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AKTUALITEITEN - AKTUALITÄTEN - ACTUALITES - ACTUALITIES Aurillac, France, 18 July 2010. Jack v.d. Boxmühle (owner Metha Stramer) was 3d Best of Group on the national dog show in Aurillac.
Basingstoke, UK, 28 June 2010
32 Leonbergers flanked
the driveway at a crematorium as a mark of respect to Fred Inwood, who
died aged 80 after six decades as a breeder.
Budapest, Hungary, 29-06-2010 Dear Friends!
We need your help from Hungary.
Thank you for
your help.
Ireland first Leo Pet Therapy Visiting Team Pet therapy is an area that is receiving increased attention as a therapeutic intervention in a variety of clinical and residential settings. Pet owners will attest to the fact that having a pet benefits both their physical and psychological health and well-being; is there anything better than coming home to a warm, friendly, fun-loving Leonberger welcome after a hard day at work? However, it is only in recent years that mainstream Health and Social Care have become aware of the benefits of reaching out to the elderly, the infirm and to ill or abused children. Pet therapy is now being utilised to provide assistance to those with medical and emotional issues. Pet therapy, in essence, is a general term that encompasses many therapeutic activities involving animals as visitors to those who are in need of care and comfort. These activities endeavour to enhance the quality of life of the people in the Caring Institutions. Although many of the visiting teams to date in Ireland were comprised mostly of smaller breeds of dogs, the use of Leo’s in Pet Therapy is particularly appropriate. Not least for their confident, friendly character which is decidedly suitable to this activity, but their size also enables them amble around gently and to get close to residents/patients that may be confined to wheelchairs or their beds. A visiting dog helps combat isolation, withdrawal, loneliness, boredom and depression. Furthermore it helps reduce stress and lower blood pressure. Healthy socialising and ongoing positive experiences with people in a range of environments produces dogs with a calm friendly temperament that is fundamental in all Pet Therapy dogs. In April our three Leo’s successfully completed their pet therapy assessment with a Ireland’s most established pet therapy organisation, Peata. Peata is the Irish word for pet. They were the first Leo’s in Ireland to become Therapy Dogs. They were rigorously tested to ensure that their character and temperament were suitable as too was their reactions to various stimuli, for example, wheelchairs, drip stands and walking aids. Needless to say our crews' typical laid back Leo temperament won the day and they were passed with flying colours, so much so that we were asked there and then to visit a few residents in the centre. Since April 2009, our crew have been visiting local nursing homes on a weekly basis and a centre for people with intellectual disabilities. They have also visited a number of schools and crèches with their trusty cart in tow to entertain the children pulling them around in the Cart. Okie, Elsa and Boomer have been a great hit with the adults and children alike. Over the Christmas period they visited a local pre-school group with their very own sleigh complete with baubles and lights and had sleigh bells on their harness and they pulled the children around tirelessly to the sound of “Jingle Bells! The children had a fantastic time. The dogs often come to work with both Joe and myself. Joe takes them with him to teach student nurses about the benefits of Pet Therapy. I bring them into work to interact with the emotionally challenging children that I care for and work with. It is really amazing to watch a mature Leo know instinctively whether to gently approach someone and wait to be noticed or to nuzzle straight in. We have noted that during their visits to the nursing homes that physical movement among the elderly increases, emotional wellbeing is enhanced, cognitive awareness increases and social interaction occurs between the residents and the staff with the dogs being the focus of the conversation. With the children I work with, the calming influence the dogs have is sometimes quite astounding and the children readily trust and achieve a level of intimacy with the dogs that they would never do with an adult due to their abusive experiences. So popular are our gang that they have not only attracted local attention for their visits but they also appeared on National TV for the work they do as pet therapy dogs. They were featured on a very popular programme on Irish TV and they showed the true Leo nature at its best. The video clip of their Pet Therapy work can be seen at www.irishleos.ie Since ours have become pet therapy dogs, several others have followed suit and they visit a range of services which reflects the versatility that is so much associated with the Leo. Pet Therapy can be a very rewarding experience for everyone involved. It is wonderful to see that the big bundle of fun, that is our loveable Leo, with a cold nose and sloppy kisses and their contribution to the health, happiness, wellness and vitality of those they visit.
Sinead & Joe Treacy Sionnarush Leonbergers Ireland The
results of the Russian photo contest are online:
First therapy Leonberger in Hungary: http://www.mador.hu/Marzipanenglishtherapy.htm
Le Léonberg champion de
France de Sauvetage à l'Eau.
Plouguerneau: 5 & 6 Septembre 2009. De geselecteerde deelnemers / die selektierte Teilnehmer / les participants selectionnés / the selected participants 5 Golden Retrievers 1 Labrador 4 Terre Neuve (Newfoundlander Neufundlander) 1 Léonberg.
05.12.2009 Kassel: Forest Leo vom Jerichower Land: Bester von Gruppe 2 12 September 2009. Leipzig: 3e
Platz Gruppe 2. 27 September 2009. Leonberg, Clubschau. BOB.
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