Peggy and Dave Helming acquired their first Newfoundland in 1965 and began their breeding program in 1968 under the kennel prefix Pouch Cove.  They have bred and/or owned approximately 275 champions, including many National Specialty winners, Working Group winners and Best in Show winners in the USA and also around the world.  Thirty-seven of their dogs have achieved Newfoundland Club of America Register of Merit (ROM) status.  The top four ROM sires in the history of the Newfoundland breed have been owned and bred by Pouch Cove.  Their dogs have also excelled in Obedience trials and in NCA sanctioned working events.  Fourteen have earned their NCA Versatility titles obtaining AKC Championship, NCA Water Rescue and NCA Draft Dog titles.  Peggy and Dave were recognized as the 2003 AKC Working Dog Breeders of the Year given their many accomplishments with the Pouch Cove breeding program.

Peggy served on the Newfoundland Club of America's Board of Directors for 16 years, four of those years as First-Vice-President.  She chaired the AKC Video Committee, was a member of the Standard and Illustrated Guide Committee, NCA's National Specialty Coordinator and currently serves on the Judge's Education Committee.  She is a member of the Somerset Hills Kennel Club, Morris and Essex Kennel Club and Delaware Water Gap Kennel Club where she serves as their Corresponding Secretary.  Peggy is also an AKC Delegate representing the Erie Kennel Club and is a charter member of her local regional club, New Pen Del and served as President for several years.  She is an AKC approved judge for Newfoundlands and Portuguese Water Dogs and has judged in US, Denmark, Italy, Norway and Sweden. 

Dave served on the NCA Board of Directors for eight years and as NCA President for three of those years.  He has also been the NCA Policy Chairman and is presently serving as the NCA Heath Liaison.  Both Peggy and Dave are honorary members of the Newfoundland Club of America.  On the all-breed front, Dave is the current President of the Somerset Hills Kennel Club, a member of Morris and Essex KC and the Delaware Water Gap Kennel Club.  He is on the Executive Committee and Board for Morris & Essex.  Dave is approved to judge Newfoundlands and Junior Showmanship.

Each year, the American Kennel Club (AKCĀ®) chooses seven group winners for the American Kennel Club's prestigious Breeder of the Year Award.  A breeder is chosen from each of the seven groups: Sporting, Hound, Working, Terrier, Toy, Non-Sporting, and Herding.  This award honors breeders who have dedicated their lives to improving the health, temperament and quality of purebred dogs.  From those seven, one Group winner is selected as "AKC Breeder of the Year".  For 2005, Peggy and Dave Helming were chosen as the Working Group Winners and went on to receive the 2005 AKC Breeder of the Year Award at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in January 2006!  For more information about this exciting honor, read the AKC News article.

Peggy and Dave share their home in Flemington, NJ with 20 Newfoundlands and 5 Portuguese Water Dogs.


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