Our kennel is located in southern Minnesota on a bluff overlooking two rivers. Local historians tell us that this bluff was once a campsite for the Dakotah. In tribute to this heritage we chose Minnemato as our kennel name. It means Water Bear in Dakotah and is very descriptive of our Gentle Giants.

We have a show/breeding kennel, breeding one or two litters a year. We look for a puppy to keep for ourselves and place the others as companions or show prospects in qualified homes. We try to match people with the right puppy by using the Volhard puppy aptitude test, testing the puppies when they are forty-nine days old. Our puppies receive a very thorough physical when they are between eight and nine weeks old, and are ready to go to their homes when they are nine to ten weeks old.

We bought our first Newfoundland in 1983. These wonderful dogs have been an integral part of our lives ever since. We breed for Temperament, Soundness, and Type. Temperament is extremely important to us. We feel that the most important quality in a Newfoundland is the sweet, eager to please temperament that is the Hallmark of the breed. Edenglen was well-known for its sweet dispositioned dogs, and that is the kennel where we bought our foundation bitch, Edenglen’s Merry Voyageur. Many of the dogs that we have now are the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren of Merry, and have the same sweet disposition that she had.

We are also very concerned about health and do all the necessary tests to assure that the dogs we are breeding are healthy dogs. We currently have eleven AKC champions at home. Over the years we have had twenty-four champions and seven companion dogs (CD’s). Five of these dogs were also Therapy Dogs. Some owners of our dogs have put Obedience, Draft Dog, Water Dog, Water Rescue Dog, Agility, Rally, and Canine Good Citizen titles on their dogs. Others have simply enjoyed the companionship of these wonderful dogs, and have come back to us for their second, third, or fourth Newfoundland.

We have been members of the Newfoundland Club of America (NCA) since 1984. Fred is a member of the NCA Bylaws Committee and Karin serves on the Breeders Education Committee. We also belong to the Northstar Newfoundland Club, the Minnesota Purebred Dog Breeders Association, and the Key City Kennel Club (an all-breed club). Fred is the past President of the Key City Kennel Club, and the delegate to the American Kennel Club (AKC). He serves on the All-Breed Committee and the TV Advisory Committee for the AKC. He is also an AKC, UKC, and UCI (International) judge. Fred is a conformation instructor and Karin is a puppy kindergarten instructor. As members of these organizations and committees, active participants at dog shows and related events, and instructors, we provide public education related to dog ownership and care as well as breed specific information to the general public.

Obviously, we are very involved in the dog fancy. Our friends say we have “Gone to the dogs!” We wouldn’t have it any other way.

Fred and Karin Bock
Mankato, Minnesota