On the 10th May 2000, I received
a phone call from Kaye at Muirnleigh. She had told me that a friend was trying
to re- home a female Leo that had come back into her care. I was asked if I may be
interested in taking her on. It had been explained that she had been neglected by
her previous owner and was fairly shy & timid and needed a loving home. The very next
day I rang and said that I would be interested in giving this little girl a home and asked
for more information about what had happened to her.
We spoke for some time and I was given as much history as possible. Her name was
"Bluemooska Big Eagle" Chesty. {I later named her Chelsea after her Dam} her
Sire was Aust Champ "Jacamak Aristocrat" who was owned & Imp from the U.K by
Peter & Mandy Schelbach. Her mother "Countrylodge Chelsea" was rescued in
1999, along with some other leo's that had been handed over to the R.S.P.C.A, as they
could no longer be adequately cared for.
The decision had been made and I was to finally bring home my very first Leonberger! I
felt very pleased but a bit anxious, as she was an older dog and had some sketchy
background. I was hoping to show this little girl that not all people were bad and she
could trust in us.
On the 7th June we left for the airport to collect her. We saw a small but sweet looking
girl that was looking ever so worried as to what was happening. I took her home and lead
her around each room in the house, explaining who's room it was and that she had
free run of the place. She wasn't happy at all and very skittish. Pulling back on the lead
and trying to desperately turn back out of the door. I then recalled that she had never
been inside a house before.
I thought in time she will surely get use to us. I took her outside and showed her all
around the garden plus some toys I had brought for her. I let her of the lead to explore
her new home. She flew straight down the back of the garden and that is where she
stayed…all night and for the next 3 days. I was a bit concerned as this didn't seem
to be what I expected of a Leo Temperament. I figured she just needed some time to settle
in. After all she has had a hard life. This went on for days, she would not come near
Tristan or me. I could not take her for a walk, she hardly ate a thing! I was getting more
& more worried.
Just 11 days later She came in to her first heat cycle. Naturally we all presumed that was
the reason for her behavior. So after the hormones had settled, I entered her into her
first show here in Adelaide. {this was a condition of getting her free - she needed her
Aust title} She was placed runner up to my friends Leo. This did not worry me, I was
just hoping that the socialisation would bring her out of her shell - all to no avail.
In the mean time I had sought
help from numerous Vets, one placed her on a 10-day course of valium in hope that it would
calm her enough to at least eat a decent meal. I had blood tests taken to see if it was
not physical, called in help from Bark Busters {dog trainers}
With the help of my friend we went to a lady that was homeopath. I was given a course of
treatments for her in hope this would help her relax, eat and cope with what ever stresses
she was going through. She was not a very happy girl. There was a slight change in her
behavior…. or was I just hoping? On Aug 26th she had gained her Aust title. It
was clear that Chelsea could not cope with this - I did not show her any further.
By late August I was getting even more worried about her. She still would run from me
still never ate a decent meal, loosing weight. If she heard a noise in the house or
outside she would start to pace frantically. Having a visitor was a nightmare. I saw
her many times run away from a noise that she would not see where she was going and crash
into a wall or fence! I would watch her for hours in the yard through the window and feel
sad to see such a beautiful dog so worried. I wondered what her life had been subjected
too.
I exhausted all of my resources in trying to help this little lady get on her feet. I
could no longer see her pace the back yard like a caged beast. Nor place food out for her
to ignore, see her running from every little sound and to see her gaze into space as if
she wasn't even there. It was heartbreaking. This little girl had had enough
help and wanted no more!!
