by Joan Gunn
In the United States there is no kennel with a greater influence on the Newfoundland breed in the post World War II era than Dryad Kennels owned and founded by Katherine (Kitty) Fiske Drury and her husband, Maynard Drury. It can boast nearly 60 years of continuous breeding with a careful faithfulness to it original lines producing top winning dogs of their day and providing foundation lines for many other influential kennels.
Kitty Fiske Drury was to Newfoundlands what sugar is to chocolate; a natural combination. Kitty would become the undisputed champion of the Newfoundland breed. Perhaps more than any other of her day, she did more to bring enthusiasts in the USA together to work collectively for the betterment of the breed. This enthusiasm would extend to her many friends in England and Europe where she met with breeders and freely shared her many opinions about Newfoundlands.
A great debt is owed to the early breeders of Newfoundlands in England and Europe. As their Newfoundlands would become the foundation stock of early Canadian and American breeders. And, how fortunate for many breeders of Newfoundlands in England, when the reimportation of decendants of these dogs was possible as after World War II few Newfoundlands were available to continue breeding programs.
The love and knowledge of this breed began very early in the Fiske family. In 1892, Augustus Fiske, Kitty’s grandfather, registered his Newfoundland in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Year’s later, when Kitty was only seven years old a Newfoundland named Gyp was purchased from Newfoundland. Not the type and quality, but to be sure a big black dog with a loving, benevolent temperament, except for the chickens he ate! Kittys grandmother must have sensed Kitty’s growing love of these dogs, for in 1928 when Kitty was twelve years old, she bought her a Newfoundland, Harlingen Viking of Waseeka. This Newf was one of five dogs imported in 1927 by Elizabeth Loring of Waseeka Kennels from Harlingen Kennels in England. The other dogs imported by Elizabeth Loring in 1927 were Harlingen Neptune of Waseeka (Eng.Ch Siki x Queen of Hearts), Harlingen Jess of Waseeka (Eng.Ch Siki x Queen Bess), Vesta of Waseeka (Eng. Ch Black and White x Miggi von Leutberg), and Seagrave Bella (Capt Courageous x Marori Girl), a Landseer. Marori Girl is a full litter sister of Siki. At about the same time two other Siki sons were imported to Canada, Can. Ch Shelton Cabin Boy (Eng. Ch Siki x Harlingen Topsy) and Can. Ch Baron (Eng. Ch Siki x Harlingen Topsy). Waseeka Kennels imported many dogs from Europe by way of Harlingen Kennels. Many of these would become important dogs in Canadian and American pedigrees. None however would have the prominence of Eng.Ch Siki (Ch Shelton King x Ch Rothwell Bess), bred by Mr. Goodall in England, whose name appears so often in our American and Canadian pedigrees of those early years.
Young Kitty Fiske would finish Viking to his championship. Viking would also be named a Heroic Dog for alerting his family to smoke coming from the roof from a fire in the library where nearly all of the wood fireplace mantel had been consumed. His alarmed barking allowed the fire doused and family members evacuated in time. Unfortunately, Viking did not live long having been poisoned at a young age. Kitty would go several years without a Newfoundland. Finally when she was in college and engaged to Maynard Drury along about 1940, they went to Waseeka Kennels to look for a Newfoundland. Elizabeth Loring had just what they were looking for, Waseeka’s Crusoe (Ch Waseeka’s Smuggler x Ch Waseeka’s Sea Shell) so her father bought Cursoe for Kitty. At this point Maynard had never seen a Newfoundland, his comment when first seeing them, “Those aren’t dogs, they are ponies!” But he got over it quickly. Here the lifelong love affair with this magnificent breed would begin and Elizabeth Loring (Powers), Waseeka Kennels, would become a lifelong friend and mentor.
Maynard and Kitty were married in 1940. In 1942 they went back to Waseeka Kennels to look for a foundation bitch to breed with Crusoe. Elizabeth did not have what they needed, so she produced what she thought would be the right girl for them. This was Waseeka’s Hesperus (Nanni) (Ch Waseeka’s Sea Drift x Ch Waseeka’s Clipper Ship). She was right.
When Crusoe and Nanni were bred they produced beautiful, sound, typey, well tempered Newfoundlands and this is what Dryad Kennels would become renowed for. The breeding of these two produced: Ch Dryads’s Fan, Ch Dryads’s Admiral, Ch Dryads’s Coastwise Gale and Ch Dryads’s Coastwise Showboat.
Kitty and Maynard moved to Pasadena, California shortly before these dogs were bred. While at a local dog show, Bea Godsol, who had been judging, introduced herself to them. Bea had bred Newfoundlands in the past and was so impressed with Kitty and Maynard’s dogs that she purchased two dogs from their first litter and two dogs from their second. Kitty credits Bea and Major Godsol (Coastwise Kennels) and Elizabeth Loring (Waseeka Kennels) for teaching them everything they knew about Newfoundlands.
Kitty once remarked that the best bitch they ever bred was from their very first litter with Crusoe and Nanni, Ch Dryad’s Coastwise Showboat. She belonged to the Godsols and won five Best In Shows and a Group II at Westminster Kennel Club. She finished her Championship without defeating a single Newfoundland by winning three Group I’s to finish. Unfortunately she was never able to produce.
In 1943, now back in Long Island, New York, Kitty and Maynard would formally name their kennel by applying and receiving AKC recognition and entering into a duly notorized agreement between each other regarding the kennel. Kitty would later tell friends her kennel name was from a forest just behind their Long Island home.
This is not to say that in the years preceeding 1940 there was little breeding of Newfoundlands in the USA and Canada. Earlier kennels include Westerland (Hon Harold McPherson) of Canada, Oquaga, Willinez, Camayer (later to be Seaward), Waseeka, Glenmire, and Harbour Beem and by the early 40’s Coastwise. Oquaga’s Kennels breeding in the 1930’s based in New York imported dogs and figure prominently in a portion of the Dryad line. Their influence can be seen in the pedigrees of Dryad’s Goliath of Gath (Dryad’s Anchorage of Waseeka x Dryad’s Spinnaker), Ch Dryad’s Sea Rover (Oquaga’s Sea Diver II x Dryad’s Sultana) and Int’l Ch Newton (Topsail’s Capt Bob Bartlett x Merry of Sperry).
After a few years of breeding, Bea Godsol and Kitty recognized the need to bring in a new blood. Bea went to the Netherlands for that purpose and returned home with Saskia (Sjoerd v.d. Drie Anjers x Tonia v.d. Drie Anjers) and Beatrijs v.t. Zeepaardje (Sjoerd v.d. Drie Anjers x Kemp Annie v. Oldersheim), a brown. Saskia would stay with Bea and Beatrijs would go to Dryad Kennels. These bitches were bred to the “best they had” and their puppies were in turn bred back to the Dryad and Coastwise lines. Many of the great dogs of this era go back to these bitches. Kitty once remarked that Beatrice was not the most beautiful Newfoundland, but she was very sound with a straight coat, lovely temperament and a dark eye with the pedigree they wanted. Beatrice never finished, but Dryad Kennels seldom finished their bitches, so this was not important to them.
Dryad Kennels early breedings of Crusoe and Nanni combined with their imported bitches would produce foundation breedings for several well known kennels. And, in turn, their foundation breedings, produced foundation stock for other well known kennels.
Edenglen Kennels
In 1961 Helena and Bill Linn of Edenglen Kennels purchased two bitches from a
breeding of Ch Dryads Harborlight Lookout (Can Ch Dryad’s Pilot x Waseeka’s
Harborlight) and Beatrijis. These two bitches from this breeding would become two of
the greatest producing bitches in Newfoundland history, they are Ch Dryad’s Christine of
Glenora and Ch. Dryad’s Nancy of Glenora. Christine is the mother of Edenglen’s top
producing sire, Edenglen’s Tucker bred to Goliath of Gath (Dryad’s Anchorage of
Waseeka x Dryad’s Spinnaker). Tucker produced 27 champions bred to 10 bitches.
Nancy also produced a top producing dog, Ch Edenglen’s Banner when bred to Ch
Dryad’s Sea Rover (Oquaga’s Sea Diver II x Dryads Sultana). Nancy again was bred
with Ch Dryad’s Sea Rover and produced Ch Edenglen’s Beau Gest, a top winning
show dog and the sire of 25 champions from 15 bitches owned by Fran Dibble. His two
most significant get are Ch Dryad’s George (Ch Edenglen’s Beau Gest x Dryad’s Helen
of Troy, CD) and Ch Dryad’s Tambaram of Cayuga, full litter brother. George produced
for Edenglen Kennels Ch Edenglen’s Falstaff, another National Specialty winner. From
the same litter as Beau was Edenglen’s Mary Mischief, the mother of Hilvig’s Kennels
foundation bitch. The repeat breeding of Nancy and Rover was to produce Isabel
Kurth’s Ch Edenglen’s Sovereign of the Sea who was the sire of three other top winning
Indigo Kennels dogs. The impact of Edenglen and these two top producing sires can be
seen across other kennels. Chief among them is Bandom Kennels owned by Dr. Ed
and Mae Freeland who purchased and showed Ch Edenglen’s Banner. Other kennels
include Harbor Beem, Indigo, Newton Ark, Barbara Allen, Little Bear, Tranquilus,
Pandaga and Halirock. Unlike other Kennels, Edenglen did very little showing of their
dogs. So their impact and accomplishment on the history of Newfoundlands is even
more astounding.
Shipshape Kennels
In the early 60’s Dryad’s Compass Rose (Ch Newton x Dryad’s Christmas Holly) was
bought for the Wilma and Bob Listers daughter, Christine. Christine wanted a
Newfoundland to own and to show. Their first three litters out of her were not what they
were hoping for. After considerable evaluation of various stud dogs they decided Ch
Dryad’s Sea Rover (Oquaga’s Sea Diver II x Dryad’s Sultana) was the dog they needed
to improve their breeding program. Ch Shipshape’s Cutty Sark (Ch Dryad’s Sea Rover x
Ch Dryad’s Compass Rose) was the result of this. He produced 23 champions with 12
bitches. One of his sons, Ch Shipshapes Square Rigger was the top Newfoundland sire
in Canada in 1974. In their turn, these champions went on to influence breeding in
other kennels such as Kilyka, Holidays, Little Bears, Seawards, Kimtales, and Nashau
Auke. Rosie went on to produce Ch Shipshape’s Sibyl UDT, foundation bitch of Betty
McDonnell’s Kilyka’s who herself produced 14 champions and was the first
Newfoundland to earn all the obedience titles.
Tranquilus Kennels
Jim and Dot Bellows breeding stock was based on Dryad lines owning Ch Dryad’s
Candy’s Duchess (Dryad’s Goliath of Gath x Dryad’s Gum Drop), a top producing bitch
in the 60’s,and Dryad’s Naval Prince (Dryads Goliath of Gath x Dryad’s Gum Drop).
Tranquilus produced two foundation bitches of the Halirock Kenels, Ch Franco
Cassandra (Dryads’s Naval Prince x Ch Dryad’s Candy Duchess) and Ch Dryad’s
Anthony Penelope (Dryads Naval Prince x Dryad’s Candy Duchess)
Halirock Kennels
Joan and Roger Foster may never have intended to be breeders. One fateful day they
followed a station wagon with a huge black tail handing out of it. They stopped and
soon a hugh black head was in their car window. It was love at first site. They
purchased Little Bear’s Chula Vista (Turmoil of Perryville x Little Bear’s Primavista), a
seven month old puppy bitch, who was destined to become a champion. Vista was
bred to Can Ch Dryad’s Bounty (Ch Dryad’s Sea Rover x Dryads Gum Drop) and their
puppy from this litter would become their first homebred champion, Ch Halirock’s
Avalanche, CD. Using Fran Dibble’s stud dog, Ch Edenglen’s Beau Geste, they would
go on to produce Am/Can Ch Halirock’s Boulder who won Best of Winners at the 1971
National Specialty and Ch Halirock’s Britannia (Ch Edenglen’s Beau Geste x Ch Little
Bear’s Chula Vista) who would produce Britannia Kennels Ch Britannnia’s Union Jack
(Ch Jack the Ripper x Ch Halirock’s Britannia). Halirock would then go to Dryad
Kennels and purchase a brood bitch, Dryad’s Anthony’s Penelope out of Dryad’s Naval
Prince and Dryad’s Candy Duchess. Duchess was a top producing bitch of her time.
Penny would go on to produce 7 American and 3 Canadian chamions.
Seaward Kennels
The oldest Newfoundland breeding kennel in the United States dating back to 1932
when it was Camayer owned by Elinor Ayers Jameson and John Cameron. Mrs.
Jameson’s daughter, Elinor C. Ayers (Nell) took over the kennel in the 1950’s which had
been renamed Seaward Kennels. In its early years it was best know for breeding
Landseers. In 1963 Seaward showed and finished the first brown Newfoundland in the
USA, Ch Dryad’s Brown Betty (Can Ch Perivale Sea Ranger x Dryads Queen Bess).
Their success in blacks began with Ch Dryad’s Strong Sea Pirate (Am/Can Ch Dryad’s
Tambaram of Cayuga x Ch Dryad’s Dotty QueQue), bred by Ed Wilson and owned by
Elinor Ayers. Pirate produced Seaward champions, Ch Seaward’s Yankee Ranger, Ch
Seaward’s Barbary Pirate, Ch Seaward’s Satin Finish, Ch Seaward’s Zenith and Ch
Seaward’s Jolly Roger Beaupre (Am/Can. Ch Dryad’s Strong Sea Pirate x Ch Beaupre’s
Dolphin Striker) who in turn sired the all time top winning Ch Seaward’s Blackbeard
(Adam). Adam, handled by Gerlinde Hockla, won an amazing thirty-one all breed Best
in Show, including the 1984 Best in Show win at Westminster with Kitty Drury judging,
Best of Breed at the 1982 and 1984 National Specialties and Select at the 1983
National Specialties.
Ebonewf
Louise and Roy Esiason brought home their first Newfoundland puppy Thunder’s Karla
(Ch Little Bear’s Thunder, UD x Dryad’s Honeyoye Laurelei). He was meant to be a
family pet but after attending a match and winning they were hooked. Over the years
they bred using the Ebonnew prefix producing numerous champions. They focused on
health and soundness and settled for nothing less. Ebonewf dogs can be seen in many
pedigrees and have won Regional Specialties and placed at National Specialties. They
bred blacks and browns
The list of kennels from lines originating with Dryad is extensive. You would be hard pressed not to find a Dryad Kennel name in very many American pedigrees of today.
Kitty remarked while at a National Specialty held sometime in the early 1980s nearly all of the dogs could be traced back to the early breedings including Golly and Rover. Golly was bred to over 50 bitches so his impact on the dogs of that day was significant. But Kitty would have known for sure about this impact. She and her daughter, Mary, were meticulous record keepers and fascinated with pedigrees. Not just their dogs, all others of that day. In a box given to me by Mary Dewey shortly before her death were over hundreds of pedigrees some original from import or AKC, some hand written but mostly typed. These go back to Ch Siki with multi generation pedigrees behind him.
Kitty and Maynard were ardent breeders. They bred what they saw to be the best to their best. Kitty when speaking to others about breeding, often referred to the Coastwise Code which bears repeating.
To pay special attention to bitches.
To study grandparents rather than parents.
To keep careful breeding records.
Not to rush to every new stud with a name.
To try to read a pedigree by breeding facts, not names.
To put away all culls and weaklings at birth.
Never to sell or give away an excessively shy or nervous dog.
Never to see any dogs the kennel cannot be proud of.
To make good on any dog sold that may not turn out satisfactorily.
To breed dogs for intelligence and disposition as well as physical perfection.
As relavant today as it was in 1945!
Kitty and Maynard’s involvement in the Newfoundland breed was far more than as breeders and exhibitors. Kitty and Maynard joined the fledgling Newfoundland Club of America shortly after it was founded. Its founding members were the greats of the day. Membership ran into the dozens, today it is more than 1650. Their involvement increased becoming board members of the newly organized Newfoundland Club of America. Then each serving terms as president Kitty for 6 years. Other accomplishments include: Secretary for the NCA; Chairman of the Breed Standard Committee (this Standards is still used today), Chairman for breed artwork for the NCA logo; Historian; Editor of NCA’s This Is The Newfoundland; co-author will Bill Linn of How To Raise and Train a Newfoundland, and, The Newfoundland, and NCA Honorary Member since 1982. Kitty was also instrumental in planning and opening the Dog Museum located in St. Louis, Missouri.
Kitty and Maynard judged multiple breeds. Kitty was granted her judges liscence for Newfoundlands and Great Pyranees in 1954. In short oder the Working Group, then other groups, and then Best In Show. In the early days of judging, Maynard was far more active. Kitty had five children at home to raise. After Maynard’s death in 1967, Kitty became far more active in judging. In her judging career she judged numerous Newfoundland Specialties all over the world: Denmark (where Kitty judged five times), Canada, England, Finland, The Netherlands, Germany, The Kitty Drury Specialty in Australia and the first Newfoundland Specialty in the homeland, Newfoundland. In the USA, between Kitty and Maynard they judged four National Specialties. Kitty judged the most prestigious all-breed shows, including her most famous judging assignment at the Wesminster Kennel Club in 1984 where she selected Ch Seawards Blackbeard as her Best In Show winner. Kitty judged Specialties for numerous other breeds as well.
From 1943 to 1973 the Dryad Kennels had produced over 50 Champions including three Best In Show Newfoundlands, numerous ROMs (Register of Merit) and the dog who become the first UDT (Utility Dog Excellent) in the breed.
No accounting of the Dryad Kennels would be complete without Kitty Drury and her friends. They are too numerous to count, but not only include her ties with Elizabeth (Polly) Loring Powers and Bea and Major Godsol, but Hon. Harold Macphearson who, born in in the late 1880’s, reintroduced Newfoundlands to Newfoundland thru imports and breeding. His dogs can be seen in pedigrees of Dryad, Glenmire and Harbourbeam Kennels. His most notable breeding, Int’l Ch Newton is seen in Dryad pedigrees and other notable kennels of the day.. His knowledge of dogs and pedigrees impressed Kitty they would become good friends. Megan Nutbeam, a Canadian and fellow judge, who Kitty would recount campouts in driveways with lots of food, drink and fun. Di Sellers and Carol Cooper of England, Birgitte Gothen of Denmark who Kitty once remarked had the best dogs in Europe, Adrian van Zijl, Netherlands, Herbert Kretschmer, Germany, Roger and Joan Foster, Isabell Kurth, Jane Thibault, Ron Pemberton, Louise Esiason, Helena and Bill Linn, Capt J. Bellows, Nell Ayers, Helen Munday, Gerlinde Hockla, Edeltraud Laurin, and the list goes on!
By all accounts Kitty had an infectious personality. She was larger than life, ready for any and all that came her way. She had a way of seeing the best in every situation, never let the small stuff bother her, and handled adversity with grace. She had unbounded energy. She made a foray into politics in her early years, was active in charitable activities, cared for her children and her grandchildren, traveled and enjoyed her time on earth. She lived in a pre-technology day, when weekends were spent visiting friends and relatives, campouts, cookouts, trips from one state to another were interspersed with campouts in the driveways of friends she had met along the way. She instilled this love of life in her daughter Mary, who I knew well. Both left this earth before their time, but for all who had the honor of knowing them, their lives are forever changed.
Kitty turned the Kennel over to her daughter, Mary Dewey, in 1973 as her judging assigments kept increasing. Mary, of all the Drury children was most involved with the dogs. In 1955 she was Top Junior Handler at the NCA National Specialty with her puppy, Dryads’s Lighthouse Beam (Ch Dryads’s Pilot x Waseeka’s Harbor light). This bitch went on to win Best of Opposite Sex at the National Specialty in 1959 and was handled by her father, Maynard.
Mary and Jay Dewey were married in 1969 and moved to Colorado to start their new life shortly after Mary finished nursing school. Like her mother, Mary’s world was filled with work at the Public Health Department and volunteer for the Rescue Squad among other things. In addition to raising three boys, Clayton, William and Michael, she was involved in the local kennel club, was a founding member of the High Country Newfoundland Club and held Committee positions with the Newfoundland Club of America. She chaired all-breed shows, Regional Specialties and was co-Chair of two National Specialties. She was a NCA Board Member and club historian. Mary continued the Dryad line by producing over 20 Champions the most notable of whom was Ch Dryad’s Flagship, ROM. He was NCA’s first Top Show Dog in 1985 and also awarded Heroic Newfoundland. He was a Select dog at the National Specialty three years in a row as well as being a multiple Best In Show winner. Mary routinely honored her kennel by producing the Dryad Honor Roll which appeared at each National Specialty. Last updated in 2007 it is reproduced here with recent Dryad inductees
Kennels would continue to seek out and use Dryad lines Ch Seaward’s Blackbeard’s famous win at Westminster made him a sought after stud dog. His strong Dryads lines gave depth to current and newly forming kennels.
Mary’s friend, Kady Eckstrom (Sturtz), who also lived nearby in Colorado, purchased Dryads Brigantine (Ch Shipshape’s Yankee Clipper III x Ch Ondine’s Katina). She was bred to Ch Pooh Bear’s Stormalong which produced another top winning stud dog, Ch Dryad’s Flagship. Once seen on the east coast Helen Munday volunteered to be a coowner and sponsor his career. He went to Gerlinde Hockla, who handled Ch Seaward’s Blackbeard for Seaward Kennels and was known for showing top quality dogs. Gus, Ch Dryads Flagship, started his Specials (BOB) career receiving multiple group placements, two Best In Shows, received Select at three consecutive National Specialties and would become Top Winning Show Dog.
Gus added another legacy and became the NCA Heroic Newfoundland for breaking the ice and saving a puppy who had fallen thru it and might of drowned. Gus would have a granddaughter and a greatgranddaughter also receive this honor of Heroic Newfoundland for instinctive and courageous acts. Of course, in the tradition of Dryad, Gus would become a sought after stud dog. In the mid-1980’s there were more kennels emerging. He would become an important part of the breeding programs of Holiday Kennels, Ron Pemberton; Douglas Mountain, Lucy and Kieth Cowell; Betsy Wiederhold and Nancy Talgo, Sieweed; Rowens Kennels, Pat and Bob Owens; Mountainview Kennels, Cathy Derench; Helen Mancuso, Boradale; Sasha Zemanek and Lee Schoen, Seawolf Kennels; John McKoen and Darien Morrison, Onyx Kennels; Aotea Kennels, Gilliam McArthur, Al and Jane Dufett, Clarenhills, and Blackwatch Newfoundlands, Joan Gunn. Several are still breeding today.
Mary was very much like her mother. She was quieter with great resolve, but a people magnet all the same. She willingly shared her knowledge of Newfoundlands and pedigrees with any and all. Mary’s life did not permit much time for breeding but she had several friends who were intent to help her keep the Dryad line alive. They would breed with her for many years using the Dryad prefix in conjunction with their own kennel name. They deserve credit for their willingness to do so. These include Kady Sturtz, Kieth and Lucy Cowell, John McKoen, Darien Morrison, Joan Gunn and Roger Danielsen.
Mary was very much like her mother. She was quieter with great resolve, but a people magnet all the same. She willingly shared her knowledge of Newfoundlands and pedigrees with any and all. Mary’s life did not permit much time for breeding but she had several friends who were intent to help her keep the Dryad line alive. They would breed with her for many years using the Dryad prefix in conjunction with their own kennel name. They deserve credit for their willingness to do so. These include Kady Sturtz, Kieth and Lucy Cowell, John McKoen, Darien Morrison, Joan Gunn and Roger Danielsen.
Mary, like her mother, being the astute breeder, looked to Europe for new blood lines. In the 1990s she imported, Ursala’s Keep In Touch (Whisperbays Full Confession x Lotgardens Gomorra) from Birgitte Gothen in Denmark. Ursa finished her championship was bred and produced lovely offspring. In 2001 Joan Gunn and Mary Dewey went to the Gold Cup in Denmark to further search for dogs or puppies from bloodlines Mary felt would be compatible. There they found a number of beautiful dogs. They even ventured for a day trip in to Sweden to look at more Newfoundlands. Mary was very pleased with what she found in Europe. Birgitte introduced Mary to Sibylle Welzbacher owner of vom Trieberg Kennels and Mary arranged to import a bitch from vom Trieberg. Lovely Indian Summer vom Trieberg (Ursala’s Indian Son of Dipper x Indiana Jenny vom Trieberg), a young bitch, who would come to the Dryad Kennels in Conifer, Colorado, finish her championship and produce several Champions. There were two dogs at the Gold Cup Mary and Joan were most interested in. Geronimo (Newf House Ready Teddy x Villa Rustica’s Heartbreaker) a Danish dog bred by Inge Artsoe’s Newf House Kennel won the Gold Cup. He was a son of Newf House Ready Teddy who won the Gold Cup a few years earlier. The other was a vom Trieberg dog, Incredible Hulk vom Trieberg (Ch Bombax Pubescens Barenkind x Ch Funny Girl vom Trieberg). In them they saw type, structure, balance, movement and lovely dispositions
Neither owners would even consider parting with their dogs for even a month to be bred - I would have felt the same. But as luck would have it, Sibylle Welzbacher, vom Trieberg Kennels, bred Indiana Jenny vom Trieberg, a litter sister of Incredible Hulk, to Geronimo. A lovely breeding we immediately expressed interest in. We asked for a female when the puppies were born. In the meantime, Wolfgang Diessenroth, owner of Incredible Hulk vom Trieberg, made a foray into high tech breeding by having his dog collected and seaman shippped. In what nearly became a comedy of errors, the seaman was retrieved and implanted in the knick of time. This was used on Kitty, Ch Dryads Tailwind of Blackwatch, DD,WD (Ch Blackwatch Goliath x VN Ch Dryads Onyx Tinkerbird at Blackwatch, CD,DD,WRD), a Flagship granddaughter. This breeding produced three females. Too many girls we said, but all of the males from the vom Trieberg’s breeding were spoken for. In a great bit of luck, one of the males homes fell thru. There would be one for us after all. When we saw his photos we knew this was something special. When Mary and I arrived at Sibylle Welzbacher’s beautiful home in Pfaffenwiesbach, Germany we were even more certain. Nighthawk-Dryad vom Trieberg would accompany us home along with Noela vom Trieberg who would go to Christine Brigham. Christine’s foundation bitch, VN Ch Blackwatch Keepin the Score CD,DD,WRD was from our breeding with Dryad’s Flagship x Dryads Dark Star. Noela (Hawk’s sister) would also become a VN.
Hawk has stayed true to the Dryad tradition. He finished quickly and earned two working titles, WD and DD. He has been used at stud over a dozen times and has produced fourteen Champions and two VNs to date. He received his ROM in 2011. And, of course, has been bred to Dryad lines. His addition to the line will add continued strength and diversity.
Kitty once made a comment that breeding in her day was much easier. You looked at the dog, you took the best that you had and bred to the best you could find. We had no way to know what was on the inside. Today we have health screenings, hips, elbows, patellas, hearts. I know Kitty would feel it would be a mistake to breed for one thing without considering the others. Newfoundlands are now numerous both within the USA and in Europe that we should be able to protect the temperament, health, structure and look of our dogs.
Kitty would be proud of Mary’s accomplishments. Mary never had more than one or two breeding bitches at a time, with sometimes year’s in between breedings. Her wisdom and efforts truly kept the Dryad line alive as she worked to bring in new blood and to breed to keep the original qualities of those early dogs of her parents. Sadly, Mary lost her 7 year long battle with cancer in November 2002. With her, went the Dryad prefix as family members viewed it as a family name. To be sure, Dryad lines live in our dogs and their pedigrees today. They are still there we just have to look a little harder to find them. The values and fundamentals of the Dryad Kennels will be continued as Dogs of Dignity, Devotion and Disposition.
Acknowledgements: I am deeply indebted to the careful and informative work of many others. Kitty’s book, This Is The Newfoundland; Carol Cooper and Bill Mainman, The Newfoundland, published in England; Joan Bendure, The Newfoundland, Companion Dog, Water Dog, Newf Tide articles particularly the greats of the past series by Betty Barton, Newf Tide, Winter 1988 interview by Connie Vanacore with Kitty, and, the careful and extensive notes and pedigrees made by Kitty and Mary. And to Mary Dewey for her friendship, trust in me with her dogs and for the boxes of pedigrees which form the heart and soul of Dryad. --