By Nancy
About 8 years ago I wanted a dog. Not just any dog, I had my heart set on a Newf. When I was growing up one lived in my neighborhood and I had fallen in love. Now that I was older, I decided that I would go to a couple of dog shows to see if I thought that breed was still for me. At the show I saw a Leonberger for the first time. They looked magnificent, but what type of dog (personality, demeanor, health etc) were they. After some research I decided this was the breed for me. About a year later my not so little furball arrived.
This was my first dog. I went through all the new owner excitement and traumas. Tango loved to eat anything wooden. My kitchen chairs to this day have his teeth marks. Baseboards have the same marks. My garden did not survive; bushes were torn apart and ripped up by the roots. He outgrew that stage – thankfully I thought. Over the years Tango has developed into a wonderful dog (my opinion). He no longer is interested in gardening or sticks or anything else wooden. He has discovered something wonderful – Swans.
I walk Tango down by a beach every day. Our first experience with swans went like this. We were walking along the beach with a friend who has a Newf named Piper. This was in the dead of winter; the shoreline was frozen but only extending out about 15 feet. Around the same time both dogs noticed swans swimming beyond the ice. They took off down to the shore. My friend and I at first were amused, but when they did not come back when called (they both did turn their heads and acknowledge us), then proceeded to launch themselves off the ice into the water and swim after those strange white things. I can only imagine what was going through the swans minds – what the heck are these creatures doing, coming after us in icy waters. Thankfully Tango and Piper gave up. They came back to shore only to find they could not jump up onto the ice, they were either too water logged and tired or just didn’t care if they came out of the water. My friend and I helped them out, much to the amusement of the onlookers. That first experience was three years ago. Tango is now 7 years old. We still walk with Piper, but now she just stands on shore and barks at the swans (smart girl), Tango still goes for them winter, spring, summer and fall.
