Leo was born in August of 2019 to a Malinois named Hazel and a neighborhood mystery dog. Our neighbors got a Malinois puppy for their teenager and you can guess how that went. Hazel was an absolute sweetheart and had the run of the neighborhood. She was friends with Athena, and would come hang out when she needed a break from her puppies.

When the puppies arrived we were confronted with these cute smooshie little faces every morning, and spent weeks convincing ourselves we definitely couldn’t handle a puppy right now. Weeks went by, Andy rescued the pups from owls, getting stuck under a shed in the backyard, and Athena gradually became more comfortable with the funny little guys on the other side of the fence. The nail in the coffin was when our trainer suggested a puppy would be good for Athena and that was that.

We brought him home at 10ish weeks. He seemed to be the most chill of the litter and was unfazed by Athena’s assertive personality. Leo quickly integrated into our family and became best buds with Athena.

We learned he loves to nap under couches, hates skateboards, and does not believe in confrontation. He’s slow to warm up to new people, must know the location of all humans in the house, and likes to supervise the neighborhood from a well-placed window. Leo likes to go on runs more than walks, but mostly wants to nap and eat (me too).

With Fran in the picture, he is an incredibly patient and exasperated big brother. Leo often lets me know Fran is up to something and I really should do something about.

This year, Leo is learning beginning dog sports. I’m not sure he has the competitive edge, but his confidence is growing and he seems to really enjoy the obstacles and scent work.

All About Leo

Things Fran has Stolen