ABOUT US

We obtained our first Newfoundland in 1969. She had beautiful head and floating movement and I handled her to her championship and her obedience title when she was two. Our Ch. Ganshalom's Panda Bear, CD never had a litter, however, as she contracted a severe uterine infection and had to be spayed. I phoned Helena Linn and told her we needed another female -- that's when we got Edenglen's Melanie of Pandaga who gave us our first litter, December 1973 and our first home-bred champion, Ch. Pandaga's Penelope of Ithaca, born April 1975. Our kennel name, Pandaga, is based upon Panda's call name, combined with letters from the lake by our town, Cayuga. In those early years, out sons were very young and I only bred re every three years for another Newfoundland to show in conformation.

We began water training in 1980 and Christopher and Tica were featured on a TV program called Kidsworld. Tica was not confident enough, due to having been crated for a long time for shoulder OCD rest and then surgery, so Chris took on the training for Caspian and in 1983, he (at age 13) was the first family member to earn an NCA Water Dog title. I finally obtained a WD with Polo in 1987 (VN Ch. Pandaga's Marco Polo, CD, WRD, DD, OFA) and have, to date, earned 7 WDs, 3 WRDs, 5 DDs (draft), 1 Team Draft and 4 CDs. I am a provisional water test judge.

Having joined the Newfoundland Club of America, Genesee Region Newfoundland Club, and Finger Lakes Kennel Club in 1970, I have been active in canine activities for 38 years, serving on committees and assisting in events. Appointments have included chairperson for GRNC's first regional specialty show in 1988, test secretary for the 1992 National Draft Test, chair of GRNC's 2003 Draft Test and in charge of Vendors for the 2003 National Specialty hosted by Niagara Frontier NC.

I am a member of the Newfoundland Club of America's Board of Directors, serving since 2003 (in addition to 1992-96).
NCA committee work has included chair of the Versatile Newfoundland Committee (from its inception 1984 until spring 2008), and member Newf Tide Policy Committee in 1991, Illustrated Guide/Judges Education Committee 1991-1996, Working Dog Committee 1995-2003 and Health + Longevity for the last 4-5 years.

Chris

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