LEOGEN
The Leonberger Genetic Diversity Project
Every good story should have a beginning, a middle and an end. Those were the three basic rules of thumb taught us at school when it came to writing a story. No matter how many characters are in the story, no matter the plot, the genre or the country in which the events take place, no matter the reason for the story, if one covered the basics - a beginning, a middle and an end - then the reader of that particular story would have begun the journey, travelled the distance and reached the destination with a sense of completion.
The story of our beautiful breed, the Leonberger, runs along the same parallel. It has a beginning - albeit one of dubious and conflicting discussion. It has traversed a few hundred years of time and distance with truly wonderful story telling. Tales that embody the true character of our Leonberger, the breed we love. Years of dedication and good breeding ethics. Years of health research and study. Years of sharing knowledge and genetics. Joy and wonder balanced with sorrow and loss. Lives and experiences interwoven through time. All these elements have contributed to the middle of the Leonberger story - a truly epic tale - and still being written.
A small group of Leo enthusiasts are intent on adding to the next chapters of this story. Their hope is that the LEOGEN Genetic Diversity Project will be a worthwhile contribution and will help ensure this Leonberger tale will continue for many more years.
Because, the sad truth is if we don't give some serious thought to the genetic diversity of our breed now, this wonderful Leonberger story may just come to an abrupt and disastrous end.
So . . . what is the LEOGEN project? Come, take a walk through these pages and consider the possibilities.
The story of our beautiful breed, the Leonberger, runs along the same parallel. It has a beginning - albeit one of dubious and conflicting discussion. It has traversed a few hundred years of time and distance with truly wonderful story telling. Tales that embody the true character of our Leonberger, the breed we love. Years of dedication and good breeding ethics. Years of health research and study. Years of sharing knowledge and genetics. Joy and wonder balanced with sorrow and loss. Lives and experiences interwoven through time. All these elements have contributed to the middle of the Leonberger story - a truly epic tale - and still being written.
A small group of Leo enthusiasts are intent on adding to the next chapters of this story. Their hope is that the LEOGEN Genetic Diversity Project will be a worthwhile contribution and will help ensure this Leonberger tale will continue for many more years.
Because, the sad truth is if we don't give some serious thought to the genetic diversity of our breed now, this wonderful Leonberger story may just come to an abrupt and disastrous end.
So . . . what is the LEOGEN project? Come, take a walk through these pages and consider the possibilities.
