Leonbergers at Leonius

Willow is our first Leonberger and she is a real diamond. She holds a very special place in our hearts and we just adore her. She has a bomb proof temperament and is the most gentle dog I have ever known, she is great with all children especially ours and with our little girl Emily who she seems to have a special patience with.

An example of her wonderful temperament is once while we were on holiday in Wales, we had stopped for a drink in a pub after a walk on the beach, there was a lady in the pub garden who had a little boy who was terrified of Dogs due to a rather unfortunately encounter when he was small, on seeing Willow he moved away very quickly and Willow just sat quietly and watched him. About 10 minutes later Willow was lying on the floor when to his mothers astonishment the little boy just got up and came over and sat down and just started to stroke her, Willow stayed really still and then slowly she put her head onto his lap and just lay there while he stroked her head. Willow seamed to know that this little boy was in need of this contact and she just stayed there for some 10 minutes. While I reassured the little boys mum she stood in amazement close to tears and said she had tried everything to help her little boy overcome his fear. She thanked us very much, but I didn't know what to say as we did nothing it was just Willow, being Willow.

Willow has now retired from Showing and we enojoy other more fun events like Water Rescue work and Agility which Willow just loves and altough she was diagnosed with AF a possibly hereditary disorder and also is a possible LP carrier she continues to be a cruicial part of our family. Here are some of the pictures our beautiful girl.


Willows first trip to the beach	Prancing in the Garden at 12 weeks old	Trying to fit through the cat flap!

Making friends with Kia my Mums and Dads boxer dog	Willow at the National Working and Pastoral Champ Show where she qualified for crufts in 2003	Resting in the garden on holiday at aged 18months with Kia, this was the day after Willow met the little boy in our story above.

If you cant get comfortable this way	Try this way.....!	Willow at 18 months in the playground near our home

Mucking around in the garden with her toys	Willow playing with her leo friends Daisy and Lotti on one of our regular Sunday walks	It's never too cold for a dip in the lake.... but you try getting her in the bath!

All muddy after a walk in the woods	Swimming in the sea on holiday in Wales in 2005	Anyone for sand castles.

Standing on a Combe in the heart of Wales on holiday in 2005	Come on Mum... Ti try's to convince mum that a swim is a good idea.	Willow and Indi sitting very nicely for me.

Getting ready for our walk in the field, Ti, Willow and Indi	Having a rest on the way back home	Willow rolling in the grass, she loves doing this and it never fails to make me laugh.

Willow and Indi (my arty pictures!)	All three of my troublesome trio	Under their favourite apple tree having a rest

Willow with her son Ti at the bottom of the garden, Ti has spotted a rabbit......look out bunny......here we come......	Willow aged 4 years and 8 months	Still in her summer coat but looking fab

My beautiful Willow.	Willow with her first Water Rescue	After her dip she waits patiently on the bank for me - now ages 6 years she is still as lovely as ever.

Having a rest after a long day of Water Work, shes way too big for this basket but could I get her out of it.....Nooooooo.	Willow warms up with some low jumps over a set of 4 jumps in a zig zag pattern, its crucial to warm the dog up first, people would do the same to help prevent injury.	Then we continue with some weave practice not easy for a big dog, you can just see the nets that are used to help teach the dogs the correct way through the poles. These come off one by one until they are no longer needed.

All warmed up, here she goes over a full height jump .... 1 ... the up....	........ 2 ...... the over	.....3.... down and done, a love set of pictures showing just how agilile and graceful the Leo can be.