Our NSW Leonbergers
Chardy and Elsa
Hi My name is Beth and I own 2 leonbergers and I live in the wollongong area NSW Australia.
I first descovered the leonberger about 5 years ago while I search the internet looking for a dog breed that would suit my life style after many years of looking for just the right dog I found the Leonberger.. I found that there were some Leos in Australia and decided that this breed was well worth looking in too..
I contacted several breeders and got my self on the several chat groups where I learned a lot about Leos and made a lot of new friends from around the world..
I went to the Royal Easter Show to view my first Leonberger and I was very imprested at the 3 Leonbergers that were entered these dogs had the tempermant and personality that I was looking for in a dog, and as a bonus they had stunning looks tooo! The dog that impressed me the most was called Rowan (Vannroy Black Adder) owned by Marrion Graham of 'Tulse Hill Kennels'. Rowan was a stunning looking leo even though at the time I viewed him (according to Marion) he was out of coat - he looked fine to me!! - I walked around the show grounds all day and visited him may times during the day and with out fail he was standing up at the fence on the bench seat talking to everyone he had the same happy grin on his face at 4pm as he did when they first got there at 8am.... several times Marion made him get down so he could have a drink etc... but he insisted on geting back up to talk to the people and kids... I would like to Thank Rowan and Marion and the others that day for introducing me in person to this wonderful breed of dog.
I was soon on a waiting list for one of these special pups - they are still a very rare breed in Australia and there is almost always a wait for a pup but it was worth every second of it!
CHARDY
My 1st Leo I got was Chardy ( Aust. Ch. Hochspitz Chardonnay ) bred by Karen Hindson of Hochspitz Kennels she was born in the Victorian High country on the 12.9.2001. so when the time came that the pups were old enough to go to there new homes, My Father and I drove down to Karens to pick my puppy.. After meeting up with Karen and Pascha ( Pridelands First Passion - Imp. NewZealand) the pups mum and the rest of Karens dogs there I finnaly got a chance to meet the pups - It took me about 3 hours to choose one and I only had 4 to pick from out of 9 pups as the others were spoken for al ready thankfully or I may have been there all night.... Finnaly My dad and I both settled on the pup that had been playing in the water and then playing in the garden by its self and now had a full muddly back leg so was very easy to pick out.. who we both agree'd had the nicest head in our eyes anyway.. She was to be called 'Chardy' !
Karen talked me in to showing Chardy in an efort to get the Leonberger known to the public and to judges in the show ring... when I first started to show in early 2002 most judges had no idea what a Leo even looked like and it was rare in deed to get a judge that had ever put there hands on a Leo... even though we were very slack in showing and only going now and then and mostly only in Winter as Summer is just too hot for me and the dogs.... in May 2004 Chardy got her Australian Championship which I was very pleased to finnaly get there, I have now been biten by the bug for showing dogs and really enjoy it I have made heeps of new friends with different breeds who helped me to find my way around the show ring as My breeder was in a different state and no other Leos were being shown at the time in NSW. 
I had decided that when Chardy was around 2 years old I would get another Leo - this way she would be under control and calmed down with age so as not to squish or hurt a pup but still be young enough to play with a full grown young and very frisky Leo.
ELSA
So early in 2003 I talked to Kerrie Port owner of Roanoak Kennels in Tasmaina, and joined her Waiting list for a pup at that time Kerrie had not fully decided to which dogs she was going to breed with she had two females that she was intending to mate up in that year - I decided that I was happy to wait as I was in no rush....
I had met Kerrie before when I flew Chardy at 4 months old down to Melbourne for a Big Leo Get together and our First Leonberger specialty show to be held in Australia, Kerrie brought her two Leos 'Luke' (Lukas Von Der Lowenhohle - Imp. Cannada) and 'Katie' (Ariel Von Drevas - Imp. Cannada) Accross on the Ferry from Tasmainia to the mainland... I was very impressed by Kerries dogs but more than that Over the years of knowing her I have been very impressed by Kerries values when It comes to breeding dogs.
On the 6.1.2004 after waiting what seemed like a life time my new Baby Leo Girl was finnaly born, there was 4 girls and 1 boy. it was several weeks before I knew which little girl would be mine. Kerrie set up a web site that she posted photos of the pups on so we could watch the pups grow, this was great every day I would dive into the web site to see if more photo had been put on.... Kerrie asked a lot of questions, as to what we wanted out of the pups so she could match us up with the right pup.. Soon Kerrie told me that Blue Girl was to be mine - I was over the moon as this was the pup that had caught my eye as she looked bigger and darker than the other girls and My favourte colour is blue - I called her Elsa after the movie Born Free which had always been my favourite movie as a kid and I still like it.... 
Elsa arrived on an early fight to Sydney with her Sister Mia who was going to live with Kath in Canberra - Kath and husband drove up early to meet there little girl we both got to the airport around 7am but the plane was not getting in till about 8am I don't think that either of us could sleep. My Mum and Dad were also there to view there 2nd grand child's arrival.... The 2 girls had a non aventful flight, when we all got our first look at them they were sitting calmly in their crate together wondering where they were going now.. after the papper work was done and we got to finnaly hold our little pups it was like a dream come true.. the pups were so good and took everything in there stride it was as though they had lived with us all there lives and had just popped out side for a few minuites. we let them have a walk around a bit and then we all headed to home so these little kids could settle in and get some breaky..
Leos in my home
My home is very much complete now with 3 dogs... I have a 15 year old X lab/Mastiff. called Cindy she wandered in to my life at about 6 months old and has been the best dog you could have asked for... I sat down and wrote a list of all Cindys best points as she was getting older and then tryed to find a breed of dog that came as close as possible to this.. I own a dog grooming salon and the dogs come with me to work everyday So I need a dog that is good with other animals big and small and very friendly with people.. this is roughly the list of things I needed (and got)...
Good with people, non aggressive with dogs big and small, not too noisy, fairly easy to groom, easy to train, good with other animals like chickens, guard dog with out too much aggression, a dog that people are not frightened of, very calm dog, a dog that likes to have a lot of fun and be active. I came up with the Leonberger!
My Girls go to work at the salon every day with me and often greet the customers over the counter.. at first people get a shock with there size but very quicky work out for them selfs that these dogs are very friendly and mean no harm to them or there dog and just want to say Hello. I have had no trouble at all with them and other dogs even if a customers dog is very aggressive to them they just give it a look - as if to say how rude and walk away - My girls are quiet and calm when inside or on lead but when they are loose and its time to play they have increadable speed and can turn on a dime.. its quite impressive to see a dog the size of a Leo runing flat out and being able to turn and dodge like a small dog when they play with other dogs or just haveing a run to release some pent up energy.. just becareful they don't run into anyone as they are not always paying attention at where they are running.... not long ago my almost 1 year old Leo Elsa was running in the back yard with Chardy just as I bent over to pick somthing up Elsa ran into my head with a crack.. she almost knocked me out - I had blood everywhere and a large cut above my eye where out heads hits.... this was an accident but shows that they are big dogs with a lot of weight behind them and they can do damage if your not careful. Elsa was fine by the way and just wondered what all the fuss was about...
In Obedance school Both my girls have gone very well.. Chardy got though all the classes vey quickly and was the youngest dog to be in the top class in out training club... only too be soon beaten by her younger Brother Hercules how was only about 7 months old when me made it to the top class.. the only thing I find in training is that they do get board and its up to you to keep it interesting and that the instuctors keep thinking that they are older than they are and expect too much.. its up to you to keep reminding them that this very good and stable dog is only 6 months old even though they are bigger than every other dog in the class and usuly better behaved......
As far as walking your Leo These dogs don't like the heat and in Summer it is much better to let them play and run etc in the early hours of the morning or once it has cooled down late afternoon to night... and let them rest somewhere cool like in the bathroom. Leos are born loving water and will happly play in a wading pool or go for a swim down the beach or dam.. but if none of the above are avalible they will just swim in there water bowl. the standard way a Leo drinks out of a bucket is to have at least one or better still both front legs in the bucket. and trying to pursade them not to put there feet in the bucket falls on deaf ears usuly....