n the small Newfoundland town where I grew up there was only one Newfoundland dog. He belonged to the druggist, and wandered free. Everyone fed him, and, not surprisingly, he was grossly overweight. To the tiny girl I was, he seemed big as a bear. From that time I wanted one of these big, hairy (and sometimes slobbery) beasts.

In 1970 we bought our first farm. The very evening that we signed the papers I got my first Newfie, Dunsmuir Sonmaric. His name was an amalgam of our children's names: Sonya, Marc and Richard. But his call name was what he most resembled, "Teddy". By 1973 I had my first female, Teddy had his championship, there were now seven Newfies, and I was completely devoted to the breed. Several years later, I received permanent registration status with the Canadian Kennel Club, having finished five champions.

Now the nest is empty of the two-legged babies and is usually filled with four-legged furries, both Black and Landseer (black & white). Usually we have 12 adults, and several promising youngsters. This year (2006), I attained my 68^th Championship. We have Newfies in many U.S. states and Canadian provinces. Other Marcarpents dogs have homes in Portugal, Japan, Germany, Italy, Norway, Mexico and other countries.

When I first started breeding, I was fortunate to have purchased two very sound dogs. At that time, not many breeders were X-raying their dogs to ascertain hip status, and in the years to come I purchased several that could not be used for breeding. My main concern is the total health of the dogs and very seldom do we have one with major health problems. We now have many generations clear of hip, elbow, heart and other problems associated with the breed.

Thirteen years ago, I imported an excellent young dog from Norway. Ch. Stupsletta "Drummer" Marcarpents. He has done well for us. Drummer's three sons - Rimshot, Bear Boy and Roly are continuing the tradition of soundness. I do not do inbreeding, as I feel that outcrossing and loosely linebreeding give me the type of Newf I prefer. They are healthy and energetic, capable of doing the work (or play) that is asked of them.

The daughters & sons of Drummer, Nuffy and Me Too are doing well in the show ring, and in the whelping room, as well as being fun-loving companions.

We operate a drop-in kennel where one can always find our happy dogs in pleasant surroundings. Puppies are born and raised in the dog room adjacent to the kitchen, and you'll usually find one or more adults roaming the premises.

All our breeding stock is registered with the Canadian Kennel Club, and The American Kennel Club. While we prefer to meet new owners at our home, it is not always possible, so we can ship from Montreal. A two-year health guarantee is given with each puppy.