Page 108 - K9 News - Issue 14 - December 2020
P. 108
Cewrirdŵr
NEWFOUNDLANDS by John Lloyd
NEWFOUNDLANDS by John Lloyd
We first saw a Newfoundland in a garden on a semi detached house on an estate with a small
hillside above Caernarfon. We decided there garden just wasn’t big enough. So we moved
and then that when we had a dog that is what to a derelict property and lived in a 36’ caravan
we would have. Our first Newfoundland was with three giant dogs and a ginger cat Vienna.
given to us by Frank Cassidy of Little Creek All three dogs were petrified of Vienna (with
Kennels UK after a chance encounter when good reason!) and it was winter.
Frank came to buy some fencing from the
company where I was working at the time. Little Jumping on a few years to about 12 years ago
Creek’s Ocean Spray – Spray for short. That we are now members of Newfoundland Clubs,
was about 38 years ago. He was looking for know all about health checks, have owned more
a good home for this 5 year old girl after she dogs and decided to embark on showing. Back
retired from showing and so the journey began... to knowing nothing! First ring craft class I wore
rigger boots on a sprung floor and stomped my
We knew absolutely nothing about the breed, way round much to everyone’s amusement.
Frank told us she was house trained (eh no!) However, within a short space of time I had
but the old saying you can’t teach old dogs new learnt a bit, so had my dogs and we were
tricks wasn’t true. Sadly, a couple of years later showing at Crufts. I have shown there every
she collapsed on the beach, the vet told us she year since.
had an enlarged heart and a tumour on her
lungs and she probably had a couple of months On our journey in the breed we have gone from
to live. We went back to Frank to tell him, he just owning the one girl we had been given by Frank
said he had another fourteen month old girl also to at our height owning eight dogs...be warned
looking for a good home and she came home they are addictive!! In all the years we have bred
with us the same day. Our original girl lived for a just four litters and only when we have wanted
further two years! So... now we needed a bigger to keep a puppy ourselves. Presently we own
car and soon got used to having two dogs three imported dogs and one home grown.
however, when our original girl passed away I am currently the Chairman of the Northern
and as we had always wanted a puppy, back to Newfoundland Club and I am also a breed
Frank we went. specialist judge.
At this time we knew nothing of health checks, Newfoundlands are not a breed for everyone
bloat or anything else we just loved our dogs! they are very high maintenance particularly the
We were asked to take another girl whose family grooming and definitely not for the house proud
had split up and could no longer look after her. due to the amount of fur, slobber and mud in the
Now we were three...changed the car again winter. They can be stubborn, clumsy but are
this time for a small van. Over the years we very loving. They are certainly the ‘Bentley’ of
have gone from saloons, estates, small van, dogs...big, powerful and expensive to run but we
medium van and presently a HUGE van! We can’t imagine life without at least one!
also had to move house as three giant dogs in a
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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / DECEMBER 2020
