Wanderweg Leonbergers

26/08/2024

How cute are we now! Pictures posted at 7 weeks old. They are big strong beautiful puppies! We love them!

14/08/2024

The first mobile is all set up! They love it! ❤️🩷💜💚

14/08/2024

Puppies are now exploring their puppy yard! They love it! ❤️🩷💜💚

12/08/2024

The puppies are nice and desensitized to fireworks! They don’t even notice them anymore. Clever pups. 🩷💜❤️💚

08/08/2024

The Fab Four are 5 weeks old! They are now looking like 'real' puppies! I am in love with them all! They are adorable and sweet! ❤️🩷💜💚

08/08/2024

Look at us now! The Fab Four are five weeks old! They are now in active play and love to play with their balls! They are growing so fast and are very big for their age! They spend a lot of time in the kitchen now and will be spending time outside soon! Their outside puppy area is all set up! So cute! ❤️🩷💜💚

06/08/2024

A little late! The puppies posted here with their four week photos! They are all doing great! 5 week photos coming soon! ❤️🩷💜💚

30/07/2024

The Fab Four are 4 weeks old!! They are growing so fast and are loving their new puppy space!! Their weekly photos to follow soon! ❤️💜🩷💚

24/07/2024

The Fab Four had their first puppy goats milk out of a bowl! They loved it! Though they aren’t too hungry being so well fed by momma! In few days some chicken, Honest Kitchen and a few other things will be added to goats milk! Yummy!❤️🩷💜💚

21/07/2024

Fiona’s fab four are three weeks old! They are doing amazing and are growing so fast! The puppies’ eyes are now open and they are starting to hear things too! They are walking everywhere really well and are starting to be aware of each other and their toys! Their looks will really change over the next week and by four weeks of age will start to look like real puppies! They are getting cuter every day (if that is even possible!).

This upcoming week is going to be a big one when they move from their box to their puppy pen! It’s always exciting for us and also the puppies for them to have more space! The puppy pen is all set up and waiting for them! Fiona is being the best mom to the puppies! They are all very fat and happy! We are so thrilled to have them. ❤️🩷💜💚

18/07/2024

Two and half weeks old and has found comfort friend. So sweet. ❤️🐾

14/07/2024

Dark Pink girl featured at 2 weeks of age. So sweet. 🩷🐾

14/07/2024

Fiona’s puppies are 2 weeks old! The puppies and Fiona are all doing great! Miss Dark Pink girl is one of the largest puppies we have ever had being over 5 lbs at 2 weeks old! Red girl isn’t very far behind and is also a very well fed puppy! Little Miss Light Pink girl is the smallest in the litter, but she’s still quite a big puppy compared to an average female puppy at 2 weeks old at well over a 1.5 lbs! And Lime boy is trying to catch his big sisters and is growing fast! The puppies’ eyes are starting to open, and they are starting to play a little. Still too young for real play but are starting to become more aware of the world! They are very quiet and happy puppies, except when they think they are too hot even though they are in an air-conditioned house! Fiona is being a wonderful mom and is enjoying her little crew. She’s such a sweetie! Next week the puppies will keep doing what they are doing, but their eyes will fully open, and they will start to be able to hear and they will continue to get cuter and cuter! They will start to be able to walk and explore more around their puppy box. We are so thankfully for our fabulous four. 🩷❤️🩷💚

04/07/2024

It is with a broken heart I write this post. The saying ‘breeding isn’t for the faint of heart’, definitely hit home this week. Fiona is fine and that is so important and she’s being a great mom to her four lovely fat and happy puppies. The puppies were born on Sunday, June 30 starting in the morning. The puppies were very large, too big for Fiona. She had four puppies normally and then ran into trouble with a stuck puppy. We took Fiona straight away to the vet for an emergency c-section. Sadly, though with too much heartbreak none of the remaining four puppies could be resuscitated. We really don’t understand why this is, maybe a combination of things. This is the worst loss of puppies (four male puppies) we have ever had after all the years of breeding. 💔💔💔💔

The silver lining of course is that Fiona is doing well as are the four sweet puppies born naturally. So thankful for those four puppies. We have three sweet girls and one handsome boy. Pictures to follow. ❤️🩷💜💚

27/06/2024

One more week until the puppies arrive! Fingers crossed everything goes easily for her! We cannot wait to meet these sweet puppies. Contact us for more information. 🐾❤️

10/06/2024

We are delighted to announce that Fiona and Hatchi are expecting an exciting litter of Leonberger puppies, due on July 3.

This litter is particularly special to us. Hatchi’s sire, Little George, is a wonderful dog from our breeding, and Hatchi’s full brother, the amazing Neville, has had a very successful show career in the UK.
Fiona is an amazingly beautiful, sweet, and fun Leo with an incredible character. Both Fiona and Hatchi are fully health tested. We cannot wait for these sweet puppies to arrive. They are going to be so lovely!

Contact us for more information on our upcoming litter; we still have several spots available on our reservation lists.

25/02/2024

While the weather was good snapped a couple of photos of our two young Leo girls. Ava is the dark beauty and Moxie is the lighter one. Moxie is two years old and Ava will be two next month. They are both sweeties! We are excited about their futures! ❤️🩷💜

06/02/2024

Lydia's first major snowfall! Having so much fun in the snow! She is now 7 months old! ❤️💜🩷

23/01/2024

The signs of bloat can be subtle but the faster one acts the better the outcome! Bloat and torsion are always a concern in any large breed dog. So happy this gorgeous girl had the best outcome. ❤️🩷💜

Heidi (Greater Swiss Mountain Dog) came to the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic with Gastric Dilation, the precursor to Gastric Dilation and Volvulus - also known as GDV or bloat.

GDV occurs when the stomach fills with air and flips or twists upon itself, causing extreme pressure and cutting off the blood supply. GDV is most common in large, deep chested breeds. Some of the warning signs can include:

- Pacing, restlessness, agitation
- Retching or trying unsuccessfully to vomit, with or without drooling
- Pale gums
- Rapid heart rate/increased or shallow breathing/panting
- Obvious signs of distress
- Distended abdomen
- Shock
- Collapse

Not all dogs will show all symptoms. GDV is a life threatening condition that requires immediate veterinary intervention.

In Heidi's case, the good news was that her people were able to bring her to the emergency hospital BEFORE her stomach actually flipped, a rare situation. She received surgery to decompress her stomach and at the same time a gastropexy was performed. A " pexi" surgery is when the stomach is physically tacked to the abdominal wall, greatly reducing the risk of it flipping or twisting in the future.

Hats off to Heidi's people for recognizing the signs! It can be difficult at times to ascertain when and if our pets need emergency care but in situations like this, minutes matter. A very sweet and lucky girl 🙂

11/01/2024

Pet insurance definitely is a personal choice but it also definitely saves lives! This vet bill would have been enormous! Glad that the pup is doing better and was able to go home! ❤️🐾

This beautiful boy is Kurgan! Kurgan's story is a great example of the value of pet insurance.

Kurgan came to the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic with leptospirosis. Leptospirosis is a bacteria that can attack the body in many different ways - because of this, infection can range from less serious to life threatening.

Kurgan was very ill and required intensive treatment - he remained with us for ten days before finally being well enough to go home with his family. This type of hospitalization is very expensive, costing thousands of dollars and requiring around the clock care. Pet insurance helped alleviate the stress of such an unplanned expense.

Pet insurance can be a controversial subject - it's a very personal choice and pet owners should decide what is right for their situation. Sometimes people are advised to put money away monthly instead - but the fact is, emergencies happen unexpectedly and unless there has been a significant amount of time to save, that may not be sufficient. Or there may be multiple emergencies or chronic conditions, all of which can be costly. As an emergency hospital, we see the way insurance can bring peace of mind.

As for Kurgan, he was with us long enough to make A LOT of friends! He became a bit of a favorite and everyone was so happy to see him go home with his people ♥️

(Questions about insurance? Your family veterinary team can help! )

25/12/2023

Lydia at almost 6 months old would like to wish all her brothers and sisters and all the other Wanderweg families a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. 🩷💜❤️

10/12/2023

We are starting to take reservations for our 2024 (spring/summer) Leonberger puppies. We are so excited about our upcoming litters! A new generation of puppies will soon be here from fully health tested parents with excellent characters! Interested in one of our gorgeous, healthy and well socialized puppies please contact us. Pictured below: Wanderweg male Leonberger puppy at 8 weeks of age. ❤️💜🧡

15/11/2023

Little Miss Lydia learning how to play with the big dogs! She was so proud of her stick! Lydia is now almost 4.5 months old and growing nicely! Leo puppies grow so fast! And the two hooligans playing in the background were having too much fun on this gorgeous fall day. ❤️🐾

29/10/2023

Lydia hanging with the gang on a beautiful fall
day! She loves to run around with her friends! But we mitigate it a lot so she doesn’t get an injury as she’s still so small compared to the others! ❤️🐾

29/10/2023

Puppy Lydia is growing up fast! She still has her puppy coat but soon it will start changing to look more like an adult coat. The puppy coats are so special. Wish they stayed longer. Lydia has also lost her first two teeth! She’s such a sweetie! ❤️🐾

23/10/2023

Know the signs of bloat and torsion! So happy this beautiful dog is okay!

9 year old Crush came to the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic with Gastric Dilation and Volvulus (also known as GDV or more commonly, bloat)

GDV occurs with the stomach fills with gas or swallowed air, causing it to become distended. Sometimes it stops at that point but often the stomach will then twist or flip, cutting off the blood supply and causing tremendous pressure. This is an immediate life threatening condition where time is of the essence and minutes matter.

Things you may see :

- retching or unsuccessful attempts to vomit
- drooling
- panting
- distended, hard abdomen
- pacing, panting, clear distress
- shock
- collapse

Not all dogs will display all symptoms.

Deep chested dogs are at the greatest risk for GDV.

Treatment is surgical. The stomach must be untwisted and then "tacked" securely into place. Left untreated, the dog will go into shock and die. And as non- traumatic canine emergencies go, many veterinarians would list Gastric Dilation and Volvulus as the biggest.

Crush was immediately admitted and emergency surgery was performed. He responded well with hospitalization and critical care and was soon able to go home with his family. ( And a big thank you to his people for sharing this beauty of a photo!)

12/10/2023

Took a few photos of some of the Leonbergers today! Little Lydia is now 14 weeks old and loves to hang out with her buddies! Was a gorgeous fall day here in Nova Scotia. ❤️🐾

22/09/2023

1 year old Winston was admitted to the Metro Animal Emergency Clinic with xylitol ingestion. Winston had seizure activity after helping himself to garbage.

Xylitol, sometimes labeled as birch sugar, is a sugar free sweetener that is toxic to dogs. Signs of toxicity that can occur minutes or hours after ingestion:

- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Lack of coordination
- Difficulty standing/lethargy
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Coma or death.

The problem is twofold. The first is life threatening hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. This can happen quickly and accounts for the immediate symptoms that occur. The second is possible liver damage or failure, and this may not be apparent immediately.

The treatment involves critical care hospitalization, IV fluids and careful monitoring of blood sugar and liver values.

Winston was lucky! After 48 hours his blood sugar levels had stabilized and his liver values were good, so he was able to go home with his family. He was quite excited to say goodbye to us 😁

30/08/2023

Are you contemplating bringing a Leonberger into your life? This decision entails more than just selecting a new pet; it involves integrating a furry friend into your daily routine, budget, and overall lifestyle. To help you make an informed choice, let's delve into the essential considerations when choosing a dog, with a specific focus on whether a Leonberger is the right fit for you.

Understanding Your Lifestyle Compatibility:
Before you welcome a Leonberger into your home, take a moment to reflect on your daily activities. Does your work demand a substantial amount of your time? Do early mornings present a challenge for you? Are you frequently drawn to travel? These questions set the stage for understanding whether your lifestyle is suitable for 100+ lbs of attention-seeking fur. Maybe a little Chihuahua is a better fit after all?

The role of a dog owner is a significant commitment that comes with transformative changes. Leonbergers requires physical and mental engagement. Can you dedicate time to take your Leonberger for on daily walks? On long or miserable days? Keep in mind that some Leonbergers are quite active and benefit from even more exercise. Are you prepared to invest effort in obedience training, housebreaking, and engaging play sessions? It's important to consider whether you can adapt your travel plans to accommodate your four-legged companion's needs. Not every pet-sitter feels comfortable with Leonbergers!

Assessing Financial Preparedness:
The love you have for a dog is boundless, but the costs associated with their care are should be considered. A 2017 report estimates that dog owners typically spend between $27,074 and $42,545 over a decade to ensure their pet's well-being. Leonbergers are on the higher side of costs for preventatives, veterinary care, food, and cool t-shirts.

Matching Your Lifestyle with the Leonberger:
It’s not wise to pick a dog because of how the breed makes you feel or how much you enjoy their appearance or quirks. We must crucially consider how well a particular breed aligns with your lifestyle. If you find yourself drawn to the Leonberger's majestic presence and gentle nature, it's worth delving into the breed's characteristics in more depth. Remember that each breed comes with its own personality, appearance, energy levels and capacity to treat your home as one big chew toy.

Addressing Grooming Needs:
Unlike fish, dogs require investment of time and money to maintain a healthy, clean double coat. All breeds with long fur, from Pekingese to Afghan Hounds, demand daily brushing to prevent tangles. Shedding is another factor to consider; breeds like the Leonberger that shed heavily require more frequent cleaning and grooming efforts (as will your home!).

Personality Compatibility:
Selecting the right dog is akin to finding a compatible partner. The ideal match will share your preferences and habits, whether that involves cozy evenings at home or outdoor adventures. Every dog has a unique personality, and the Leonberger is no exception. As you consider this breed, be sure to inquire about energy levels, interactions with children and other pets, and any special health considerations.

Embracing the Commitment:
Owning a dog is not only an exciting venture but also a significant commitment that could extend for a decade or more. Before you make a final decision, equip yourself with knowledge and readiness. Learning about the breed, its needs, and the responsibilities it entails will create a solid foundation for a joyful partnership between you and your new family member.
As you take steps toward becoming a Leonberger owner, keep in mind that a well-informed decision leads to a smoother transition. Whether you're embarking on hikes together or sharing quiet moments at home, the journey ahead promises companionship and fulfillment.