Our Naming Ceremony

Once upon a time, we journeyed to pick up our Leonberger, Ruffina. All it took was one look at this breed of dogs, bred to mimic the lion in the town crest of Leonberg, Germany, and we were in love.

Upon our return to Austin, Texas, we decided to pledge ourselves to championing the history of the Leonberger breed by Preserving the past. Forging the future.™ We considered how best we could accomplish this, and like inspiration in a tale of yore, we had a conclusion: for the Leonberger, we would become Yvain, the hero of Chrétien de Troyes’ The Knight With The Lion.                                      

In The Knight With The Lion, Yvain /ē-vaughn/ embarks upon a journey to better himself as a knight, as many knights endeavor to do in Arthurian literature, and find a balance between love and glory. Yvain’s most notable action in his travels was when he stepped in and slew a dragon to save a lion. The lion knelt to Yvain, in the same way that fealty is sworn to lords, and from that moment on, Yvain was accompanied by the lion, his brave, loyal companion.

As the character of Yvain searched for a balance between love and glory, so does Yvain Leonbergers strive to keep a balance in our Leonbergers.  We purposefully breed to the history of the standard to preserve type, predictable temperament, and versatile working dog attributes, while focusing on the future: the sustainability of the breed and the health of the individual dogs. 

The relationship you forge with your Leo is like that of Yvain and his lion—a partnership that will last.  We, as champions of the breed, will walk with you on your journey to that partnership. We will remain steadfast with you throughout the life of your Leo, providing encouragement and support.

With us, Yvain Leonbergers, you will not journey alone. You will journey with lions and knights at your side.

We would like to thank three-time Lone Star EMMY winner John Streeter for illustrating the Yvain tale!