Our History

I started to breed English Cocker Spaniel when I was 15 years old and very soon the Labrador became my ideal breed for his typical happy temperament, his versatility, and above all for his natural kindness.
My favorite coat color is black and I started with black dogs to which I soon added chocolates, actually I breed black chocolates and a few yellows.
The kennel is small and uncommercial with a few dogs as close as possible my ideal type of labrador: dogs with strong structure with alert and kind expression, typical of the breed, with a very patient temperament like a really perfect “Family Dog”.

We live close to Parma (north of Italy, between Milano and Bologna), our home is situated close by the first hills between Felino and Langhirano, famous villages that are well known for producing top quality “salame” and “parma ham”!
Usually I breed a couple of litters per year, Labrador breeding is only a fantastic hobby for me, I work as a Veterinarian specialized in Small Animals particularly in dogs reproduction.

“DELLA LONTRA" LABRADORS STORY

The kennel name “della Lontra” means “Otter’s” from the legend that Labrador was born from a water dog and an otter; this legend explains the main caracteristics of the breed: waters lover, waterproof coat and the typical otter tail !
I bought my first Labrador in 1994 and was the black female “Joice des la Bruieres de la Lande”, a doughter of the GB Show Champion “Cambremer Jazz Singer”, Cruft’ winner and above all a full brother of “Cambremer for Vallon du Villard”, who I saw and loved in the Italian Retrievers Club show rings during the ‘90s .
Joice was mated to the Italian Champion “Bob Dylan des Iles du Canyon” owned by Emanuela Ruggero and from this litter I kept, as co-owner with Emanuela Ruggero, Deedee Bright Water: a black female, chocolate carrier.
I was looking for a good chocolate male for my breeding program with a good bones and well angulated, so I reached Loresho kennel in Finland and the friendship with Annaliisa Harjukari was very precious.

I was very surprised to find such a homogeneous stock of Labradors with very good substance, very good bones, very strong and level top-lines , very correct tail set, excellent front and rear angulations, wonderfull coat quality and excellent otter tails !

I came back home with a very promising chocolate male puppy: “Loresho Tabasco”, son of the important good producer: Finnish Champion “Loresho Ozzie”, one of my favourite dogs that I have had, the following year as stud dog in my kennel and who left me so much!Thank’s to Annaliisa Harjukari I have had, before Ozzie, the Finnish Champion “Loresho Love Mission” as stud dog in my kennel and for showing.

The most important step for my kennel was “Loresho Noblesse Oblige”. I bought this adult female, born in Finland, at Loresho kennel and owned by Anu Honkapiritti (Mallorn’s kennel), she is with no doubt my foundation bitch !.

I started with the affix “della Lontra”, approved by FCI, in the September 1997, after the litter by“Loresho Noblesse Oblige” and the finnish stud dog “Tweedledum Modern Talking”, in this litter of 6 blacks there was “Spice Girl”, owned by Piera Zerbi (“Acerbis“kennel), she became Italian Champion !

“Loresho Noblesse Oblige” produced another promising litter by the black male “Trendmaker’s Tycoon”: born in Sweden (Trendmaker’s kennel) and owned in Finland by Anu Honkapiritti. Thanks to collaboration and friendship Anu Honkapiritti I had this wonderfull and good producer dog in Italy at my kennel.From this litter I got “Flora della Lontra”: she became Italian Champion and she won 7 CC, 2 BOB in Speciality Show, 5 RCC, 1 RCACIB and 5° at Cruft 2003 in “Special Yearling” class with 430 entries !!

The influence of northern Europe Labrador breeding increased with my friendship with Anja Verbeek DeNeef of “Farbourne” kennel in Holland. I was very glad to be able to use her Dutch Ch “Rocheby Royal Marine” aged 11: the two bitches mated to him produced 13 and 11 puppies respectively!

I was very satisfied using this old, gentle stud dog because he was the last living son of the famous “Kupros Master Mariner”, what is my reference for the “type”!