Jane Signorelli and her husband Ron Hoffman have been married for 40 years, with plenty of love and laughter to last a lifetime. But, they would be the first to tell you their family is not complete without their gentle giant, drooling kids named Bodhi, Luca and Jovanni.
"We are in our 70s and we have a puppy that’s 125 pounds," Signorelli said. " People are like 'You guys are crazy'."
Bodhi is the oldest at eight years old and weighs 168 pounds. Luca is Bodhi's son and also the father to seven-month-old,125-pound Jovanni--one big happy family living under the same roof and enjoying the same care.
“Nobody knows what they are. You’re either asked if it’s a Saint Bernard or a mix,” Signorelli said.
They are Pyrenean Mastiffs, a rare breed of herding dog that originated out of the Pyrenees Mountains in Spain. Due to the installation of railways to transport sheep, the Spanish Civil War and the struggling economy in the 1930s, the breed's numbers were so low, they were almost nonexistent.
By the 1990s, the push to bring back Pyrenean Mastiffs was in full swing, especially in the United States. Appropriate breeding is a tedious process, so after almost 40 years, it is no surprise to Jane and Ron that there are only 600 in the world.
"We are a part of bringing back a breed and doing it the right way," Signorelli said. "We are not pumping out puppies like a puppy mill. This is a very thoughtful and well-done community who wants to bring them back the right way!"
Until a few months ago, the Pyrenean Mastiff was still not recognized as a breed in the United Kennel Club, but that did not stop Signorelli from registering Bodhi to compete in their dog shows. Having no idea where to start, she reviewed YouTube videos for guidance on how to show dogs. The results were not what she expected.
"I was so embarrassed. He just wanted to sit. I wanted to disappear," she said. "When he won the ribbons, I had no idea what they were for!"
Both Bohdi and Luca were crowned "Champion" in local UKC dog shows before they were one year old.
Another quality of Pyrenean Mastiffs is their gentle, kind nature. For such big dogs, their mild temperaments are truly remarkable, something that is regularly tested with the children in the neighborhood.
"All the kids come over and play with them all the time," Signorelli said. "They are beautiful with children. You meet a lot of people when you have big dogs."
They also make exceptional models, posing in a photoshoot for Signorelli's jewelry-making business years ago. Come to find out, the dogs were her best marketing strategy.
Signorelli also described her gentle giants as very attached to humans. But after a lifetime of loving every dog that has crossed their path, anyone can see that it's a mutual feeling.
"This is our life. They change and enrich our lives!"