ORSINOSOUTH

ABOUT US

	I was 10 year’s old when I finally wore my parents down and they agreed to let me have a dog. Mind you I had broken my leg at the time and was told that I had to look after it totally. Her name was Bessie and she was of the heinz 57 variety, she was my first but obviously not my last. She was my constant companion and even boyfriends had to put up with her presence. She taught me a lot, certainly about having unplanned puppies. I was not allowed another dog even though I kept bringing home everyone’s cast off’s but I always had to find them another home. Now thinking back my parents had to put up with a lot as I had many other small animals as well. Well needless to say many years later Wayne has also had to put up with the same sort of thing. The first dog we actually brought was a GSD, it should have been a rottie but they were very popular and expensive at the time (which is laughable now). Having our first pedigree dog also taught us about KC registration, well more to the point a pedigree dog but no papers! She got us into obedience and agility, she was brilliant with our other two daughters, Roz & Hayley but after Katie was born she became very protective, so we never got completely involved in these activities at show level. Just as well as I was still bringing home other peoples cast offs (pedigrees & non-pedigrees). The next dog we actually brought was my long awaited Great Dane, which I finally got for my 40th birthday. By this time Wayne was used to having 2 or 3 dogs at a time, so what did it matter if it went up to 4! This started us on the showing side of things, although she was not of correct type we enjoyed doing excemption shows with her. In the natural way of things dogs die, so at one stage we were ready to buy another one. But again before I could buy my next awaited breed we rescued another dog, yet again! This time a Dane as we already had one, why not two! So by now we had 3 large dogs the 2 Danes plus the first male dog we owned, a lovely cross rottie/dobbie which we had since he was about 10mths old, again someone else’s cast off. It was not long before I was dragging Wayne across the country to Championship shows as I had promised myself the next dog was to be (hopefully) a show quality Mastiff. We first saw Neapolitan Mastiffs at Bath in 1994 in the variety classes and although I had been reading all I could about mastiff breeds it was brilliant to actually see a Neapolitan. Especially as Bath having no classes for them I was only expecting to watch the two breeds I was interested in, the Dane & the Mastiff. Well I just had to watch the showing and having seen these big slobbering dogs being dragged (literally) around the ring Wayne said ‘No Way’ but I was secretly smitten. We also started seeing them in the show ring at Crufts but I was still more interested in watching the Great Dane's at that time Finally in 1997 we were in a position to get a Mastiff so off Katie and I went to Crufts to watch the showing and see who was breeding. However going round Discover Dogs, Katie spy’s Megan with her owner Kim, she worked on her dad and as they say the rest is history. It was with Kim's help that we got our first Neapolitan 'Orsino' which was the litter brother to her pup Megan. We started ring craft lessons in order to show with our first Neapolitan and we are all now involved totally with the Barking Canine Club and I am the club Treasurer, as well as being the Neapolitan Mastiff Club Secretary. I did eventually get my Mastiff in-between having Neapolitans and this site shows you all our dogs past and present. I do hope you enjoy viewing it.
	We currently have 2 Neapolitans and 1 Mastiff living at home with us. Tilarna, our Mastiff was born 23/04/2005. She has a lovely head and expression and is a perfect little lady. We are looking forward to showing her. Araya our female Neapolitan was imported at 10 weeks of age She was such a cute pup that the quarantine kennels had to put up a sign saying 'I know I'm cute but you cannot touch me' as although visitors did know they could not touch they kept going over to her to give her a fuss. She came home to us at 10 months, it was not easy visiting her and then leaving her in the kennels. We done it at least 3 times a week taking different visitors with us to get her use to people. We also had a tape of different sounds that we got from a breeding seminar which was very good for her. When she came home she was not fazed by the door bell or the washing machine or the hoover. She was shown by Katie and done very well, her greatest achievement was Crufts 2003 where she got Reserved Best Bitch. Then we have Fergal, who we call the black beast. He was born 03/08/2002 and is very much an Alpha male dog. He loves people when he knows them but he frightens most people so when we are out for walks they normally cross the road to get away. He always has slobber hanging from his chops, so he is a good dog to have when we have people visit the house to see what the breed looks like. If they can cope with him then maybe they will become a Mastino owner! As a family we are devoted to the Mastino and we are delighted to have the opportunity to help ‘The Neapolitan Mastiff Club’ here in GB, promote the breed. I enjoy my work as the Secretary of the club and Wayne also does his bit as the Vice President and Vice Chairman. We look forward to many more years of living in harmony with this truly unique breed. Our aim is to try to ensure that only people seriously interested in the betterment of the breed become the guardians of the breed.