Demand for our puppies is overwhelming and we are cautious about taking on more dogs than we can comfortably manage. In 2019 we decided to address this issue by inviting some of our friends to join us. Jess and Nay were our first partners. They live five minutes from our front door on a lovely little farm where they keep chickens, goats, sheep and guinea fowl. Jess has been involved in animal rescue for years, already owned several dogs, and is currently completing a PhD examining different approaches to companion dog breeding. With Nay, she purchased her first breeding Lagotto in 2019, and later set up her own kennel prefix, Ludivine. They now have 2-3 litters per year, which keeps them busy and means we have access to more pups for our long list of potential owners. Jess and Nay's small breeding team are shown below.
ZAFF
Zaff (Il Granaio dei Malatesta Zafferano IMP ITA) is the resident patriarch of Jess and Nay's farm, coming to them a little later in life from Incavale in NSW. He is discovering all the joys to be had being a farm boy and has quickly wrapped himself tightly around his new owner's hearts, resulting in him being a rather spoilt boy. He spends most of his days lazing in the shade under the big trees and welcoming guests as they come through the front gate. At night he sleeps in his very own bed at the foot of Nay and Jess' bed at night with his selection of whatever treat he fancies that evening. Told you he was spoilt!
NANCY
If Charlotte is the queen, Nancy (Ch. Incavale Fiorellah) is definitely the princess of Nay and Jess' farm. Nancy was Jess' first show dog and successfully acquired her title just before COVID struck down all thoughts of dog showing. She still comes out to shows periodically to show the younger ones how it's done, but now spends most her time playing fetch at the dam or cuddling with her mums. She'd say her best mate is Crumpet, but her love-hate relationship with Charlotte speaks of a sisterly bond that's quite special. Just don't ask either of them to admit it!
DOTTIE
Dottie (Ludivine Dorothea) is currently the youngest member of our team, currently living with a friend of ours taking on the Melbourne dog scene. She's a spunky girl with a love of snacks, rainy days, wrestling with her 'brothers' and loving on her mum, Ness. You'll see her out and about at dog shows in Melbourne and she's always happy to say hello if you see her!
CHARLOTTE
The one who started it all! The matriarch at Ludivine, Charlotte (Hevnsent Little Miss Charlotte) was the first 'gottie of Jess and Nay's. She was bred by us at Hevnsent by the late Eddie (Tartufo Eduardo) out of a retired girl of ours, Molly. A chubby singleton puppy, Charlotte was quite a character from the start and whilst you won't see any puppies by her (don't ask us about her hips!), she is a firm family member and very loved by Jess and Nay. She spends her days thinking about her next bum scratch, keeping the puppies in line and reminding all the other dogs that she is the favourite. If you visit their farm, you'll be sure to meet her!
FINA
Fina (Incavale FPheonix) can be described in two words - frisbee crazy. She is an active girl that lives for her afternoon walks when she can show off her skills with her beloved (and very chewed) frisbee down the creek. Fina is a medium sized girl with lovely kind eyes that are very good at getting her what she wants, which is usually a pat and a piece of whatever you're eating. She's a social butterfly and gets along well with everyone, but has a particularly close relationship with Zaff, and a particularly tumultuous one with the resident felines.
CLEMENTINE
Clementine (Ludivine Clementine) is the daughter of Crumpet and Bramble and Jess and Nay think she's the perfect mix of all their good traits. Like her mum, she is a little pocket rocket and gives the bigger dogs a run for their money on a daily basis. This is tempered by her super sweet and gentle nature which she gets from her dad. Though she is an active show dog and loves strutting her stuff, Clemmie is really a country girl at heart and has a blast running around the farm and causing mischief with her sister, Tully, and best friend, Enrico.
CRUMPET
Crumpet (Ch. Glenstar Like a Rolling Stone) is a kiwi-bred boy who arrived at Jess and Nay's from Glenstar Lagottos mid 2019. Having begun his show career before COVID-19 hit and gained his title in the nick of time, he has fitted in well and has been charming judges and the general public alike with his very sweet nature all across Victoria. In his break he has been refining his skills at divebombing into the dam and creek, playing fetch (sort of, the return is a little unpredictable) and wooing the public out on his adventures in rural Victoria. A serial flirter, he's grown into a very handsome adult and will be hitting the show ring again soon. As you can probably tell, Crumpet is a very loved member of Nay and Jess' family and they are besotted with him.
PARIS
Paris (Incavale Paris) is an active, fun, and affectionate girl who loves zooming, swimming, and playing with whoever can keep up with her. She arrived quite recently with Zaff and is still settling in, but it's like she's always been around! She's one of the taller girls with a supermodel physique that is perfect for endless water adventures and chasing down even the fastest of the other dogs. At night time she enjoys watching the TV on the couch, but is still learning to keep the excitement in have some relaxation time at the end of the day. It's hard when there's a whole world to explore!
TULLY
Tully (Ludivine Camellia) is another daughter of Crumpet and Bramble and is a full sister to Clementine. Jess and Nay knew they would have trouble picking between the two girls when they were little and planned to keep them for a short while till we could choose, but as you can see they never did! Tully is a sweet girl who takes after her mum in many respects (water crazy and loves a game of chase), but has the soft gentle disposition of her dad which we love. She takes her role as the more mature sibling very seriously and though she tries to keep Clementine in line, you can often spot them during the day having a wrestle or a game of 'teef smash'.