Like when my mother went out in the evening And she left me alone with my despair
I’m sick, perfectly sick You arrive, we never know when You go back, we never know where And it will be almost two years That you don’t care
Like a rock, like a sin I’m clinging to you I’m tired, I’m exhausted To pretend to be happy when they are around
I drink every night, but all the whiskeys To me they taste the same And all the boats carry your flag I don’t know where to go anymore, you are everywhere
I’m sick, completely sick I pour my blood into your body And I’m like a dead bird when you sleep
I’m sick, perfectly sick You deprived me of all my songs You emptied me of all my words However, I had talent before your skin
This love kills me, if it continues I will die alone with me By my radio like a stupid kid Listening to my own voice that will sing
I’m sick, completely sick Like when my mother went out in the evening And she left me alone with my despair
I’m sick, that’s it, I’m sick You deprived me of all my songs You emptied me of all my words And my heart is completely sick Surrounded by barricades You hear, I’m sick
Comics about Dogs love for you and you leaving them
Onions, garlic, alcohol, chocolate, coffee, macadamia nuts, raw bread/pizza dough, foods containing the sweetener xylitol (birch wood), salt, moldy food, currants, grapes and raisins can cause poisoning in dogs. Grapes and raisins are especially dangerous, potentially causing kidney failure, or even death.
Until recently, I did not realize how serious this is. We used to have a very large dog, a Leonberger named Bronco, who weighed 140lbs when he was not overweight. He seemed to have a stomach made of steel. On one occasion, Bronco got hold of a box of chocolates in the shape of small gnomes. Each gnome was filled with liquor—some with gin, some with vodka, some with whiskey, and some with rum. It was a gift from Rachel, our daughter, who had just come back from a visit to China. She had bought the present for us at the airport in Hong Kong.
What happened was that Bronco ate the entire thing—tinfoil wrappers, chocolate, liquor, and all. We were afraid he might get very sick, and we carefully monitored him, ready to rush him to the emergency clinic if necessary. Fortunately, nothing happened, except he threw up a little bit of tinfoil. I guess he had a stomach of steel. Below is a picture from Bronco’s gingerbread house raid. We laughed. It was just funny.
Our Leonberger Bronco raided the kitchen and partially ate a gingerbread house. He shared it with his little companion, the Pug Daisy. The open gate behind Daisy and Bronco permitted their gingerbread-house raid.
What this experience did not teach me is how dangerous certain foods can be to dogs. Bronco was fine eating the chocolate gnomes, and gingerbread houses, and you can laugh when it all ends well. However, recently Claudia and I witnessed the death of a dog who had eaten raisins. This was a shocking experience. It reminded us that knowing what food is dangerous to dogs is very important and preventing them from eating food that is dangerous to dogs is crucial. If you are not willing to keep track of this, don’t get a dog.
The Death of a Dog
Warning: The Story Below Can be Triggering to Sensitive People, Skip if Needed
A few weeks ago, I mentioned that we took our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo to the emergency. We took Rollo to the veterinary emergency because he had thrown up three times within six hours. He had been chewing on a lot of rawhide which is a bit risky, so we were worried. He got an X-ray and various blood tests. However, everything was normal. It was probably just a stomach flu or upset stomach. He received anti-nausea medication, and another medicine.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo with a soccer ball.
We like this emergency clinic because you can remain with your dog the whole time and participate in everything they are doing. The drawback is that you are in a big room with a lot of other dogs and their owners, and you’ll see everything that is going on, which sometimes is not pleasant, and this time we witnessed a shocking tragedy. We had to wait a long time because almost all of the attention was given to a dog who had eaten raisins. We were there from about 1:00AM to 5:00AM. We were clearly not a priority, but we did not complain.
About the same time as we came in a man and a woman brought in a sick dog. They also had a very tired little boy with them. He was maybe three years old. The dog was throwing up, and he was lethargic and obviously very sick. We overheard that he had eaten raisins. Suddenly the dog had a seizure. The nurses/doctors took blood samples. Then he had another even more severe seizure, and then another. It looked bad. The tests showed that his kidneys were shutting down. After a while the veterinarian informed the couple, and the boy, that the dog was dying a painful death and that the best might be to euthanize him.
They took the dog and the rest of the family to a private room. After a while the woman ran out of the room. She was crying hysterically as she ran out of the emergency clinic. She couldn’t control herself. The man and the boy came after, also crying, but they were calmer. The man paid the bill at the front desk, and they left. Claudia and I and Rollo, we just sat there, and we watched it all. We saw them bring out the dead dog from the room. It was a show that we had not anticipated and that would stay on our minds, maybe forever. We were told Rollo’s tests were fine and that his stomach was fine, and we paid, and we left. It was quiet in our car on the way home.
When I came home, I walked over to the pantry and I grabbed the raisins box and was about to throw it in the garbage, when I decided to just hide the box far into the pantry and never buy raisins again. I don’t like throwing away food.
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 Leo Letter is the official publication of the Leonberger Club of America.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 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 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:
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.
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>>.
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.
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”.
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?
Back cover of What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson.
Today I was having fun with ChatGPT and Google AI. I asked ChatGPT the following question : Was there a Leonberger called Bronco?
The answer is shown below
I took a screenshot of the answer.
If the text is hard to read in the picture, this is the answer ChatGPT gave.
Yes, there was a Leonberger named Bronco. Bronco, officially named Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, lived with the Wikman family in Dallas, Texas, from 2007 until his passing in 2020. Notably, he lived an unusually long life for his breed, reaching almost thirteen years, surpassing the typical life expectancy of Leonbergers, which is around nine years. His story is detailed in the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” by Thomas Wikman, which shares anecdotes of Bronco’s adventures and provides insights into caring for Leonbergers.
I think that sounds right.
Confusing ChatGPT
Next, I asked ChatGPT the following question : Did the Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle rescue Hamsters?
I can add that Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle is a unique Leonberger name. There is a Leonberger database called the Worldwide Independent Leonberger Database featuring more than 172,000 Leonbergers. It covers most Leonbergers in the world back until the beginning of the 20th century and only three of them were named Bronco including Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, which is the only Leonberger named exactly that. As you can see below ChatGPT is confusing our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle with another dog.
I took a screenshot of the answer.
If the text is hard to read in the picture, this is the answer ChatGPT gave.
Yes, Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, a Leonberger, is known for his heroic act of rescuing a group of hamsters! This event gained attention when Le Bronco, who was living in Germany, saved several hamsters from a fire in 2011. The hamsters were trapped in their cages, and thanks to Le Bronco’s quick thinking and bravery, he managed to alert his owners and helped rescue the small animals.
His actions were recognized as a remarkable act of kindness and heroism, showing the intelligence and sensitivity that dogs, particularly the Leonberger breed, can possess.
I’ve noticed that ChatGPT is sometimes wrong. For example, when you ask questions on a topic for which there is sparse information ChatGPT frequently gets the answer wrong. Another way to confuse ChatGPT and get bad answers is to ask vague questions or ask questions that cannot be answered precisely. ChatGPT relies on internet data and may base its answers on people’s biases and cliches rather than accurate information.
Google AI on Bronco
Interestingly enough, Google AI gave more extensive and interesting answers to my questions, and unlike ChatGPT it answered both of them correctly and provided links to the sources.
First, I asked : Was there a Leonberger called Bronco?
This is what I got :
Screenshot of answer.
If the text is hard to read in the picture, this is what the screenshot says.
Yes, there was a Leonberger named Bronco. Bronco, officially named Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, lived with the Wikman family in Dallas, Texas, from 2007 until his passing in 2020. Notably, he lived an unusually long life for his breed, reaching almost thirteen years, surpassing the typical life expectancy of Leonbergers, which is around nine years. His story is detailed in the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” by Thomas Wikman, which shares anecdotes of Bronco’s adventures and provides insights into caring for Leonbergers.
Yes, there was a well-known Leonberger named “Bronco” (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle) who lived with the Wikman family in Dallas, Texas, and was the subject of a book and blog called “Leonberger Life”.
Here’s a more detailed look at Bronco and his story:
As I scrolled down there was more
Screenshot of answer after a bit of scrolling.
If the text is hard to read in the picture, this is what the screenshot says.
Owner:
Thomas Wikman, a retired automation, robotics, and software engineer, and his wife raised three children, and later lived with their two dogs—a pug and a miniature Australian shepherd.
Book and Blog:
Thomas Wikman wrote a book, “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle” and a blog, “Leonberger Life” about his Leonberger, Bronco.
Longevity:
Bronco lived a relatively long life for a Leonberger, receiving the “Grey Muzzle Award” for living longer than 12 years.
Notable Incidents:
Bronco was known for his bravery and protective nature, saving Daisy’s life and potentially Baylor’s life, as well as scaring off a trespasser.
Death:
Bronco passed away in 2020.
On the right side there are references to two of my blog posts and one post by Annika Perry.
Screenshot of answer after a bit more of scrolling.
If the text is hard to read in the picture, this is what the screenshot says.
Thomas Wikman had Bronco, a 167-pound Leonberger who, by all accounts, was an extraordinary dog with a remarkable owner.
This is followed by a link to the People Newspapers a Newspaper that published a review of my book.
How did Google AI do on the second question?
I asked Google AI the same question : Did the Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle rescue Hamsters?
Screenshot of answer.
If the text is hard to read in the picture, this is what the screenshot says.
Yes, the Leonberger, Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, is known for a story where he “rescued” two escaped hamsters by carrying them in his cheeks, though they were later revived by Claudia, Thomas’s wife, performing CPR.
Here’s a more detailed account:
Screenshot of answer after additional scrolling.
If the text is hard to read in the picture, this is what the screenshot says.
The Hamster Escape Artist:
The kids had pet hamsters named Moldova and Montenegro, who occasionally escaped their cages.
Bronco’s Unique Skill:
Claudia would tell Bronco, “Bronco, find the hamsters,” and he would sniff around the house until he located them.
Examples of Bronco’s “Rescues”:
One time he found them in the linen closet.
Another time he found them on a shelf in the living room.
On one occasion, a friend of David trusted them with his two hamsters, and Bronco later “rescued” them after Claudia noticed they were missing from their cage, with Bronco’s cheeks looking puffy.
The “Rescue” Incident:
Claudia noticed Bronco’s cheeks were puffy, and when she said “Bronco, drop it!”, two hamsters, both unconscious, fell out.
CPR Attempt:
Claudia panicked and performed CPR on the unconscious hamsters, and one hamster revived right away.
Second Hamster’s Revival:
The CPR didn’t seem to work on the other hamster, but Claudia put both back in their cage, and soon the second hamster also woke up.
Keeping the Secret:
They decided to keep the incident to themselves, as “hamsters don’t squeal”.
Google Search for Leonberger
Finally, I did another experiment. I typed in “Leonberger” in Google Search and my blog came up on the first page following the Wikipedia entry for Leonberger, the “People also ask” section, the American Kennel Club web page on Leonbergers, the Things to Know section and the What people say section and then comes my Leonberger Life blog followed by 7 more sites on the first page. Interestingly my blog is ahead of PetMD, the Leonberger Club of America and the United Kennel Club.
The screenshot shows the Google result for “Leonberger”
In conclusion, I was not that impressed by ChatGPT but I was impressed by Google AI and thought the Google search of Leonberger was fun to see.
Additon : A blogger friend of mine, Miriam Hurdle found the following information, which explains the result. Thank you so much Miriam.
Google AI has a larger database of all the information out there. Probably that’s the reason it has the details of your book and your blog. BBasically Google indicates that ChatGPT is good at idea generation and writing, etc. I think that’s why it doesn’t know the details of your book.
I started this blog three years ago to spread the word about my, at the time, upcoming book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. To celebrate the three-year anniversary of my blog I decided to have a little promotion for my book. The price for paperback version of the book is normally $19.95 but Amazon lowered the price to $17.95 several months ago and I cannot set it back. My guess is that some store somewhere is selling it for $17.95. They have a lowest price policy. Instead of complaining about that I decided to roll with it and to lower the price of the Kindle version as well, to only $2.99. I will keep that price until April 1st. The prices in all other countries, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Australia, etc., are lowered by the same amount.
Before I continue, I would like to highlight a few important facts about my book.
The book is about our late Leonberger dog Bronco von der Löwenhöhle and his crazy and amusing adventures and his heroic deeds.
Bronco saved the lives of other dogs and protected out neighborhood.
In the book there is information about Leonberger dogs, the breed standard(s), history, Leonberger organizations, training and care, and health.
The book has lots of photos, illustrations and it is in color.
It is a book for all dog lovers not just Leonberger lovers. It is intended to be both fun and educational.
This is the front cover of the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. Click here or on the image to go to the United States Amazon location for the paperback version of the book.This is the back cover of the book “The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle”. Click here or on the image to go to the Amazon.com location for the kindle version of the book.These are the endorsements for the book. Click here or on the image to go to the Barnes and Noble location for the book.
Canadian Leonbergers with my Book
Hachi a Canadian Leonberger featured with my book. He was one year old when this photo was taken by Brenda Saito and her husband. Click here or on the photo to visit the paperback version for the book on Canadian Amazon.A Canadian Leonberger called Mak with my book. Photo by Debbie Ireland. Click here<<Link-5>> or on the photo to visit the page for the book on Chapters Indigo.
Getting My Book in Other Places
You can also get my book in many other places including Amazon in every country where Amazon exists, Chapters Indigo, Apple, etc. To see most of the options visit my Book Page by clicking here.
A Leonberger Story
The book features a lot of stories about Bronco as well as other dogs. Below is one short story.
Bronco’s Hamster Search and Rescue
Back when Bronco our Leonberger was young, the kids had pet hamsters—Moldova and Montenegro. The hamsters escaped from their cages sometimes, but Bronco usually helped us find them whenever they did. Claudia would tell him, “Bronco, find the hamsters,” and he would go around the house sniffing until he found them. One time he found them in the linen closet; another time he found them on a shelf in the living room.
On one occasion, a friend of David trusted us with his two hamsters while he and his family went on vacation. A couple of days later, Claudia noticed that the two hamsters were missing from their cage. The next thing she noticed was that Bronco’s cheeks looked puffy, so she said, “Bronco, drop it!” Out came the two hamsters, both unconscious.
Cheeks full of hamsters (illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt)
In a panic, Claudia started performing CPR on the unconscious hamsters. She put one hamster at a time in her hand and gently compressed each tiny chest using the finger of the other hand. Fortunately, one hamster revived right away. The CPR didn’t seem to be working on the other hamster, but Claudia put both of them back in their cage, and soon the second hamster also woke up. We decided to keep the incident to ourselves. Hamsters don’t squeal.
Hamster CPR (illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt)
The question is, Did Bronco try to eat the hamsters? Or did he simply find them and pick them up, intending to alert us to their presence? I’ve asked several people this question, including some who know Leonbergers well. The answer they give is that he tried to save them from whatever danger he thought they might have been in. If he wanted to eat them, they say, he would have tried chewing them. But clearly, he didn’t.
The hamsters may have felt differently about the situation and may have fainted from the shock. Who knows? Bronco was a hero on many occasions, but this time, perhaps, he was a hamster superhero.
Eventually our own hamsters died, but that didn’t end Bronco’s interest in them. When the first hamster died, we held a funeral. We put the hamster in a shoe box, said goodbye, put some flowers in the box, and buried it in the backyard underneath some bushes. But when we turned our backs, Bronco was there, digging under the bushes. Perhaps he thought he could save the hamster. So, we called Bronco off and tried again: this time I dug a deeper hole and put a wide rock over the shoe box before covering it. Now Bronco couldn’t dig up the hamster. When the second hamster died, I had learned my lesson and did the same thing.
Important Note : I am going on a ski vacation early tomorrow morning and I will take a one-week break from blogging as well as a break from reading other people’s blogs. I will try to catch up when I get back.
Today is the 3 years anniversary of my Leonberger blog. I am celebrating this anniversary with another post with the “25 Leonberger photos” theme. It is another 25 Leonbergers. The post feature Leonbergers looking into the camera or whose faces you can see, as well as one portrait of our Leonberger Bronco. Most of the photos in this post is of our late Leonberger Bronco but there are a few other Leonberger photos as well. Below is a list of the previous posts using the theme 25 Leonberger photos.
Also don’t forget to check out my new blog if you haven’t done so.
25 Leonberger Faces
This is a photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was three months old. I included this photo in my last Leonberger Faces post too. I am using it a lot, but it is a good photo.The portrait of our Leonberger Bronco was drawn by Veniceme at Etsy (Natasha Dall’Ara) and it is based on one of our photos.Our Leonberger Bronco at the White Rock Lake dog park at about five/six months old. He is wearing a bandage on his knee because at the time he had a condition from growing too fast. The two ladies are the owners of the little dog.
The Day Our Leonberger Was Bad
The illustration below depicts when Bronco had a bad case of squamous cell carcinoma and had to have a front toe amputated. 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.
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 the 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.
This is an illustration showing Bronco running down the street while wearing a cast. He was not supposed to bump the cast. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
Continuation of 25 Leonberger Faces
Bronco our Leonberger is standing in front of our hallway. He is pretty old in this photo.Bronco saved our pug’s life and possibly our Labrador’s life. He is a saint.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 have lived 12 years or longer. Here Bronco is receiving his grey-muzzle award.The Grey Muzzle Award.Bronco and our pug Daisy.Our Leonberger Bronco swimming in White Rock Lake.Bronco is standing in the water in White Rock Lake. The water looks muddy, but it is clean.Young Bronco (maybe one years old) standing in a kiddie pool.Bronco in White Rock Lake again.The Leonberger in the photo is Digory and he is Jen O’Keefe’s Leonberger. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.Swimming time for Digory Jen O’Keefe’s Leonberger. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.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.Leonberger on the beach. Stock Photo ID: 1110805445 by LolostockTwo Leonbergers swimming. Stock Photo ID: 1989806678 by Taibomaus.Leonberger standing in river. Photo by Stephanie Lucero on Unsplash.A Leonberger puppy standing in the snow. Shutterstock Stock Photo ID: 2390810457 by VeronArt16.Ten Leonberger puppies. My guess is that they are about two months old. Shutterstock-ID:561107710 by Akbudak Rimma.Two light colored Leonberger puppies playing. My guess is that they are three months old. Shutterstock-ID: 2141564415 by AnetaZabranska.Our Leonberger Bronco with our Japanese Chin Ryu and our pug Daisy.Our pug Daisy and our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo in the little bed and Bronco our Leonberger is lying on the floor.Bronco and our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo. Rollo and Bronco loved each other. Unfortunately, Rollo has a hard time with other dogs.
Leonberger Life 