Llondel Leonbergers

18/06/2024

Faraday got mail.

11/06/2024

Faraday in the ring at Woofstock on Saturday.

09/06/2024

Even better today, I took Faraday in for the veteran class and then handed her off to Kit for the breed ring while I took Kepler in. Faraday got Select again, so I reckon 5 points yesterday, 4 today, her best weekend ever. Very proud of her at the moment.

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08/06/2024

Six years ago, I took Faraday to Woofstock for the first NCLC Designated Specialty at the show. Given her success rate to that point, I had zero expectation of getting anything from it. She got Winners bitch for a 5-point major.

Today I had her entered as a veteran, again without much expectation apart from a pretty pink ribbon. She got Select Bitch for a 5-point major. Same ring, even.

And now she's sleeping on my feet under the desk.

Thanks to the late Charles Trotter for the WB - it gave me belief that perhaps we could achieve things, and thanks to judge Pamela Bruce for the Select, nice to see Faraday can still achieve things.

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08/06/2024

Cassini went to the SubZero Artwalk this evening. He got to meet lots of people who thought he was amazing. He wasn't too sure about the loud music in various places, but he coped well. Lots of treats were consumed.

03/06/2024

So we didn't get the third leg. Scheduling conflict with conformation, we had to rush from the show ring to the rally ring and the class had already started. The judge let me do a quick walkthrough, and then it was in with Faraday. She was way too tired and unfocused, so we have to wait for another day. She's been sleeping pretty much since we got home, so I guess it's time to cut down on her activities a bit, especially when it's hot. Sad realisation that your bouncy, active puppy is getting old and slowing down.

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02/06/2024

Faraday got her second Rally Novice leg today. I think we did better than yesterday, both in her attention and my positioning awareness. We bombed out on one sign, she decided to stop for a scratch and then we had to regain focus. Then the final sign was sit-down, which she did on command, but then rolled over on her side for a rest. I had to talk her into getting up to do the extra ten feet to the finish line. Cute, but not quite what we want.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow.

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01/06/2024

Faraday's ribbon haul today. The important ones are the Owner-Handled, which means she's accumulated 250 OH points for her Bronze award, and the green Rally Qual, her first Rally Novice pass. She also did a couple of FastCAT runs, so she's had a busy and hot day.

21/05/2024

From Nationals last month. I think we were waiting for his turn at rally.

18/05/2024

Cassini got some more pretty ribbons today. Best of Winners gave him another point, now he only needs majors. The Rally Qual was his third Novice leg so subject to AKC confirmation, he's now got an RN title to go after his name.

Faraday got Select and totally flunked her first rally trial. For those who saw her at the conformation ring snuffling around in the grass, she did the same thing in the rally ring and it did not help.

Lucy picked up Winners Bitch, which was nice, so she also got a point. Artemis ended up with Reserve.

For completeness, Denali got BOB and Sage got BOS.

13/05/2024

Milestone for Faraday - she's now done 150 competitive FastCAT runs.

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07/05/2024

Current FastCAT standings. Mini will bump up to 24.51 when her fourth run gets processed. Faraday can be proud of her puppies taking over as she slows down.

05/05/2024

Happy 4th birthday to the C litter.

03/05/2024

So this happened. Aurora is now an AKC Grand Champion. She's also up for a VLN title from the LCA, the start of her Versatile Leonberger journey.

03/05/2024

Cassini's sleeping place this morning. No one is going to get into the room without him noticing.

01/05/2024

Cake observing Cassini and Kepler trying to be lap dogs.

23/04/2024

I just put out some cones and had a go at some of the rally signs with Faraday. She was surprisingly good at it considering she's never done it before. Perhaps she'll have something to do other than conformation at upcoming shows.

15/04/2024

I never got organised enough to take a suitable picture, but Cassini picked up his second Rally Novice leg on Saturday to go with Friday's success.

12/04/2024

Cassini had his first go at AKC Rally (novice A). He refused two of the skills, but just squeaked by to earn a qualifying run. First of many?

12/04/2024

Kepler, Ludo and Cassini in the Breeders Group ring together.

03/04/2024

Faraday got mail. It's now official.

02/04/2024

Cassini was out with his socialisation class this evening, walking around Sunnyvale. We'd just about come to the end of it when a police K9 vehicle pulled up and the officer got out and came over in our direction. She wanted to meet the Leonbergers (John Cuthbertson was also there with Shayna), and she said she used to have one. Cassini even accepted treats from her and after a bit even went over for a scritch. Cassini and Shayna posed for her to take a picture in typical Leonberger fashion (i.e. looking anywhere but the camera).

31/03/2024

Cassini watching the weather earlier.

24/03/2024

Some pictures of Faraday's FastCAT from last weekend. She seems less wound up than she used to be, which I guess is understandable given that she's older.

24/03/2024

Seven years ago today, it all started. Faraday on the left, with her sister Elsa, waiting for their first ever dog show. My first one, too.

15/03/2024

Faraday got her FCAT5 today. She's slowing down but still wants to catch the lure.

03/03/2024

Some dogs. Not only is it raining, he decides to lie in the pool.

18/02/2024

Faraday finally decided she wanted a new couch. Kepler had trashed the original cushions, which I replaced, now Faraday has trashed those and the couch structure itself. So this one is outside to be broken down, and we picked up a new free couch via Nextdoor this afternoon. Still cheaper than dog beds big enough for a Leonberger.

16/02/2024

A progress report on Kepler. She had her second vaccine dose up in Seattle on Wednesday, so now it's all down to her. Blood tests in three weeks locally, and then every three months. She may need to go back to Seattle for a booster in some number of months, depending on her immune response, but this is part of the purpose of the trial, to establish the baseline for future dogs. They already know it works in most cases, this trial is to establish how well, and how long it lasts.

16/02/2024

Aramis and Cosmo checking on their downstairs neighbour. They have a bed on top of the crate.