09/10/2025
Oh, Hugo!! 🥰❤️ This beautiful guy is a Leonberger, a giant working breed from Germany. Originally bred as farm dogs, draft dogs, and even water rescue dogs, Leonbergers also earned their place as noble companions to European royalty. 👑
One of the many things that makes Hugo so special is his social intuition—in other words, excellent socialization skills. ✨ He can read a room (or a yard) better than some people. 😉 Depending on who he’s with, he knows when to be calm and sweet and when to be playful and rowdy. 🐕 This great skill makes him a gem to introduce to other dogs! 💎💯
Once I really get to know the dogs I care for, I’ll often pair certain ones up by driving one to the other’s yard. A private backyard is a much different experience than a dog park because:
✅ It’s a controlled environment
✅ Dozens of stranger dogs aren’t fenced in together, usually with a handful of distracted owners
✅ It fosters more meaningful socialization in small, positive interactions instead of chaotic, overstimulating groups
✅ There’s no unknown risk of contagious illnesses
✅ Statistically, off-leash greetings tend to be smoother than on-leash greetings
✅ It offers just the right amount of interaction for the average dog
❌ The one caveat: It isn’t neutral ground, which can be a factor for territorial dogs
Here’s the truth: Not every dog (even Hugo) wants to be friends with every dog—just like you don’t want to be friends with every person you meet. ➡️ The key is understanding each dog as an individual and reading their body language carefully during every interaction. 🧠 That’s where good discernment comes in.
Over time, these thoughtful pairings have built a little community. Some of my regular dogs have spent enough time together that their owners now recognize each other’s dogs in public—without ever having met one another. 🤭
And Hugo? He’s one of the best at it—a true gentleman and the perfect role model for how dogs should meet and mingle. 🐾❤️
