Community Highlights: Meet Jen Cunningham of Worldwide Kennels / Worldwide Cane Corso & 3D Bullies

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jen Cunningham.

Hi Jen, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
Worldwide Kennels (Worldwide Cane Corso & 3D Bullies) – Located 1 hour West of Nashville, TN. We are Tennessee’s premier Cane Corso Breeder with 17 Years of experience in the Cane Corso breed. Our Families can be found throughout the USA. What began as a hobby turned into an amazing journey. And eventually, a business has allowed us to collaborate with many breeders in the USA and overseas. Our journey began in 2005 when one of our friends had 3 Cane Corso they could no longer care for. They knew we had a large Sporthorse farm for the dogs to run and play on and loads of dog knowledge. We brought the dogs home to the farm (2 adults and 1 puppy from their litter). We instantly fell in love with the breed; however, we had not seen their protective side. One day I returned home to the farm from work where the Male had run the farm (fenced in, of course). He welcomed me home very proud this day. I venture into the barn to find halters and other horse items that are normally well organized scattered throughout the barn aisle. I look at the dog (still wagging and very proud of himself) and look around, thinking, what happened here? I walk in a little further and find a sign that says, “when did you get that big bad dog”? The Schwan’s food delivery had been there as he did every week to place our food order in the freezer in the barn. I phoned the driver and asked what had happened. He was able to see the protective/ guardian side of the breed. The driver said he ventured in as normal, placed our order in the freezer, and turned around to find the 150# muscle-bound dog very unhappy. He immediately climbed on top of the 6′ tall cabinets and threw everything in reach, hoping the dog would chase it. (no luck) so he shimmied his way over to the door going into the indoor riding arena, where after an hour, he could crack the door open, jump to the ground, and run, barely beating the dog to his truck. We were shocked because the dog had never been anything but friendly. After some research, it turns out that is exactly how the breed is supposed to be, welcoming around friends and family yet a stoic guardian in the owner’s absence. (ok, so now we know 😊) The acquisition of these dogs had to be fate and destiny because we fell in love with the breed after research. – this is coming from someone who told everyone, “I don’t understand why people pay so much for purebred dogs when so many great dogs in shelters need homes,” Many of the dogs I had as a kid had been mixed breed rescues. The love for the breed continued to grow. Its intuition and empathy are second to none we have encountered. 17 years later, we have a business and reputation we are proud of. I showed, bred, and trained sports horses for a long time. The Corso was always with me on the road by myself in my 20s. I never worried about my safety with the dogs by my side. We retired from horses and went full-time with the dogs as time passed. Many dogs and many challenges later, we have had the opportunity to show our dogs both with the use and guidance of professionals and personally owner handle many of our dogs in the show ring, earning countless Champions and Grand Champions. We are an AKC Breeder of Merit, and Internationally published breeder, earning the respect of breeders worldwide. Our commitment to providing Stunning looking dogs, Top quality show and working dogs, Loving Companions, Loyal Guardians, and attentive Service Dogs stands strong, as well as our commitment to Breed Education and assisting our Puppy families throughout the life of their dogs and many times their second and 3rd dogs.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We have had our share of bumps in the road. Being highly competitive, we wanted dogs who would excel in the show ring. Once we attended a few shows and evaluated the breed standard, we recognized that the dogs we had were not what would excel in the show ring. Knowing we were not in a position to have many dogs, we decided to place our current dogs with friends and family and start over. We searched for and acquired new dogs from breeders and bloodlines here in the USA. They were a step up from what we had but still not what we were looking for, so we started AGAIN. Feeling frustrated with what was represented as the top quality, we just weren’t finding what we were looking for. We had Imported a few horses recently, so the idea of Importing a dog seemed fairly easy. The search began. 1.5 years later, we had 1 Imported puppy and another that was imported in utero (mom was bred in Italy and flown to the USA). These puppies came after much research and finding some of the most sought-after names in the industry, lineage as deep as the heritage of the breed, and direct blood from Italy. More importantly, breeders who knew we were looking for some exceptional dogs that would make an impact here in the USA. From those dogs began the list of successful dogs in the show ring, working events, and functioning personal protection & Service dogs. Along the road, we have had many trials and tribulations. The life of a dedicated breeder leaves one with a job where we are either working or on call 24/7 365. Holidays and Vacations are rare, if ever, and work hours are often 18-plus-hour days. Litters are carefully monitored in person and via our numerous camera feeds; bottle feeding every 2 hours leaves one sleepless but fulfilled, knowing we are giving our puppies everything they need to survive and thrive. Building our Kennel physically is still a work in progress. 3 crooked contractors and a LOT of money later, what should be complete is a slow DIY – learn-as-you-go project. This business is not for the faint of heart. Both sons have grown up with a realistic view of what is necessary to create and sustain life. Unfortunately, this life also drives its dagger to your joy. Despite all at home and veterinary resources available, they just don’t survive. Holding a young pup as it passes will crush your soul and make you never want to feel that pain again. We take no shortcuts in the health, wellness, and care of our puppies, from newborns to seniors. Despite every good intention, continuing education, and best efforts, as any long-time breeder will tell you, you will lose some. The hardest part is having had to say goodbye to some incredible members of our 4 legged families. The stress of this 24/7 job and life, in general, brought us to the discussion of retiring from breeding in 2016. We began to spread the word but were begged by our current and future puppy families not to quit. Overwhelmed by the support and trust our families had in us to provide top quality, great looking healthy dogs while upholding a moral and ethical standard to be proud of, a decision was made to continue. Thus, we restructured the program and committed to our families to be here as long as possible.

As you know, we’re big fans of Worldwide Kennels / Worldwide Cane Corso & 3D Bullies. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Worldwide Kennels (Worldwide Cane Corso) specializes in providing Top Quality Cane Corso puppies. We are not a business for the bargain shopper. Instead, the family who desires a puppy from health and temperament-tested parents, generations of champions, and some of the most sought-after bloodlines in the industry, backed with a 2-year guarantee and unparalleled lifetime support. We are very particular about what makes it into our breeding program and always strive for consistency in our litters, meaning there is not much difference between first pick and last. We are not just for “show dogs.” Every family companion should also be held to high standards, as these standards will affect your pup’s quality of life and longevity. In 2022 we decided to branch out into a couple of new breeds. We fell in Love with the Alapaha Blueblood Bulldog. While rare, this breed is exactly where the Cane Corso was when we began with them. Fate would also bring us into the Pocket version of the American Bully. Both are welcome additions to our Kennel and the beginning of “3D Bullies”.

We will continue our commitment and passion for Top Quality dogs, upholding our excellent reputation and doing our best to always be there for the families. As the Cane Corso breed has gained popularity, we have watched it thrive in good hands and have terrible results in the wrong hands. Uneducated breeders are producing unsightly, unhealthy, and unstable temperaments that are downright dangerous. Our goal is to educate. If you have a conversation with us, you will find we desire to give you the tools to choose a good puppy from a good and reputable breeder. One of the things that we are Very Proud of and that sets us apart is our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/worldwidecanecorsos. This platform allows us to share our passion with our viewers and educate the community. We take pride in our transparency and the opportunity to connect with our audience and bring them into our home, life, and passion for what we do. Secondary, we are very proud to have received 501C3 status for our Service Dog Non-Profit (Zero 2 Hero Canine), Providing Zero cost service dogs to Veterans, First Responders, abuse victims, and children. www.zero2herocanine.com – is a work in progress, and donations are slow, but our mission is strong – donate via our PayPal link, paypal.me/Zero2HeroCanine We are known for top-quality great-looking puppies coupled with 5-star ratings across the board from puppies to communication, ethics, and beyond. We also assist all our families to get exactly what they desire in size, color, and temperament.

What’s next?
We will focus on our Non-Profit (Service Dogs – Zero 2 Hero Canine). As for Worldwide Kennels, the future is very exciting, and big plans are in the works. We have partnered with some kennels from overseas as well as the addition of 3D Bullies. We aren’t ready to announce, but we are working on some industry-revolutionizing plans to be released in late 2022.

Pricing:

• We are in the higher price category, however that old saying… you get what you pay for could not be truer when purchasing a large guardian breed that has the potential to cause great physical harm. The breeder must first have healthy dogs in physicality and mental stability. They must be raised and evaluated with experience, a good breeder can not only properly evaluate the puppy but also help you choose a pup that is likely to be a good fit for your unique family.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.worldwidekennels.com
• Instagram: @worldwidecanecorso
• Facebook: facebook.com/worldwidecanecorsos
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/worldwidecanecorsos
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/worldwide-cane-corso-mcewen
• Other: Google – https://g.page/worldwide-cane-corso