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Basco was three years old when he came from Switzerland. A month later he was Winners Male at the Albuquerque Leonberger National Specialty. He was described by International Leonberger Judge, Guido Perrasino, as among other attributes, having a perfect male Leonberger head.

Basco won many firsts, and at that time one had to travel great distances to find rare-breed shows which were usually quite large, New York, Washington D.C., Baltimore, MD, Chicago, Ill. Basco had never seen a squirrel as there are none in Europe and he would get so excited and want to chase them. My Dad was walking him on our stone driveway a few days after he arrived when Basco saw a squirrel. Basco took off at top speed and my Dad could not hold him. I looked out the kitchen window to see Dad skiing down my driveway at top speed behind Basco. As the squirrel found his tree and made it up before the duo got to him, Basco stopped. My Dad said later, "I've handled horses all my life and I never had a horse pull me like Baso did."

Basco's excitment soon quieted and he learned to walk like a gentleman on the leash even when a squirrel was chirping up above. A great reason to obedience train your Leos as puppies. Basco would bark fiercely when strangers came and turn into total mush with children and babies. After we had Basco for a year we had company from Switzerland, a family who knew Basco had made a special trip to our house to see him once again. Their little four year old girl, who barely cleared Basco's back in height, was particularly tickled to see Basco again and promptly put him through obedience in the Swiss language. Basco seemed somewhat glad to see them, but a bit nervous as well. We found out why as the family left to continue their trip across America, Basco hide behind the door and would not go out, apparently thinking they were planning to take him along. He had made his choice and we were glad.

Basco has passed but I was able to keep semen stored from him that I intend to use in the next year or two. Basco was rated Category I, there were no subcategories when he was rated. His hips were rated Frei 0-0 in Switzerland. He was 30 inches tall. He was sired by many times German champion and great producer Rosaceae Amaranthus our of Jerry de l'Arche d'Hasnon she of French and German bloodlines.