Who We Are
Lanfear Newfoundlands is run by myself(Ashley) with the loving support and assistance of my husband Grant.
My passion for animals started as a toddler. I was obsessed with anything animal-related, but it wasn't until much later that I discovered what preservation breeding was all about. In 2010 I was hired as a kennel attendant for a well known wolfhound kennel, Lonnkyle run by Lloyd Simmons and Anne Webb. I looked after 20+ wolfhounds on a daily basis. They mentored me in all things - conformation, breeding, raising puppies, health, grooming and showing. It was here that my passion really exploded and I got first-hand experience in what true preservation breeding was all about.
Grant and I married in 2014 and we purchased our first newfoundland, Lanfear, from Jalynn kennels in Ontario as a prospective show/breeding dog. We had her all of 3 days and were HOOKED. A year later Sylphrena joined us from Mariner kennels also in Ontario. I can't tell you how much these two girls have taught me over the years. Both of them passed their health clearances with flying colors and both earned their championships owner-handled the whole way - I was so proud! Lanfear had her first (and only litter) in 2016 in which we kept lilac girl (Navani).
What came after my first and only litter has been humbling and I learned just how difficult this breed actually was. I had many failed breedings, and dogs that failed health clearances . The incidence in hip and elbow dysplasia is staggering with ~ 50% of submitted OFA newfoundland radiographs will fail hips, elbows or both. There are many other potential health issues: entropion, ectropion, subaortic stenosis, allergies, thyroid issues, bloat, epilepsy, cruciate tears, patella luxation, forelimb anomaly and more. There are reproductive issues and such as bitches unable to get pregnant, or have small litters, sterile studs or stud with poor quality semen. As a breeder, this breed tends to have a "Yo-Yo Affect" on your emotions with alternating triumphs and failures. It is a very costly breed to be in, but if you've ever been lucky enough to be owned by a newf, you know just how special these dogs are.
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We knew we needed more space for the dogs, so we spent two years looking for the perfect rural home and finally found it. In 2019 we moved onto almost 76 wondrous acres with a pond, a barn for some farm animals, and room to build a XXL outdoor cat enclosure for our cats, too!
