Confidential Kennels: Cane Corso Breeder

Meet Angela Clark, the founder of Confidential Kennels, located near the stunning coast of Pala California and the rugged mountains of Cardwell Montana. Her kennel is world-renowned for breeding Cane Corsos, pronounced "Kah-Nay Kor-so," meaning protector or bodyguard. This ancient molosser breed has been traced back further than the Roman era and into the Middle East about 800 B.C.

After learning about the breed's fascinating history, Angela became a preservation breeder, breeding for function and preservation while maintaining the vision of Dr. Breber, the Italian biologist who resurrected the breed. Angela reaches out to Dr. Breber and some of the founders of the Cane Corso in America, such as Jeff Hall, the late Ed Hodas, and Tony Scandifio at the International Cane Corso Federation.

Confidential Kennels tests for genetic and temperament issues within the Corso breed. Temperament testing is done at 6 and 9 weeks for pet puppies to match the puppies' temperaments to their families' lifestyles. They further test temperament at 6, 9, 10, 12, and 16 weeks for potential working and show dogs.

Angela's puppies are handled and loved from birth forward, which is crucial in preparing a puppy for the outside world and exposure while matching a puppy to its correct family. Corsos are natural protectors, so exposing them at a young age to new environments and people is vital. Angela places her puppies at 7-8 weeks of age with a whelper, a type of puppy nanny who exposes the puppies to new situations and children, monitors the behaviors and reactions of the puppies, and matches them to the appropriate owners, jobs, or families.

Angela's favorite bloodlines are the older bloodlines with higher drives and scissor bites. She likes a nice bone, rectangular body, set back deep eyes, and solid temperament within a sturdy athletic dog made with knock-down power and the ability to bite and hold.

A responsible breeder knows the history, vision, and health issues of the breed, puts this first when matching dogs, and breeds for complimenting each other's strengths and not sharing weaknesses. Angela believes it is the breeder's responsibility to eradicate health and temperament issues within the breed, preserve a great line or improve upon one, all while preserving the history and vision of the breed.

Angela is a big fan and advocate of raw feeding and natural feeding. She believes in hybrid feeding, where you take a base layer of kibble and add cooked or uncooked meat and vegetables to the top of it. The kennel location in Montana allows them to hunt for meat in the fall, and they also raise their own meat in Pala. For a base layer or if you're going to dry feed, Angela likes Sports Mix (Black Bag) and Canine X.

The process of purchasing a pup from Confidential Kennels involves contacting them, creating a puppy profile, and adding you to a waitlist if a puppy that matches your needs is not available. Once puppies that match your profile become available, they notify you, and you may accept or deny the puppy. Angela takes the guesswork out of matching, reducing issues with rehomes, dissatisfaction, or conflicts within families over the dog.

Confidential Kennels' Corso dogs are kept in shape by being let out in predetermined packs daily, following the side by side or work truck while the barn animals are being fed, and swimming in the river in the summer months, which is a great exercise on large breed dogs' joints.

Confidential Kennels is a well-known breeder of Cane Corsos. Angela, the owner of Confidential Kennels, has been breeding Corsos for over 15 years and has gained a reputation as one of the best breeders in the business.

When you visit Confidential Kennels, you can see the dedication and passion that Angela has for the breed. The kennels are clean, spacious, and well-maintained, and the dogs are healthy, happy, and well-socialized.

If you're interested in getting a Cane Corso from Angela at Confidential Kennels, you'll be pleased to know that she offers a four-year hip and health guarantee. This means that if your puppy develops any serious genetic issues that affect its quality of life within four years, Angela will replace your puppy free of charge. She also offers lifetime breeder support, including her network of professionals and any discounts she gets on products. All puppies come with 30 days of insurance and a supplement starter pack for Muttgut.

Angela shows most of the dogs she breeds, with many of them earning National, International, ICCF, ABKC Champion or Grand Champion titles. She only breeds dogs with a working or confirmation title, unless they have a quality or line that she needs to implement into her program. In that case, she will breed that specific dog to a Champion of better in order to improve both sides. The International Cane Corso Federation titles are the hardest, most prestigious titles that can be earned for a Cane Corso breeder; very few have them. The ICCF puts on 1-2 shows a year and may start every quarter giving the corso breeders who have not been able to raise to that standard an opportunity to compete for a real title earned from expert breed judges from around the world.

When asked for advice for upcoming breeders, Angela emphasizes the importance of education on the breed and studying the people in the breed who are where you want to be. She recommends taking copious notes and being disciplined in the pursuit of passion and greatness. She also encourages breeders to support each other and protect their dogs from irresponsible owners and public scrutiny through education and mentoring.

Angela's main goal for 2023 is to get more into judging and educating on the breed, with a focus on traveling to further educate herself on judging the breed and potentially writing a book on the Cane Corso. She believes that implementing a mentor program for most breeds is crucial for education and preservation.

What separates Confidential Kennels from the competition, according to Angela, is discipline. She won't just breed dogs for money and production only, but rather for the preservation of the original corso. The breedings are planned up to a year or more before they happen, with careful selection of only the dogs exceeding all standards. Her work is her craft and her craft is beautiful, with judges from around the world recognizing the art within her dogs.

In her free time, Angela enjoys the outdoors, hiking, fishing, and spending time with her animals. She also donates a couple of dogs a year to veterans for service work and loves to explore new hot springs or caves in Montana.

Angela has a high opinion of Bully Girl Magazine, praising its efforts to educate the public on working breeds and the diversity within the Bully Breeds. She appreciates how the magazine supports female breeders in a male-dominated industry and helps reduce stereotypes towards the breeds she loves and wants to protect.

To learn more about Angela Clark and Confidential Kennels, subscribe to Bully Girl Magazine and download the Bully Girl Mobile App, available in the Apple or Google Play stores.