Showsight Interviews: Milan Lint, Pouch Cove Kennels BY ALLAN REZNIK
Peggy Helming, Milan, Matisse, Michael Scott, Matisse's breeder Donna Gottdenker of Canada
1. Where did you grow up? Do you come from a doggy fam- ily? And if not, how did the interest in breeding and showing dogs begin? I grew up in rural Ohio and throughout my childhood par- ticipated in 4-H, competitively exhibiting ponies and horses. My parents were supportive, patient with me and my sib- lings having all sorts of pets and farm animals. At age 16, I purchased my first purebred dog, a less-than-stellar but very sweet male Newfoundland that I decided must be shown in the local puppy match. Given the quality of the dog (despite my certainty that he was the most handsome of Newfound- lands) this made for a tough beginning in the show ring. That said, the first-place ribbon (in a class of one) had me hooked. 2. Who were your mentors in the sport? How did your friend- ship/partnership with Peggy and David Helming of Pouch Cove fame begin? I attended my first Newfoundland National Specialty in September 1979, held in Ann Arbor, Michigan. That was an exciting adventure for me, as it was where I first met Peggy and David, as well as Janet and Alan Levine and Betty McDon- nell. Nearly 40 years later I remember that National Specialty like it was yesterday. The show was judged by Esther Mueller, who awarded BOB to Ch. Kilyka’s Black Bart, bred by Betty and presented by Gerlinde Hockla. As handsome as Bart was, I was especially taken with the BOS bitch owned and handled by the Levines, Ch. Ferryland’s Abby of Newton Ark, and the outstanding AOM dog owned and handled by the Helmings, Ch. Pouch Cove Gref of Newton Ark. Much to my surprise and delight, Abby and Gref were both sired by the top producer Ch. Kuhaia’s Rego, and believe me, it wasn’t long before I had a Rego daughter and granddaugh- ter at my home in Ohio! Those girls, by Rego and out of Pouch Cove and Newton Ark bitches, were the start of the New- foundland program. Over the next few years I did limited breedings, producing quality dogs with some success in the show ring.
3. What prompted your involvement in Portuguese Water Dogs? In 1984 I attend the AKC Centennial show held in Phila- delphia and had the opportunity to see Bill Trainor pilot the imported brown PWD Charlie De Alvalade to a group place- ment. I was intrigued by the breed, and once I began my uni- versity graduate studies I became increasingly interested in PWDs due to living space constraints that would not accom- modate the Newfs. I acquired my first PWD bitch in 1988, followed by a high- quality girl that completed her championship easily and ulti- mately produced three litters for us. David and Peggy acquired their first PWD from me, and that worked out especially well as I had completed my graduate studies and relocated to New York City, providing the opportunity to work closely together on the PWD breeding and show program. 4. The Pouch Cove dogs are known and admired around the world. Tell us about that, and the breeding philosophies you adhere to. Peg and I have bred approximately 75 PWD AKC con- formation champions and finished another ten or so stud fee puppies, including multiple top-rated, Best in Show and Working Group winners. To me, the most important show of the year is the PWDCA National Specialty, and we are par- ticularly proud of Pouch Cove’s results as reflected by win- ning three times BOB, four times BOS, five times WD/WB, and multiple wins in Puppy and Veteran Sweepstakes as well as Brood Bitch and Stud Dog. We have also owned the Number one PWD over five sepa- rate years, represented recently by the father and son Matisse (sired by Ch. Pouch Cove Caribe) and Preston, expertly pre- sented throughout their careers by Michael and Michelle Scott—who are a critical component of our show ring success. With 238 all-breed Best in Show wins to his credit, Matisse is the top-winning male show dog in US history, a two-time National Specialty winner, a three-time Westminster Working
44 • S how S ight M agazine , J uly 2018
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