The Leonberger is a delight to watch when it comes to water. Whether the water is in a small container, in a cattle trough or in the wider open spaces of lakes and oceans, they simply revel in the stuff. They are particularly strong swimmers and with their webbed feet are well suited to water rescue work.

With information and help from The Newfoundland club, we held our very first Inaugural Water Trials on 18th May 2008. Eleven dogs and their handlers turned up to what proved to be a stunning day at Lake Rotoma, Rotorua. The dogs loved the water and the sunshine, and their owners and attending members enjoyed each other’s company and the wonderful food. Indeed a day to remember!

Water trials are based on easy to follow exercises that you can practice with your dog at home in the back yard. There are several levels of achievement attainable and we include these exercises for you to begin your dog training.