Tag: Pug

How to Launch a Mobile Pet Grooming Business

A professional content writer by the name of Ryan Goodchild contacted me about me posting an  article he had written on how to launch a mobile Pet Grooming Business. The title of the article is “A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Mobile Pet Grooming Business”  and you can see the article below. Ryan wrote the article and I provided pictures.

Our Leonberger dog getting washed in a kiddie pool. Our mini Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo with a brush. Our Pug Daisy getting a bath. Our Pug Daisy with a bath hat. Our Leonberger Bronco is hiding in the bushes. Amie a Swedish Leonberger standing on a bench. Fluffy black Newfoundland dog by Emma Johnson. Saint Bernard dog Stock Photo ID: 1713912484 by fred12. The photo of five Leonbergers wearing patriotic hats lying on grass by a lake was taken by Jen O’Keefe, (from left to right; Obi, Delfi, Aslan, Gryphon, Digory).

A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Mobile Pet Grooming Business

For service-minded workers, career changers, and local business owners who want a practical small business startup, a mobile pet grooming business can feel like a rare fit between steady demand and flexible operations. The core tension is real: pet care services must be consistent and safe, but most aspiring owners also need a model that can start lean and earn trust quickly. The mobile grooming market meets busy households where they are, turning convenience into repeat business and clear entrepreneurial opportunities. With the right expectations, this can become a reliable local service brand.

06-30-2022 Tulsa USA - Mobile Dog Wash and Grooming van parked in front of cute house in leafy neighborhood.
Mobile Dog Wash and Grooming van Shutterstock asset id: 2248201135 by Vineyard Perspective

Build and Launch Your Mobile Grooming Service

This simple sequence helps you turn a love of pets into a real mobile pet grooming business with a plan, the right gear, and repeatable daily operations. It matters because small early decisions, like what services you offer and how you schedule, can prevent costly surprises later.

Female groomer cutting French bulldog's nails at grooming salon.
Grooming French Bulldog. Shutterstock asset id: 1340980898 by hedgehog94.
  1. Start with a simple business plan
    Use start with a business plan to define your services, pricing, ideal customer, and what “success” looks like in the first 90 days. Keep it short: one page is fine if it clearly guides your next choices. A basic plan also makes it easier to estimate costs and avoid undercharging.
  2. Define your offer and your boundaries
    Decide what you will do on day one, such as baths, haircuts, nail trims, de-shedding, and what you will not handle yet, like severe matting or aggressive pets. Write down your service times, cancellation policy, and any add-on fees so you can explain them calmly to clients. Clear boundaries protect safety and keep your schedule realistic.
  3. Choose essentials and build a safe setup
    List the non-negotiables you need to groom hygienically and efficiently, such as clippers, blades, shears, combs, towels, cleaning supplies, and secure restraints. Buy for reliability first, then upgrade as revenue grows. Do a dry run in your workspace so you can reach tools quickly and reduce stress for the pet.
  4. Set up operations that run on repeat
    Create a weekly routine for booking, travel time, service time, cleanup, and restocking so your days do not spiral when you get busy. Use a simple intake checklist for allergies, coat condition, bite history, and owner preferences, then store notes for next time. Consistency is how you deliver safe grooms and earn referrals.
  5. Market locally and ask for the first bookings
    Choose two channels you can maintain, such as a Google Business Profile and a neighborhood social group, and post clear before and after photos with your services and prices. In your plan, include basics like your mission and target market because business plan outlines make marketing messages easier to write and repeat. Then invite every satisfied client to leave a review and refer one friend.
A so called undercoat rake is used to brush and penetrate deep into the coat of a double coated dog.
Brushing a double-coated dog close-up. Shutterstock Asset id: 2441132455 by Gayleen Froese.

Strengthen Your Business Skills Before You Scale Service

Once you’ve got the basics of launching and operating your mobile grooming setup in place, the next growth lever is often strengthening the business and marketing skills that turn steady bookings into a scalable service.

For some owners, going back to school for a business degree provides the structure to sharpen how you plan, position, and promote your services, especially as your route gets fuller and your choices carry bigger financial stakes. If you want a quick grounding, building those fundamentals can help you build confidence in core business and marketing concepts you’ll use every week.

A master’s in business administration equips you with skills in leadership, strategic planning, financial management, and data-driven decision-making to excel in diverse business environments. And because online degree programs are designed for flexibility, it’s often possible to keep running your business while you’re in school.

Photo of a Leonberger standing in snow. In the background there is snowy forest.
Well-groomed Leonberger standing in a snowy forest. Shutterstock-ID: 705193912 by Eric Isselee.

Plan → Groom → Follow Up → Improve

Your mobile grooming business grows faster when each day runs on a repeatable loop, not memory. This rhythm helps you protect pet care quality standards, reduce missed details, and keep your calendar predictable even as requests increase. It also builds trust so clients rebook without needing extra reminders, especially when many owners prefer scheduling sessions on a steady cadence.

Grooming cartoon pets with bathing equipment and salon accessories for animal spa service. Dogs and cats with brushes and towels, scissors, shampoo bottles and hair dryer. Playful hygiene collection.
Dogs and cats with brushes and towels, scissors, shampoo bottles and hair dryer. Shutterstock asset id: 2681547649 by myteamart.
StageActionGoal
Plan the routeConfirm addresses, time windows, services, add buffer timeFewer late arrivals and smoother drive time
Pre-visit prepSanitize tools, restock supplies, review pet notesSafe setup and consistent readiness
Intake and consentCheck coat condition, discuss goals, confirm pricing, document issuesClear expectations and fewer surprises
Groom to standardFollow checklist, monitor stress, take quick before and after photosConsistent results and pet comfort
Close and follow upShare care tips, collect payment, book next visit, request feedbackHigher satisfaction and repeat retention
Review and adjustLog time per service, update notes, refine pricing and buffersBetter margins and fewer bottlenecks

Because each stage feeds the next, small improvements compound: cleaner prep speeds the groom, clean intake reduces callbacks, and follow-up keeps your appointment scheduling system full. Over time, your customer satisfaction management becomes measurable, not guesswork.

Majestic Leonberger standing on grass and there is a forest in the background.
Healthy Leonberger posing in front of a forest. Shutterstock asset id: 1474761425 by AnetaZabranska.

Mobile Pet Grooming Startup Questions, Answered

Q: What licenses or permits do I need to groom pets from a van?
A: It depends on your area, but plan for a basic business license plus any mobile vending, zoning, or parking rules that apply to operating from a vehicle. If you collect sales tax on products, you may also need a sales tax permit. Call your city or county business office and ask for a checklist for mobile services so you do not miss a step.

Q: How much insurance should I carry, and what does it cover?
A: Many owners start with general liability and then add tools and equipment coverage, commercial auto, and care, custody, and control if offered. Budgeting is easier when you know that mobile pet groomers pay an average of $65 per month for general liability insurance. Ask an agent to quote the exact services you offer, like nail trims, de-shedding, or handling anxious dogs.

Q: How should I price services without undercharging?
A: Use a base price by size and coat type, then add clear line items for mats, heavy shedding, special handling, or extra brushing time. Track your true minutes per dog for two weeks so your prices reflect labor, drive time, supplies, and vehicle costs. If clients ask for discounts, offer a maintenance plan for repeat visits instead of lowering your standard rate.

Q: When should I require deposits or cancellation fees?
A: Deposits help protect your day when a no-show leaves an empty time slot you cannot fill. Keep it simple: a small deposit to book and a cancellation window that feels fair, like 24 to 48 hours. Put the policy in writing and confirm it at booking to avoid awkward conversations.

Q: How do I handle common grooming concerns like mats, fleas, or anxious pets?
A: Start with a quick coat check and explain what is safe and humane before you begin, especially if shaving is the kindest option for matting. For fleas, have a sanitation plan and be ready to reschedule if the infestation is severe. For anxiety, shorten the session, use breaks, and recommend a vet consult for medically appropriate calming support.

Leonberger dogs in field of purple flowers saying hello to each other.
Shutterstock Asset id: 450770140 by everydoghasastory.

Turn a Mobile Grooming Plan Into a Consistently Full Schedule

Starting a mobile pet grooming business can feel like juggling licensing, insurance, pricing, and pet safety while still needing clients on the calendar. The steadier path is a community-first, systems-minded approach: use the business launch recap to clarify your offer, follow through reliably, and let trust, not hustle, drive growth. Applied consistently, this builds entrepreneur motivation through visible progress, stronger customer loyalty building, and fewer preventable setbacks on the road to long-term business success. A full book comes from consistent service, clear communication, and repeatable operations.

Photo of a Leonberger swimming water and there is green tall grass in the background. The Leonberger has a ball in his mouth.
Leonberger swims with a ball. Stock Photo ID: 720242263 by Christian Mueller.
A majestic looking Leonberger is sitting on a green hill.
A majestic and well-groomed Leonberger on a grassy knoll. Shutterstock-ID: 731020957 by Peter Josto.

Swedish Norrlandish English French and Dog

Daily writing prompt
Which languages do you speak and how did that impact your life?
View all responses

The focus of this blog is Leonberger dogs but sometimes I write about other things, for example, about myself. This time I am responding to the daily Writing prompt “Which languages do you speak and how did that impact your life?”.

Swedish or Norrlandish

My native language is Swedish because that is where I was born and grew up. Since I lived in northern Sweden, I speak Swedish in a dialect referred to as Norrlandish. I was told by a Dutch linguist that Norrlandish is different enough from main Swedish that Norrlandish could be considered its own language, especially in the region where I grew up where the Norrlandish dialects are especially distinct. He was very familiar with the local variants of my dialect, which I found to be amazing. I was also amazed by the fact that he spoke so many languages. If I don’t remember incorrectly this linguist claimed that he spoke 30 languages.

Swedish flag on blue sky with white clouds. 6 June. Flag. Celebration Holiday National Day Festive.
Flag of Sweden in sunny rays high on the flagpole. Shutterstock asset id: 2344367957 by GenOMart.

Anyway, languages evolve, including Swedish. Things like Television, local travel, etc., tend to dilute and evolve dialects. However, I’ve been in the US for a few decades, and I’ve lived in Texas for 25+ years, which means that the way I speak Norrlandish has not evolved much, which has led to some interesting situations.

For example, once when I was shopping at a local grocery store in northern Sweden the cashier told me, “It is so nice to hear someone who still speaks the old way”. She was curious about how I had managed to keep the old dialect, and she asked me where I was living. Maybe she expected me to live in a cabin deep in the forest without a TV or radio. It was obvious from her reaction that she did not expect “I live in Dallas, Texas”.

Now I speak American or as some call it English

An American flag on the background of a blue sky.
The flag of the United States of America Shutterstock asset id: 2566207745 by Ashley Grise.

One of the languages I studied back in school was English. The other was German. My parents did not speak any English, well, at first. However, my dad took English classes as an adult and was able to get by. My guess is that when I was done with school, I spoke English at the B1 level, possibly B2 level, according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, which rates your language skills in any language from A1 to C2 (A1 is beginner, then comes, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2, C2 is like a native speaker).

B1 means that you can participate in a conversation with some difficulty, understand a newspaper article that does not have difficult language, write a short essay on any unexpected topic using multiple tenses, and understand a radio newscast that is not too fast.

In 1987 I was sent to Case Western Reserve University by my University, Uppsala University, Sweden, as a university level exchange student for one year. I was studying electrical engineering and physics. During that year I met my wife and after living in both the US and Sweden we ended up staying in the US. I had some difficulties with my English at first but with respect to learning a different language nothing beats being embedded in the language and I soon spoke and understood English I think pretty well. The type of English that we had studied in Swedish school was British English, but now the English that I absorbed was American English. Thereof the tongue in cheek of the title of this section.

I view being fluent in the main language of the country you live in to be of high importance. I have no problem understanding, speaking, reading or writing in English. However, it is very difficult to lose your accent when you have learned a new language as an adult. Just think of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Children can do it more easily. They say that the cut-off age is 12 years old. It is quite uncommon for people who are not fluent in at least two or more different languages to grasp this. On several occasions people have expressed their surprise over the fact that I still have an accent. Sorry the accent stays, and it is not my choice. You can read a related post “Accents are very difficult to lose” over at my second blog.

Another second language fact that you will find in that post is that Spanish has 74 million non-native speakers in the world, making it number eight with respect to the number of non-native speakers (second language). Oh, you thought it was the most popular second language in the world after English? Well, that is a common misconception here in the US due to the closeness to Latin America. I have often come across people who do not consider me bilingual just because I don’t speak Spanish. There are thousands, actually millions, of ways of being bilingual.

Now I am learning French

French flag against blue sky
Flag of France. Shutterstock asset id: 2457252007 by Kyrylash Stanislav.

My wife has a sister in France and her parents speak French. When she decided to improve her French by taking French lessons for adults, I joined in with her. I don’t know if it is because of age, or because I am not putting in enough time into it, but it is going slow. However, I did pass the French B1 exam, which means I can participate in a conversation with some difficulty, understand a radio broadcast if they don’t speak fast, read a newspaper, and write short essays in French. However, I don’t think I can become fluent in French unless I somehow stay in France, or another French speaking country for some time.

So far, my experience in French has not been of very high importance to me. However, it is a hobby, it is something interesting that my wife and I can do together, and French speakers cannot speak behind my back without me knowing.

Speaking Dog

Big brown Leonberger dog standing on our red leather sofa stretching forward to give me a hug.
My Leonberger dog Bronco is giving me a hug.
Our yellow Lab Baylor is sitting on the left. Our brown-black German Shepherd Baby is sitting on the right.
Our Labrador Baylor and German Shepherd Baby. They were both rescues.
Ryu and Daisy are sitting inside a red suitcase looking defiant.
Our Japanese Chin Ryu and Pug Daisy staging a protest against us travelling.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo is playing with an orange volleyball on the green grass.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo playing with an orange ball.
The photo shows a dark brown/black and white mini-Australian Shepherd biting a Leonberger dog’s tail in the living room.
Our mini Australian Shepherd is harassing our Leonberger dog Bronco and biting his tail. Bronco was very patient with him.

Dogs don’t speak human languages, but they can understand many words and react to them. Some dogs such as our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo understand several hundreds of words. If you tell him, “Rollo go look out the window”, he goes and looks out the window. If you tell him, “We are going to Jack and Etty”, he starts screaming happily and running around in circles, because he knows he will get snacks there. If you say “bribe” he comes running expecting a handout, just like a politician. I could go on.

Dogs don’t speak with words, but they express themselves through body language and different kinds of barks, and if you pay attention, they can tell you a lot. For example, when Rollo lays down on his side and lets out one loud bark, he wants a belly rub. When it is 4PM and he starts staring at me, he wants dinner. When I am sitting in the sofa and he scratches my leg with his paw, it means, “move over so I can sit in the sofa”. So, you could say I also speak Dog. Sometimes people call me the dog whisperer, which I like to hear. Well, except for the sarcastic tone.

Dogs Are Family

Esther’s writing prompt: December 24th: Family

Click here or here  to join in.

With this post I wanted to remind everyone that dogs are family, and we should not forget that during the holidays, you should give them extra cuddles and some presents and let them participate in the festivities if possible.

Our Latest Trip to Baltimore

First, I wanted to say a few words about the latest addition to our family, our first grandson Jack. Our oldest son Jacob and his wife Ashley live in Baltimore, Maryland, and their son Jack is three months old. We’ve visited him a few times since his birth and these pictures are from our latest visit about a week ago. Jack is a healthy and happy baby who does a lot of cooing. See the photos below and the short video.

A photo of a three months old baby sitting in the corner of a sofa.
Jack in the sofa. Three months old.
A photo of the three of us sitting in the sofa. Baby Jack is sitting on the right. He is wearing a Pajamas.
My wife Claudia is on the left, I am in the middle and Jack is on the right.

Our Dogs Are Family

I did not grow up with dogs, and I was not even particularly fond of them, and then when we got our first family dog, the yellow Labrador Baylor, I really got to know and love dogs, and it changed my life. Now, I think I love dogs more than people. Well, at least I have learned that dogs are wonderful people. They always come with us to gatherings whenever possible and they got along very well. Our latest dog Rollo loved his sister Daisy and his big brother Bronco but he has a hard time tolerating any other dogs.

My wife, opening the trunk of our red van as Baylor, our Labrador is preparing to jump.
My wife Claudia and our first family dog the Labrador Baylor. This was back in the day. Our niece gave us Baylor because she was going to college. In turn she had gotten him from a shelter. He was a mix, one quarter Rhodesian Ridgeback and three quarters Yellow Labrador. He was able to jump up into the trunk of our van. Baylor was my first dog (not my wife’s first dog), and he taught me a lot about being a dog parent.
The photo shows a yellow labrador swimming in the middle of an Olympic sized pool.
Our Labrador Baylor is swimming in Claudia’s parents pool. He loved swimming, and he loved that pool and swam in it a lot.
A dark brown and black German Shepherd walking around in a dog park.
Our German Shepherd Baby at the dog park.
Two dogs looking into the camera. An old yellow Labrador on the left and the dark brown and black German Shepherd on the right.
Our Labrador Baylor and our German Shepherd Baby. Baylor was older in this picture. We had just gotten our Leonberger Bronco.
The photo shows a Leonberger puppy wearing a red scarf. He is looking into the camera.
This is our Leonberger Bronco (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle) at three months old.
Three dogs sitting on the floor, a Leonberger, a Japanese Chin and a Pug.
Our Leonberger Bronco (Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle), our Japanese Chin Ryu, and our Pug Daisy in the front right.
Three dogs running. On the left and unknown dog, in the middle a yellow Lab and on the right a Japanese Chin.
At the White Rock Lake dog park. Baylor our Labrador in the middle. He was old in this photo. Our Japanese Chin Ryu on the right.
The photo shows a Pug in the front left and a black and white Japanese Chin in the back to the right.
Our Pug Daisy and our Japanese Chin Ryu.
Our Japanese Chin Ryu is licking our beige pug Daisy’s ear. She is sitting in front of a vent.
Our Pug Daisy often sat in front of vents when she was cold. Daisy and our Japanese Chin Ryu were very close, like a couple. Daisy was obviously grieving when Ryu died, from cancer a bit early at only ten years old. Bronco was grieving as well.
Daisy our beige pug is lying over the back of our beige leather sofa.
Daisy is exhausted after doing nothing for a whole day.
The photos show a cage containing two dogs, a black and white mini-Australian Shepherd and an English Bulldog.
In December of 2018 we picked up our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo. His friend was an English Bulldog.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy on the floor and behind him is our big Leonberger Bronco.
Our Leonberger Bronco is welcoming Rollo.
The photo shows a young mini-Australian Shepherd puppy and beige pug on a black spotted blanket.
Our pug Daisy and Rollo are saying hello.
The photo shows a dark brown and white mini-Australian Shepherd puppy sitting on a beige tile floor.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo at 3 months old.
The photos show a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy play fully lying on his side in front of our Leonberger Bronco.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy Rollo and our Leonberger Bronco.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd standing on a chair and having his front paws on the table.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo at the table on his seventh birthday. This is a more recent picture, from October of this year.

My Other Responses to Esther’s Prompts

Happy Holidays Everyone

Leonbergers Giving Gifts to Pugs

Esther’s writing prompt: 17th December : Giving

Click here or here  to join in.

Dogs give gifts and do nice things for people and other dogs. In this post I am describing three occasions when our late Leonberger Bronco gave our Pug Daisy gifts.

Leonberger Shares a Gingerbread House

Our Leonberger dog Bronco (his full name was Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle) was an expert counter surfer, which is why we installed a pet gate to the entrance of our kitchen. Bronco knew how to open gates if they were not locked, so you had to make sure that you did not just close the gate but lock it. However, one December day I forgot to lock the gate. That was the day our daughter had made a gingerbread house and left it on the kitchen counter. Guess who ate half the gingerbread house? Guess who ate some of the other half? Bronco shared some with Daisy. He was always very generous. The photo below is what I saw when I got home that day.

A pug on the left, and Leonberger dog on the right. There are pieces of a gingerbread house on the floor. There is an open gate in the background.
The open gate behind Daisy and Bronco permitted their gingerbread-house raid.

Leonberger Shares a Baked Potato

I believe dogs have empathy, and sometimes they want to share—at least Bronco did. There was a time when we were in our home eating take-out food and Bronco stole one of our dinners, including meat, vegetables, and a baked potato. He started eating the meat, then he glanced at Daisy, who was sitting in the middle of the floor looking sad. Immediately he took the baked potato in his mouth and carried it over to her and dropped it right at her feet. I was going to get mad at him for stealing, but when I saw his kindhearted and unselfish act, I let it be.

Daisy our pug is sitting in front of a vent.
Daisy our Pug was sitting there looking sad, but she got a baked potato with bacon and butter. I should say that the photo is from another occasion when she sat in front of the vent because she was cold. But it is close enough.

Leonberger Saves our Pug Daisy’s Life

On another occasion, Bronco did something else amazing for Daisy. Despite having issues with his paws—this was around the time he was being treated for squamous cell carcinoma—he saved Daisy from an attacking German shepherd who was running loose.

We were at my wife Claudia’s parents’ house, just leaving, standing on their driveway, when one of their neighbors came out to drop some garbage in the trash can at the end of her driveway. With her was a young, probably adolescent, German shepherd, and he was not on a leash. As we were standing on the porch, I suddenly saw the shepherd flying through the bushes, his teeth bared. He quickly charged us—viciously.

First, he went for Daisy, but Bronco got between them to protect her. Essentially, Bronco saved her life. The shepherd bit his leg in return. Bronco was almost twelve when this happened, and he was not as strong as he used to be. A German shepherd would have been an easy opponent for Bronco just a few years earlier, but at that point he was old, and he did not need the extra stress.

I kicked the German shepherd in the stomach, and he ran off. Bronco’s legs were weak—he had recently had a toe operation, and his walking was unsteady—so seeing the shepherd going for the leg on which he had had his operation was very upsetting. The shepherd could have bitten me, of course, and I could have been severely injured, but I didn’t care. I was defending my dogs—who were all on a leash, by the way. If the shepherd had bitten me, the owner could have been criminally charged, and there could have been a lawsuit

The owner of the shepherd came over to apologize, but I cursed at her. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but she had a vicious and dangerous dog, and she intentionally let him run loose. In the end, though, there were no major injuries. Bronco’s leg was slightly hurt, but overall, he was fine. These days, whenever we talk about this incident, I jokingly refer to the neighbor dog as Cujo. I should say that we’ve had a German Shepherd who was a sweetheart, so this is story is in no way an attempt to disparage German Shepherds. They are typically wonderful dogs as well.

In conclusion, this third example was an example of Bronco giving up his safety and potential health to protect our Pug Daisy.

The photo shows our Leonberger Bronco standing in the backyard as a sun ray is shining down over his head.
Bronco was a hero saving Daisy’s life.

My Other Responses to Esther’s Prompts

Daily Writing Prompt What is good about having a pet

Daily writing prompt
What is good about having a pet?
View all responses

Today’s writing prompt is “What is good about having a pet?”. I can easily think of many good and wonderful things about having a pet but let’s not forget that it also comes with responsibility. Having a pet is a lifelong commitment, well their lifetime at least, and you need to treat them like family. If you cannot handle the pet when it gets old, and you are not going to treat it like family, then don’t get it.

Our Pets

We’ve owned many pets in our life, fish in aquariums, bearded dragons and other lizards, snakes, rabbits, and hamsters. We’ve owned many dogs, and we’ve had a cat for a short time. Unfortunately, we found out that I was allergic to cats and my allergy was bad. Luckily, we found a good home for the cat. My wife and I were very sad that we had to part ways with the cat, but I just got too sick, so sick that it was dangerous. I should say I am not allergic to dogs.

We were not always good pet owners. Mistakes were made. For example, our five year old daughter brought home a dozen minnows that we put in an aquarium. They were basically fish that did not end up as bait. We did a lot of fishing for a while. We placed the minnows in a clean aquarium and fed them what we were told to give them. Our daughter named them Sally one, Sally two, Sally three, Sally four, Sally five, Sally six, Sally seven, Sally eight, Sally nine, Sally ten, Sally eleven, and Sally twelve.

Freshwater fish Riffle minnow (Alburnoides bipunctatus) underwater photography. Minnow in clean water and nature habitat. Natural light. Lake and river habitat. Wild animal. Underwater photo of fish.
Sally four on the left and Sally five on the right. Minnows Asset id: 1182854671 by Rostislav Stefanek

As I mentioned, we were not always good pet parents. Our five year old daughter thought that the minnows needed a more interesting environment, so she poured cranberry juice in the aquarium. We were able to clean it out and save the minnows that time. But when she poured red paint in the aquarium, we were not successful in doing so. Our son also had a snake that needed to be fed subdued but live mice. We discovered that if you walk into a pet store and tell them you want to buy mice to feed your snake, they won’t sell the pet mice to you. Long story short we struggled with feeding the snake and eventually he died. We felt awful, but we realized that keeping a snake as a pet is not a good idea unless you really know what you are doing.

Our Dogs

The dogs we own and have owned have a very special place in our hearts. They’ve given us so much unconditional love, special moments, entertainment, and not to mention hilarious moments that we are still laughing about years after they happened. We used to have a Labrador called Baylor. Well, more correctly, he was one quarter Rhodesian Ridgeback but mostly a yellow Labrador. He was a funny and loving dog and the most skilled surfer counter I’ve ever witnessed. We also had a German Shepherd named Baby. She was also a rescue. She was a great guard dog and a loving stepmother to our Leonberger puppy Bronco. She fiercely protected him.

Our Labrador mix Baylor is lying down looking into the camera. He is on the left. Our German Shepherd Baby is lying down and looking into the camera. She is on the right.
Baylor our Labrador Rhodesian Ridgeback mix on the left and our German Shepherd Baby on the right. They were both old in this photo.

Bronco, or Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle, was our Leonberger dog. This is a big dog and a rare breed related to Saint Bernards. We got him as a puppy from a Canadian breeder who likely is North America’s most prominent Leonberger breeder. Before we were allowed to buy him, we had to go through an interview to make sure we would be good dog parents. Bronco was a friendly, confident, loving, and funny dog. He was also very protective of our other dogs as well as our hamsters. He rescued run away hamsters on several occasions. He even put them in his mouth once and carried them to safety. He had a great sense of smell and one time he alerted us to Baylor having an oncoming insulin shock and on another occasion he saved our Pug Daisy’s life.

Color photo of Leonberger puppy. He is wearing a scarf.
Bronco our Leonberger at three months old.
Bronco is standing on a red leather sofa. I am standing next to the sofa and Bronco is reaching over giving me a hug.
Our Leonberger dog Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle when he was young. He is giving me a hug.
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.

In addition to Baylor, Baby and Bronco we’ve had small dogs including our Japanese Chin Ryu, our Pug Daisy and our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo who is still with us. Ryu and Daisy were funny and easy dogs and Rollo is very energetic, curious, intelligent and funny, but admittedly a bit of work.

A black and white Japanese Chin and a Pug are sitting inside a red suitcase that us on the floor.
Ryu and Daisy are protesting that we are leaving for a trip. We had someone watching them, but they still hated it when we left.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy peeking out behind a red sofa and looking straight into the camera.
Rollo peeking out behind the sofa.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd biting a Leonberger’s tail.
Rollo frequently bit our Leonberger Bronco’s tail, and he even swung in it like a swing. He climbed all over Bronco. Bronco was very patient with him.

What is good about having a pet?

Pets bring a lot of entertainment and joy and they add life to a home. They keep you busy and keep your mind off problems, conflicts and doom scrolling. Intelligent mammals, such as dogs, will also give you cuddles, unconditional love, and they can comfort you. For example, a few weeks ago I was watching a movie that was touching and bit sad and I got a bit emotional That’s when I noticed our dog Rollo staring at me with loving eyes as he tilted his head. Then he came over to me and gave me a dog hug (pressing his body towards mine).

Another advantage of owning a dog is that they need a walk every day. Walking your dog a couple of miles per day will keep you healthy as well. Studies show that dog owners live longer than other people. In addition, dogs can provide practical services such as alerting you when strangers approach your house, they can be guard dogs, sniff out diseases and seizures, in our case without any training.

Your Responsibilities as Pet Owner

You need to feed your pet, provide clean water at all times, wash those food and water bowls daily with soap and hot water, care for your pet, keep it healthy, wash it and clean it, pay for veterinary bills, play with it and provide opportunity for exercise. If your pet is a mammal or a more advanced animal, such as a dog, you need to love it, train it, and it needs to be part of the family. If you are going to keep it on a chain in the backyard, leave it to be lonely most of the time, or uncomfortable, or let it take its own walks without supervision, or return it to a shelter when it gets old and sick, then don’t get a pet, especially not a dog.

The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle

Finally, I would like to mention that I wrote a book about Bronco and Leonbergers. About 60% of the book is about Bronco’s daring and often hilarious adventures and 40% of the book is information on Leonbergers, breed history, breed standard, training, care, health, how to get one, and there is an extensive resource guide towards the end of the book.

The face of an old Leonberger, title, and author name.
This is the front 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 book

The book is available in a lot of places including Amazon in the US, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, and many other places.

Rollo is Seven Years Old Today

Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd is turning seven years old today (October 12, 2025). This evening, we sang to him, in English, Swedish and French, and he got a pupcake (cupcake specifically for dogs) and piece of filet mignon. Later today (October 12) he will get celebrated again and have more pupcakes.

To celebrate Rollo’s birthday, I am posting 20 photos I took of Rollo today, or rather earlier this evening (October 11), as well as photos from the recent past, and also photos that are a year or older. Some of the older photos are with our late Leonberger Bronco. The first six photos I took today. If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you may have seen some of the older photos already.

Washing Rollo

Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd is looking into the camera. He is wet.
Before the festivities Rollo needed a bath. He is getting washed in the sink. He was not happy.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd is looking into the camera as he is sitting in the sink getting washed. He is wet and not happy.
When are you going to be done with this washing stuff?

Birthday Photos of Rollo

Our daughter is putting a blue birthday hat on our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo.
The birthday hat is coming on. He does not like the hat, so it did not stay on long.
Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd has his paws on the table and he is wearing a blue birthday hat.
We are getting the pup-cake ready, and we are going to sing Happy birthday in several languages. Rollo very much appreciates us singing to him in multiple languages, but mostly he appreciates the pupcake. A pupcake is a cupcake made especially for dogs. We humans had cupcakes.
Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd is standing with his paws on the table, and he is looking to the right. He is wearing a blue birthday hat.
Rollo is ready.
Photo of our mini-Australian Shepherd being fed a pupcake.
Finally Rollo gets his pupcake

Recent Photos of Rollo

Photo of our mini-Australian Shepherd being sitting on a leather sofa and looking at a pupcake.
Rollo and a pupcake on a table.
Photo of our mini-Australian Shepherd sitting on the floor in front of a Rolo candy.
Rollo and a Rolo candy. Rollo was not named after the candy bar Rolo as often incorrectly assumed. Rollo was named after the Viking king who sacked Paris. You can say he was on a roll.
Photo of our mini-Australian Shepherd lying among the covers on our bed.
Rollo likes to sleep in our beds
Photo of our mini-Australian Shepherd being a bit wet
Rollo is wet, not from being washed today but from rain on another occasion.

Older Photos of Rollo

A mini-Australian Shepherd wearing a blue party hat. He is not looking happy.
This is an old photo from his fourth birthday. He is unhappy with the hat.
On the left there is a big Leonberger dog bending his head down to sniff a small mini-Australian Shepherd lying on the grass.
Rollo almost six years ago. He had just arrived at our house. Our Leonberger Bronco is welcoming Rollo.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd is lying on the grass and looking into the camera.
Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd puppy.
A mini-Australian Shepherd puppy lying on a blanket and looking into the camera.
Close up of Rollo as a puppy.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy peeking out behind a red sofa and looking straight into the camera.
Rollo peeking out behind the sofa.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd puppy biting an orange volleyball.
Rollo playing with a volleyball.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd biting a Leonberger’s tail
Rollo frequently bit our Leonberger Bronco’s tail, and he even swung in it like a swing. He climbed all over Bronco. Bronco was very patient with him.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd looking into the camera. He is next to a chewed-up shoe.
When Rollo was young, he loved chewing shoes. Here the artist is posing with his art.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd and a Pug and young woman in between them petting them both.
Our daughter with our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo and Pug Daisy.
The photo shows a mini-Australian Shepherd sitting in a stroller.
Sometimes there are scary sounds and Rollo wanted to sit in the stroller we bought for our Pug Daisy. We have not been using that stroller since Daisy passed.

To see the blog post from Rollo’s sixth birthday click here and Rollo’s fifth birthday click here.

Promises To My Dog

Esther’s writing prompt: 17th September : Promises

Click here or here to join in.

Dogs are domesticated wolves. To survive in our human society, they need to be taken care of. We often get them as puppies and all they know is how to live with people. When you get a dog, this is a lifetime commitment. Despite this fact a lot of people buying puppies bring them to shelters and many irresponsible breeders bring unsold puppies to shelters. In addition, 7% to 20% of dogs adopted from shelters are returned to the shelters, mostly due to behavioral issues or owners’ unrealistic expectations. Dogs who were returned for behavioral issues were also more likely to be euthanized.

Some dog owners don’t even bother to turn their dog into a shelter, they just abandon them. In the U.S., approximately 3.1 million dogs enter shelters each year. Many of these are abandoned, the offspring of abandoned dogs, or lost pets. In the U.S., about 60% of dogs entering shelters are strays. As a side note, abandoning a dog is illegal in almost every US state, including Texas where I live. We dog owners need to do better. We have responsibilities towards our dogs, to feed them, raise them, train them, exercise them, take care of them, and continue to shelter them when they get old and sick.

The Leonberger community has taken significant steps towards protecting Leonberger dogs from abuse and abandonment. First, the Leonberger Club of America certifies responsible breeders and work to prevent dogs from ending up with backyard breeders and puppy mills. Breeders are required to take back and care for a dog if it does not work out. All prospective Leonberger owners are interviewed and must sign a contract dictating how they should treat the dog. If they find out that you have mistreated a dog or failed to take care of a dog you cannot buy a Leonberger. To see the transcript for our Leonberger interview click here.

12 Promises to my Dog

  • Dear fur angel, I promise to feed you properly.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to protect you from toxic foods such as raisins, grapes, chocolate, xylitol, birch sugar, onion and garlic.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to protect you from toxic plants, dangerous household items and animals.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to keep one or more water bowls always filled with fresh and clean water for you.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to comfortably shelter you.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to train you and care for your physical and emotional needs.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to walk you every day (on days when this is possible).
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to take care of all your veterinary needs.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to play with you, pet you, and throw balls.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to never abandon you.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to be there for you when you cross the rainbow bridge.
  • Dear fur angel, I promise to love you forever.

Puppy Versus Old Dog Photos

Below are some photos of our dogs. Except for the first photo, which is a photo of our Labrador Baylor and German Shepherd Baby at an advanced age, the photos are arranged so that the first is photo of the dog as a puppy followed by a photo of the same dog at an advanced age. I should say that we got Baylor and Baby when they already were adults and we don’t have puppy photos of them. What happened was that family members of ours had got them from a shelter and when those family members later needed to move, we offered to take care of them.

Both dogs are laying on their stomach. Baylor, a yellow Labrador, is on the left and Baby a brown and black German Shepherd is on the right.
Our Labrador Baylor, left, and our German Shepherd Baby, right. Both dogs are at an advanced age. I should add that Baylor was partially a mix. He was three quarters Labrador and one quarter Rhodesian Ridgeback.
Our Leonberger Bronco Puppy is sitting looking into the camera and wearing a red scarf.
Our Leonberger Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle at three months old.
Our Leonberger Puppy is sitting looking into the camera and wearing a scarf. It is a black and white picture.
Our Leonberger Bronco at three months old.
Our Leonberger is standing on the left. My wife is standing on the right and holding the Grey Muzzle Award diploma.
Our Leonberger Bronco received the Grey Muzzle Award for longevity at age 12. Leonbergers typically live 8-10 years. It was the Leonberger Health foundation International that gave him the award. My wife is holding the Grey Muzzle Award diploma.
Our soon 13 year old Leonberger Bronco is lying on the lawn in front of our house. He is looking into the camera.
Our soon 13 year old Leonberger Bronco.
Ryu our Japanese Chin is dancing with our daughter. He is looking into the camera. It looks like he is laughing.
Our Japanese Chin puppy Ryu loved to sing and dance when. Well, howl and dance.
Ryu our Japanese Chin is sitting and looking serious.
Ryu is old in this picture. He has an illness, and he is more serious.
Daisy, our pug, is in our son’s arms. He is wearing a red shirt.
Our pug Daisy in our younger son’s arms. She is a puppy in this picture. People typically assumed that Ryu was the female and Daisy the male, but it was the other way around.
Our pug Daisy, is wearing a pink party hat and she is eating a Pup Cake.
Daisy’s 15th birthday. She is getting old. She is having a Pup Cake.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo puppy is looking into the camera. He is white and dark brown.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo as a puppy.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is sitting in a black and pink pet stroller.
Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is grown up but not yet old. Here he is sitting in Daisy’s stroller. Strange noises such as ducks quacking used to scare him and then he wanted to sit in her stroller.

Rollo Comforted Me

Something amazing happened this evening. I was watching a movie, Lion, about an Indian boy, Saroo who gets lost far away from home. He and his brother were riding trains, and they got separated. He is unable to get back home and ends up in an orphanage and is eventually adopted by a loving Australian family. However, once he becomes a successful adult in Australia, he sets out to find his biological family in India, a sort of mission impossible. I know it is not something parents of adopted children are thrilled about, but he has their blessing to go and try to find them anyway. It is a beautiful movie based on a true story and it is one of the most emotive and touching movies I’ve ever seen. I’ve seen the movie before, but it is difficult, even for me, not to get a bit emotional towards the end of the movie. I highly recommend the movie if you have not seen it. But you may need a tissue box.

I am sitting in the sofa, being a bit emotional, but I don’t think I was very emotional. I don’t think it was obvious. Rollo, our mini-Australian Shepherd is sitting in the same sofa, a few feet away. I look over at him and I see his big round sad eyes staring at me as he is tilting his head. I can see the love and concern in his eyes. He slowly comes over to me, lays his paw on my leg for a bit while looking into my eyes. Then he lays down next to me and pushes his body towards my leg as if to comfort me. It just felt exactly as if that was what he was doing. He was trying to comfort me. I wasn’t really sad, but the movie was touching my heart. So, I guess my feeling was pretty close to sadness.

Rollo our dark brown and white mini-Australian Shepherd is standing in the kitchen looking sad
This is Rollo. I don’t have a photo of him from today’s experience. This photo is from a different occasion when Rollo did not look happy because we told him we are leaving.

Can dogs sense when we are sad?

It is not just Rollo. Our Leonberger Bronco, our pug Daisy and our other dogs showed on several occasions that they could sense our feelings. When one of us was sad they tried to comfort. Especially Bronco was very sensitive to people’s feelings, and he tried to comfort. When our Japanese Chin Ryu died, we were sad, and Bronco and Daisy were sad, and I believe they could sense our sadness. The whole house was in mourning, including the dogs.

I can add that Leonbergers are known to be loving dogs and are especially in tune with people’s feelings. That is why they are very often used as therapy dogs. Dogs can even use their amazing sense of smell to detect emotions in people. “Can Dogs Sense Human Emotions?” is is an excellent article from “the Vets” on the topic. Check out the section under “Can dogs sense when we are sad? ”. I think you can recognize what just happened with Rollo. This is another interesting article from VCA Animal Hospitals. This post features a video about a therapy Leonberger called Scout.

Our Leonberger is standing on the large red leather sofa giving me a kiss.
Me and our Leonberger Bronco when he was young. He is giving me a hug.

Dogs can sense and detect a lot of things, our emotions, mood, fear, whether you are pregnant or not, illness, cancer, diabetes, whether you are a negative person, whether you are about to have a seizure, the weather, and they have an amazing sense of smell. You can read more about that here.

Recently Rollo impressed me with his amazing sense of smell. You can read about that here. Guess who had a truly amazing sense of smell? That was Bronco our Leonberger. You can read about that in the same post.

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Today is Rainbow Bridge Day or Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day. We remember the dogs, or the pets that we’ve owned that passed over the rainbow bridge. I made a Rainbow Bridge post exactly one year ago today and since we have not lost any dogs since last year, I’ve decided to just reblog last year’s post.  I am also adding illustrations of our lost pets.

Rainbow Bridge Day and the Dogs We Lost
The illustration shows a Labrador crossing a wooden bridge that has a rainbow over it. He is looking back a little bit. The text says “You were our favorite HELLO and our hardest GOODBYE”.
We lost our wonderful and brave Labrador-Rhodesian-Ridgeback mix under very tragic and unexpected circumstances. His untimely and cruel death has left us with a sorrow and regret that we will never overcome. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
The picture shows a brown-black German Shepherd looking up at a star. The text says, “You have left our lives, but you will never leave our heart.”.
Our German Shepherd Baby was like a mother to our Leonberger Bronco. She played with him, protected him fiercely, and care for him. She passed in 2009.
A black and white Japanese Chin is sitting at the bottom of stairways going up into the clouds where Baylor and Baby us waiting for him. The text says “Little fur angel at the Rainbow Bridge, we will always love you. Run and play little one.”
Our happy, lively and energetic Japanese Chin Ryu was a great singer/howler. He left us in February 2018. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
Painting showing our Leonberger Bronco’s face. Like all Leonbergers he has a black mask and fluffy hair.
This is a portrait of our Leonberger Bronco who passed on June 16 2020. The portrait was drawn by Veniceme at Etsy (Natasha Dall’Ara) and it is based on one of our photos.
Our Leonberger Bronco is sitting in the middle of the illustration. To his left is Ryu and to his right is Daisy. Ryu says, “they are still talking about you”. Bronco responds, “I know”.
Our Leonberger Bronco lived a long life for a Leonberger, almost 13 years. He was a kind, brave, and friendly dog who loved and protected our other dogs. This blog and the book I write was started as a tribute to Bronco. Illustration by Naomi Rosenblatt.
Daisy our beige pug is laying in the grass and there are some flowers.
A painting of our late pug Daisy who passed away last April. It is based on one of our photos and created by Etsy. I believe by the same woman who made Bronco’s portrait (see above).

The Rainbow Bridge

According to an article in the Washington Post, the Rainbow Bridge is “a mythical overpass said to connect heaven and earth—and, more to the point, a spot where grieving pet owners reunite for good with their departed furry friends.” According to the article, it’s also a poem of unknown origin that spawned a pet-bereavement movement and even a worldwide Pet Remembrance Day, August 28. However, the part about unknown origin may not be entirely correct. Here is an article that tells us about the origin of the poem . The poem in its entirety follows.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge. When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing: they each miss someone very special to them who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together

National Dog Day

This illustration, cartoon feature nine dogs in two rows. In the top row is a Dalmatian, Dachshund, Pug, and Jack Russel. The next row features a Chihuahua, Corgi, Great Dane, German Shepherd and a Pomeranian.
Cartoon dog pets with happy muzzles. Shutterstock Asset id: 2497974643 by Foxy Fox.

Today is National Dog Day. According to this website “Every year on August 26, National Dog Day celebrates the bond between humans and dogs while spotlighting the many dogs still in need of a loving home.”. It was Jacqui Murray who alerted me to the existence of National Dog Day. As a family we’ve owned six dogs including two rescues. They were:

  • Baylor our funny and brave Labrador Rhodesian Ridgeback mix.
  • Baby our nurturing and motherly German Shepherd.
  • Bronco our funny and loving Leonberger. He is the focus of this blog.
  • Ryu our Japanese Chin and energetic little opera singer (howling).
  • Daisy our calm and easy pug.
  • Rollo our rambunctious but loving mini-Australian Shepherd.

I should say we’ve been around many other dogs and owned other dogs further back in time. To celebrate National Dog Day, I decided to show photos of our dogs as well as dogs owned by friends and a few stock photos of dogs. A lot of the dog photos are of Leonbergers since this is a Leonberger blog. However, I would like to point out that we are celebrating all dogs, pure bred, as well as mixed breeds.

The illustration features four rows with five dogs each. Top Row: Komondor, Kooikerhondje, Korean Jondo, Korean Mastiff, and Korean Yellow Spitz. Second Row : Kromfohrlander, Kuchi Dog, Kunming Wolfdog, Kuvasz, and Kyrgyz Sighthound. Third Row: Labrador Retriever, Laekenois Belgian Shepherd, Lagotto Romagnolo, Lai Dog, and Lakeland Terrier. Bottom Row: Lancashire Heeler, Landseer, Lapponian Herder, Large Munsterlander, and finally the Leonberger.
Cartoon illustration of 20 dog breeds including the Leonberger. Shutterstock Asset id:  2658034883 by A7880S

Below are some of my previous Leonberger photo posts:

Miscellaneous Dog Photos

Ten Leonberger puppies sitting on a sofa. They are brown with black face masks. An adult Leonberger is lying in front of them.
Ten Leonberger puppies with mama. Shutterstock-ID: 561107650 by Akbudak Rimma.
Six Leonbergers with celebration hats are looking straight into the camera.
Six Leonbergers celebrating a birthday celebration. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.
A photo of a Leonberger puppy wearing a red scarf.
This is a photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was three months old.
A photo of a Leonberger puppy wearing a scarf. He has his tongue out.
This is a black and white photo of our Leonberger Bronco when he was three months old.
Our Leonberger dog Bronco is standing in front of me and looking straight into the camera. I am sitting in the sofa.
Our Leonberger dog Bronco as an adult. He is coming up to me. He wants my attention.
Our Labrador mix Baylor is lying down looking into the camera. He is on the left. Our German Shepherd Baby is lying down and looking into the camera. She is on the right.
Baylor our Labrador Rhodesian Ridgeback mix on the left and our German Shepherd Baby on the right. They were both old in this photo.
Close up photo of Baylor our Labrador Rhodesian Ridgeback mix. He is looking into the camera.
Baylor is younger in this photo. The photo is from around 2005 or 2006. Baylor had a smile that would warm the coldest hearts.
Baylor our Labrador mix is seen swimming in big pool with clear water.
Baylor loved to swim in Claudia’s parents’ pool. Claudia is my wife.
Photo of our German Shepherd Baby at the dog park.
Our German Shepherd Baby was always a little wary at the dog park.
The photo shows a black dog on the left and our brown-black German Shepherd Baby on the right.
Our German Shepherd Baby is reluctantly playing with another dog at White Rock Lake dog park near Dallas, Texas.
Our daughter 9 years old is holding the paws of our Japanese Chin Ryu. Ryu is standing on his back legs, and it looks like he is laughing.
Our Japanese Chin Ryu with our daughter who was 9 years old at the time.
Our Japanese Chin Ryu is sitting on the wood floor.
Our Japanese Chin Ryu.
Our Japanese Chin is sitting on the left in suitcase and our pug on the right.
Our Japanese Chin Ryu and our Pug Daisy are protesting our travel by sitting in our suitcase. They want to come with us.
Our pug Daisy is lying on her back on the gravel. There is also a toy duck.
Our pug Daisy loved to sunbath even when it was hot. Here she is catching some rays while lying on our old backyard porch, which had gravel.
Two Leonbergers standing next to each other and wearing party headwear typical for a carnival.
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.
Photo of seven Leonbergers on the sand on a beach.
Digory with Leonbergers friends on the beach. Photo by Jen O’Keefe.
A Leonberger is lying on the floor, and my book is leaning against the dog.
Hachi is a Canadian Leonberger. Here he is featured with my book. The owner and photographers are Brenda Saito and her husband.
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.
Our pug Daisy is on the lawn on the left. Our Leonberger Bronco is standing on the right.
Our Leonberger Bronco and our Pug Daisy
Rollo as a puppy peering out from behind a sofa chair.
Who is peeking out behind the sofa? The answer is Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd.
Our Leonberger Bronco is lying on the floor. Our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo is lying on his side wanting to be petted.
Our Leonberger Bronco and our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo.
Rollo holding a soccer ball with his paw.
Rollo loves rolling and chasing balls.
Rollo our mini-Australian Shepherd is sitting in a pink stroller.
Rollo is anxious and easily frightened. Daisy’s stroller is a good thing to sit in for such occasions.
Bronco is lying in green grass. Our house and brick wall are in the background.
Our Leonberger Bronco is in the front yard.
Rachel kneeling on the floor and petting our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo who is on the left as well as our pug Daisy who is on the right.
Our daughter with our pug Daisy and our mini-Australian Shepherd Rollo.
Our Pug Daisy has a pink party hat on. My wife is feeding her a piece of cake.
This is a photo I took. It was Daisy’s 15th birthday. I can add that this photo was stolen by the administrators of several Pug groups on Facebook and posted as if it was their own photo. Sometimes her name was Daisy but sometimes they made up new names for her including male names. They also used the approval feature to prevent you from complaining. This was very common. I was unable to find an honest Pug group on Facebook. Posting dog photos on a blog is much more rewarding.
Daisy our beige pug is laying in the grass and there are some flowers.
A painting of our late pug Daisy who passed away last April. It is based on one of our photos and created by Etsy. I believe by the same woman who made Bronco’s portrait (see below).
Painting showing our Leonberger Bronco’s face. Like all Leonbergers he has a black mask and fluffy hair.
The portrait was drawn by Veniceme at Etsy (Natasha Dall’Ara) and it is based on one of our photos.

Dog Books to Check Out

I wrote a book about our amazing and funny Leonberger . The book also features tips for care and training of Leonbergers and other large dogs, as well as a resource guide. The title of the book is The Life and Times of Le Bronco von der Löwenhöhle: Stories and Tips from Thirteen Years with a Leonberger. You can buy the paperback version here or the Kindle version here. You can buy it on Canadian Amazon here. To find out more about the book and where else to buy it click here.

I would also like to recommend a great dog book, Sam: A Shaggy Dog Story by Sally Cronin. To read my review for the book click here.

Another recommendation I have is The Good Dog: A Novella by Laura Stamps. To read my review for the book click here.

I am also looking forward to receiving a new promising poetry dog book, King Copper: Our dog’s life in poetry by Lauren Scott.