Leovanna

As part of improving the website, I’ll be updating some key parts of it, in preparation for a completely new look and structure.

The first part, over the next couple of days shouldn’t affect how the site looks. Unfortunately however, it’s almost certain that some links may change which will break your bookmarks and favourites. We’ll try and keep these to a minimum - the dog pages links should stay the same, but the blog posts links will definitely change. Update:This first step has been done, with only a few minor problems left to sort.

After that, you’ll start to notice the look of the site will change, as I load in a new theme, then tweak parts of it to blend in with what Shelagh wants. This will take the most amount of time.

Finally, some new features might appear, such as a proper gallery, hopefully integrated into the look of the rest of the site.

The changes are necessary for the future stability of the site. (In truth, I now know much better how WordPress works, so we can take full advantage of it!)

Here we are, 2008, but what happened to 2007, I seem to have blinked and missed it. I know it was a busy year, with matings, litter and my daughter getting married, and not forgetting the dreaded kennel cough, but it has just flown by. Please don’t tell me it’s old age, although some mornings it might just be true !

I must say thank you to all my puppy people who sent me such wonderful photo’s and cards, it’s really good to know that all my babies are doing so well and have such happy homes and that they have kept their friendly and happy natures. I feel that I have done something right.

My Leo herd is doing well and seem to be sorting out the pecking order, with Keira being the boss. Mishka is coming on very well and can do no wrong (in Ken’s eyes), but I feel that she might become a bit bossy like her mum. George on the other hand is getting more like Logan and Eddie everyday, he is a big soft dollop and Ken says he looks more and more like the village idiot everyday, but I just love him to bits, he only has to look at me with those big soft eyes and I just melt, I think he is so handsome.

It has been hard work having two pups only two months apart, and I would not recommend it to anyone. I don’t think you can give enough one on one attention to them and I feel guilty that George hasn’t had as much of my time as he should have had, but he is still a lovely boy. Hopefully I will be able to go to a lot more small shows this year, I must admit that I have missed going to the shows and seeing how all the dogs are coming on. Talking of shows, I must say well done to George’s mum, Manorguard Bewitched, who won Limit Bitch and George’s sister, Ammolitegold Amour, who won Minor Puppy Bitch at the LKA show just before Christmas. A well done also to Carol and Tonka, Leovanna First Lad, who came second in his first show,(at Wood Green), what a clever lad. Hope his sister (Mishka), follows in his foot steps.

I cannot believe the three weeks went by so quickly and Schubert has made his way home, Mishka and George are really missing him. They had such fun all playing together. I will miss him but also looking forward to some peace and quite, he is a very vocal little boy, but he still loves his cuddles. It is just as well he has gone home because Keira is just coming into season and he is showing a very unhealthy interest in his mother, even more so than Logan and George !!
We are soon going to have another house guest to stay for a while from Wood Green, this one is going to be quite interesting, I will tell more later.
We met up with Skyla on Sunday and she is doing really well, a very pretty little lady who was coping very well with all the sights and sounds of the Peterborough Autumn Show. I took Logan and George and it took us hours to get round.
George entered the world of show on Sunday 21st Oct, he didn’t get anywhere but I was so proud of him. He took it all in his stride, he didn’t poo in the ring or roll over and he was such a good boy walking around. Although he got a lot of comments about his wild hair do.
Our new house guest has arrived and has caused quite a stir, I am concerned !! Logan has turned gay !! We have been keeping Keira separate as she has been in season but she rejoined the pack on Sunday, but Logan only has eyes for our new quest and totally ignored her. She seems quite put out that Logan has fallen for a blonde bombshell, trouble is, it’s a MALE poodle, but Logan doesn’t seem to care. Oh dear, perhaps he is hoping to make Poobergers !!!
I said earlier George didn’t get anything at the Leonberger Club show, how wrong I was. Thanks to some totally inconsiderate people who think that running around a ring and maybe getting that all important piece of card is more important than our lovely dogs health. I am now surrounded by 4 snotty nose, runny eyed, coughing Leos, who are feeling very sorry for themselves, but worst of all was the dog I was looking after for Wood Green was taken really ill on Saturday and had to go back to the kennels for treatment. I just hope you feel it was worth it, you must know who you are ! I am now going to dish out cough medicine and tablets and wipe some noses. I wonder, can humans catch it ? I have had a sore throat and a bit of a cough myself and now my nose is running, oh boy !! I think I’ll just find a cosy basket and curl up.

Well life has just about got back to normal, or as normal as life can be with four hairy beast living in the house. Mishka is really finding her feet and is quite a funny, bossy little girl who seens afraid of nothing and is quite a star at her training classes.
Poor George has had a bit of a hard time of it, he has been teething badly and has had severe growing pains, but a quick visit to the vets and a few doses of medicine and he is feeling a lot better, in fact on Sunday he learnt to swim. We met up with his step-brother Harry and 20 other Leos (what a sight to see !) in a park in Norwich which has a river running through it. All the dogs were off the lead and not one cross word, it was a fantastic day, and George was swimming with the big boys. Logan went in but he does not like getting his under-carriage wet. All the people in the park were amazed at all the Leos running free together and we were approached by lots, asking questions when we stopped at the cafe for tea, thanks Mel & David.
Keira has recovered well after giving birth, but has now lost her coat, she looks like a short haired wippet, she is just a big head on a funny body, but she is back to her nutty self playing with the two puppies.
Logan is just taking everything in his stride, he is looking a lot better, he has put on weight and his coat is starting to grow back, but best of all he is a lot happier in himself, looking for a game again and getting fruity with the ladies.
I said that life was getting back to normal, but I have just remembered that Schubert, Mishka’s brother, is coming to stay for three weeks, so let the fun begin ! I will have my herd of Leos soon !!!!

The pups have been in their new homes for three weeks now and the time has flown past. All my puppy people have been in touch to tell me how well their babies are doing, which is lovely. I have been able to visit Carol to see Tonka, Mel to see Harry and Deborah to see Skyla. It is lovely to see their progress and how well they have grown. I am really glad that all the puppies have gone to such loving homes and it is good that some live close enough that I can visit them and see them grow up.

We have started a gallery page for this litter, if any of the owners of this litter would like any pictures of their pups included, please feel free to e mail them to me.

Peace at last, all the puppies have now gone to their new homes, although it is sad to see them go, it will be nice getting a full nights sleep and not tripping over little bodies everywhere. Best wishes to Deborah & Ed with Skyla, Paula with Ruby, Brian & Marion with Fluer, Carol with Tonga, Roger & Lyn with Aslan, Mel with Jacob, Debbie with Sinbad, Malle & Julian with Schubert and not forgetting Mishka who is staying with us. All the puppies have gone to homes of very nice people scattered all over the country from Scotland to Devon to Durham.

 Nearly all over, they are over 6 weeks old now and will be on their way to their new homes next week, (apart from Mishka, who is staying with us). It will be sad to see them go, but it will nice to get a full nights sleep again, and the opportunity to go out for more than a couple of hours at a time. It is amazing how much they grow in a week, we don’t really notice it as we see them every day, but visitors comment on it and when we look at the previous weeks pictures, we can see the growth they have all made. All are still well and perfecting their own personalities, eating well and sleeping well.