Who we are....  

ORESTE

  MILENA

             My passion  for Newfies goes back to my college days, where in 1983, in the appartment that I shared with other students, I was surrounded by an infinite number of photos of a marvelous black giant whose penetrating eyes displayed a sense of kindeness.

            I was so captivated by those immages that I knew that one day, along the path of my life, I would always have beside me a Newfoundland.

            That promise that I made to myself didn't only become a reality, but the greatest passion of my existence, and with great joy not only for myself.

            In fact, I had the fortune of meeting my partner in life who shared the same love and passion for this wonderful breed and our home has been transformed over the years in a sort of Newfie Museum, full of paintings, statues and gadgets, and anything else related to the breed.

            Today, Oreste and I breed under the kennel name "THICKISH NEWFOUNDLAND" and together, along the way, have  owned or bred Ch. APPLE SAUCE BEAR (multi CAC-CACIB-BOB-BOG-BIS), Ch. TALA BEAR'S WINGS OF THE WIND from U.S.A.(2nd top winning bitch S.A.T. '96 - Ch. It. - Int.-Reserve European Ch.) wich bred to Ch. POUCH COVE'S PATRIOT OF CAYUGA produced THICKISH FLOPPY BLUE SKY (Jr. Eur. Ch., Jr. It. Ch.. Top winning Jr. Bitch S.A.T. '97), Ch. THICKISH FOREVER IN MY DREAMS (multi CAC - CACIB - BOB), THICKISH FREEDOMS WINGS (multi CAC - BOB - BOG), afterwhich from the USA Ch. TALA BEAR'S IN THE TEETH OF YOU (Ch. It. - Int. multi CAC-CACIB-BOB) and more recently THICKISH GOD BLESS YOU (best male Jr. puppy '98 S.A.T. specialty), and THICKISH HIGH VOLTAGE (best female Jr. puppy '99 C.I.T. specialty), just to name a few of the dogs of our Kennel.

            Today, dogs from our kennel can always be found in the Winner's Circle of the most important European events and this is one of the most important acknowledgements of a quality kennel, fruit of constant work and an active presence dealing with the problems associated with our breed, not to mention aiding our Parent Clubs in the fight against Puppy Mills and unscrupulous Pet Dealers.

            We prevalently use line and inbreeding in our program, in addition to fenotype and try to study the offspring of past litters to see what our stock is capable of transmitting in future generations. Of course we are also examining our stock for possible pathological, hereditary disorders found in this breed.

            We are in full charge of our own dogs, from grooming to handling, and for the most part of the dogs we have sold, have been lucky to find marvelous and passionate owners who take into practice our advice, keeping their dogs in top condition, whether they be show dogs or lovable pets.

            As far as litters are concerned, we follow each individual puppy daily, taking note of not only their daily weight gain but any other significant element and later on grade them on a basis of the type and temperament that they emotionally transmit to us, not to mention construction, soundness and movement, hoping that their future development won't prove us wrong.

            As for now I am very proud of the success Italian Newfy Breeders have demonstrated proving Italy to be Number 1 in Europe, but I still have a secret wish that one day we can have a round table, where all breeders can talk openly about the problems they have encountered in breeding.

            This would be of great benefit to all, reminding that we are not assemblying machines, but bringing to life living creatures. And in every litter there is the possibility of something going wrong and certainly silence will not bring about any solution.

            Another factor, no less important, for a good breeder is, in my opinion, humilty. Never having the presumption of thinking you know everything but being conscious of always having something new to learn for the benefit of our Newfies.

Milena