Leon 10/18/2004-9/20/2012 Adventures Growing Up

Leon was my very first puppy period, and he was purchased from a breeder.  He was the first dog that I would be there from his first weeks of life until his later years.   Leon and I had so many adventures together.   All our Dobermans have been unique.  One of Leon's unique qualities was that he was a "bomb proof" dog.   He was large, gentle, kind, not so brave, fun, adventuress, able to find dead things, loving, loyal, (and so on).   Leon was an extremely easy puppy and dog.  He pretty much loved everybody and everything, while still being very loyal to us and his family.



This picture was taken by Kat Rock at a tracking seminar in Vermont.   Leon was still less than a year old in this picture and one of many working seminars that we attended as a team.  Leon loved tracking.  I don't have any pictures of it, but he also took a road trip with me to Missouri for a week long seminar.




When I lived in Worcester Mass, I could not have a daycare at our house, as we had .10 acres of land.   But Leon, Jazz, and I had a kind of traveling daycare group for our clients' dogs.  Here we are in Sterling Mass (I think).




Leon had a lot of dog friends due to my business.   He was especially good at working with behaviorally challenged dogs.   Here he is training with his good friend, Cerbie.




Leon was easy to take on walks to our walking clients' houses.   It was easy to take him and other dogs on group adventures like this.   Crosby, Tommy, Bogey and Leon are pictured here on Crosby's front lawn.




Another behaviorally challenged dog, 250 # Almonzo, who had not been socialized to strange dogs.   Leon was a positive and calming influence for such dogs.




Leon would do anything for me.   Here is a picture of Leon and Boris in their "Easter Bonnets".   Leon actually had to keep his head straight to keep the hat on.




The last three years of Leon's life he spent with his best buddy and brother, Boris.




Leon has unfortunately joined his bother Jackie CD (left) and Jazzabelle (right).




Leon was easy to take on family adventures.   Here are Boris and Leon on Fisherman's Wharf.




Another picture of our old and much loved crew.  Leon CGC (passed 9/20/2012), Jazzabelle (passed 12/31/2008) and Jackie (passed 12/25/2009).  Jazz passed at just shy of 16, Leon passed at just shy of 8, and Jackie passed at 6.   Both my red boys passed before their time and way before we were ready.




Jackie CD, Leon CGC, and Robert.  Or as I called them "the boys".

Leon was such a very special friend, family member, and ambassador for his breed/species.   He should have been born in a healthier body, as he had a true working spirit.  Often he worked through any discomfort in his knees for fun and adventure.  While friendly and loving, Leon was also super smart.   I am going to forever miss my big gentle sweet boy.

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Leon 10/18/2004-9/20/2012 Baby Pictures

I don't yet have the words to describe Leon and all that he meant to me as yet.   Therefore, I am going to share some of my favorite pictures of our adventures.   These are Leon's baby pics.  He was our very first puppy.   He made his trip to us from Georgia's Pamelot to Logan Airport in Boston.  His first night with us, h actually got us out of a speeding ticket when the officer saw the cute puppy in the back.



I started on Leon's retrieving skills by having him fetch my sneakers.




These were Leon's first baby toys.




This is Leon and his sister, Jazz (11 years at this point) sharing the dog bed.  



First winter walk with Leon.   Jazz is in attendance.   He was adopted at 11 weeks in the middle of winter.



I think this was Leon at six months or a little over.   We were thinking this would be the last time we could hold him comfortably LOL.





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