Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Newfoundland Dog Dog Breed

Newfoundland Dog Size Variations: Large to massive
Newfoundland Dog Colors: Black Newfoundland
Brown Newfoundland
Landseer Newfoundland
Black and White Newfoundland - this variety is commonly known as the Landseer
Newfoundland Dog Height: 28 inches (male)
26 inches (female)
Newfoundland Dog Weight: 130 -150 pounds (male)
100 - 120 pounds (female)
Newfoundland Dog Exercise Needs: Reasonable
Newfoundland Dog Grooming Needs: Moderate
Newfoundland Dog Life Expectancy (Lifespan): 8 - 10 years
Are Newfoundland Dogs Child-Friendly? Yes
Newfoundland Dog Training:  Moderate
Breed Group:  Working

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Newfoundland Dog History

The Newfoundland Dog dog breed originated in United States of America. As the name implies, the Newfoundland Dog was developed in Newfoundland, Canada. There can be little doubt that early in its history, the Newfoundland was influenced by the Tibetan Mastiff even though there is no official record of Tibetan Mastiffs ever having come to the region. Similarly, it is widely believed that English Retrievers and even Huskies may have influenced the genetic pool of this breed. The precise ingredients notwithstanding, the Newfoundland became a massive and rugged breed, widely known for its love of all things aquatic and for its unmatched power.

By the late 1700’s the Newfoundland was well established as a worker dog, hauling from the ocean nets filled with fish and fishermen from a watery grave. The Newfoundland’s tremendous strength coupled with his curiously webbed feet afforded him Phelps-like speed and amazing agility in a raging sea. On land, this powerful dog found work as a draft dog, pulling sleighs brimming with timber, fish and coal over snow covered terrain.

It was around that time that European visitors gleaned show potential from this majestic breed. Many Newfoundlands were swept off to a life of glitz and glamour in the ring. This, coupled with peculiar laws regulating ownership; no one owner could own two Newfoundland Dogs, caused the Newfoundland’s numbers to decline dramatically. Soon, American Newfoundland fanciers had to look to England for this breed. By the end of WWII, the Newfoundland was well established in Europe and America.

Newfoundland Dog Appearance

The Newfoundland is one of the largest breeds of dog. Commonly, the Newfoundland weighs in at a hefty 140 pounds, but potential owners take note that many Newfoundlands weigh 200 pounds and the heaviest recorded weight is a stunning 260 pounds. When measured from nose to tail this record-setting giant measured six feet in length.

Usually, Newfoundland Dogs are solid black in colour. There can be wisps of white or gray on his chin, chest or feet. Less common but equally striking is the brown or gray variety of Newfoundland. A forth coloration is white with black markings. This variation is called the Landseer after the well known Victorian painter Edwin Henry Landseer.

The Newfoundland’s coat is thick and water resistant (baths be-damned!). The undercoat is dense with a coarse, slightly wavy outer coat. The Newfoundland’s head is broad with relatively small eyes and ears. The Newfoundland has droopy eyes and jowls with the latter allowing breathing while swimming in stormy seas. But make no mistake, these functional jowls have an unpleasant by-product in the form of drool. And the Newfoundland can drool-a-plenty.

Newfoundland Dog Temperament

The Newfoundland is affectionately known as the Gentle Giant. He is the kindest and gentlest of all dog breeds and is unwaveringly patient with children. Newfoundland owners report that he is mild with guests, kind and loyal toward his owners and intelligent enough to measure danger against his family and to act accordingly.

The expression of the Newfoundland is one of peaceful benevolence. He is a quiet dog and will seldom bark, choosing instead to put his massive girth between his owner and danger. When he does bark, it is deep and loud but no friendly guest will ever be greeted in an aggressive manner. Indeed, the Newfoundland is as sweet as he is lovable.

Newfoundland Dog Exercise Needs

The Newfoundland does not have demanding exercise needs and prefers short, dignified walks or joyful romps in a fenced yard. Swims in cold water pulling nets or the like truly suits his fancy, but this can be a challenge to organize. The Newfoundland does especially well in cold weather and he will love to play in the snow. He is not however, well suited to hot weather so be cautious when walking your Newfoundland during summer months.

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Newfoundland Dog Grooming Requirements

The Newfoundland dog’s sheer size and thick coat means that his grooming is demanding. He will need daily brushing to prevent matting and to control the shedding hair. In spring the shed is monumental so be prepared to sweep and vacuum daily. In summer, your Newfoundland will relish long, cool swims. While this activity can rejuvenate your Newf, the subsequent brushing can exhaust the owner. Winter is another challenge, especially if you live in a region that has the misfortune of snow. Your Newfoundland will play in it gleefully until he cocooned, mummy-like in snow. First he will need melting, then drying, then brushing.

And then there’s the drool…..

Newfoundland Dog Training

Mercifully, training your Newfoundland dog will be relatively easy. You will not need to physically move or direct your Newf as he is always eager to please. As is the case for all dogs, begin crate-training your Newfoundland puppy at an early age. The inherently gentle Newfoundland will need to learn basic commands of heel, come and stay, but beyond these, his behavior is appropriately self-managed.

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Newfoundland Dog Health Information

Common health concerns for your Newfoundland include; SAS, cytinuria, elbow dysphasia, CHD, gastric torsion. Also of note are Osteochondritis Dissecans, entropion, ectropionm vWD, cataracts, cruciate ligament rupture and epilepsy.

Is the Newfoundland Dog Dog Breed Right For You?

The Newfoundland Dog is both gentle and majestic. He will warm your heart (and feet) and protect all who dwell in his home. Although any person alive would fall immediately in love with the Newfoundland’s sweet temperament, he is not well suited for all homes. Simply put, the Newfoundland Dog needs space, both inside and out. So, if you are a city dweller in a chic micro-condo, forget it. On the other hand, if you are a suburbanite with a large fenced yard and a sizable home, then a Newfoundland is an excellent choice. But in a perfect scenario, the Newfoundland Dog is owned by a maritime or lake-front family with expansive property. Frankly, if you are domestically well suited, and selecting for temperament, no better dog breed exists.

Finding A Responsible Newfoundland Dog Breeder

Now that you have decided that the Newfoundland Dog is the right breed for you, it's time to start the process of finding a responsible Newfoundland Dog breeder from which to buy a healthy, well-socialized puppy. Not all breeders are alike; there are good breeders - and bad breeders. Don't be in a hurry to buy the first Newfoundland Dog puppy you find at the cheapest price available! To buy a puppy from a responsible Newfoundland Dog breeder, you may need to pay more and wait longer. The additional money and waiting time will be well worth it. Buy a puppy in haste from a newspaper ad, pet store or "backyard breeder", and you'll likely also purchase a great deal of additional expense and heartache, since you will likely end up falling in love with a puppy with health and behavioral problems that will likely need special care, plenty of veterinary visits, regular medication - or even euthanasia. But do your homework and find a responsible, caring Newfoundland Dog breeder who home-raises their puppies with love, screens their breeding dogs for health problems, offers a health guarantee and post sale support, and who genuinely loves the Newfoundland Dog breed and is in it for the love of the breed, rather than profit, and you can be fairly well assured of getting a healthy, happy, long lived and affectionate family companion that will provide you and your family with many years of joy, laughter and companionship.

Further information about choosing a responsible breeder...

Here are a few breeder directory sites that we recommend. These sites attempt to screen advertisers to ensure that the breeders listed are responsible and sell healthy, home-raised Newfoundland Dog puppies to carefully screened buyers. There are many, many sites now online that advertise dog breeders - many are a Mecca for puppy mills and backyard breeders. We recommend that you steer clear of these resources in favor of sites that are more selective in the breeders whom they allow to advertise.

We Highly Recommend:

• Newfoundland Dog Puppies For Sale
• Newfoundland Dog Breeders Showcase
• Newfoundland Dog Puppy Finder on Pet Net
  
  

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Newfoundland Dog Names

Choosing a name for your Newfoundland Dog puppy can be a daunting task! There are so many names to choose from that it can take a lot of thought and research to find just the right name for your Newfoundland Dog. Usually, it's best to get to know your puppy for a few days or weeks. Often your puppy's personality will help you decide on just the right name to choose. Does he have a sense of humor? A serious side? A goofy way of cocking his head to one side? A strange love of cantaloupe? By observing your new Newfoundland Dog puppy over the first days or weeks, you should at least have a clue about what type of name you want to give. There are a ton of dog names and pet names web sites on the internet. Some are wonderful information resources, while others, unfortunately, are just "garbage" sites set up with the sole purpose of cashing in on visitor hits for this popular subject.

We recommend the following sites to assist you in choosing a name for your new Newfoundland Dog puppy. These sites offer inventive, unique, original and creative pet names suggestions that have helped thousands of new puppy owners in selecting just the right name for their new baby!

Newfoundland Dog Dog Names

• Dog Names
• Choosing A Name For Your Dog Or Puppy
• Unique Pet Names
  
  

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Newfoundland Dog Pictures

Newfoundland Dogs are a very photogenic dog breed. By looking at Newfoundland Dog pictures, you can usually gain more insight into what these dogs and puppies are like as a breed, and this can help you decide if you really want to become an Newfoundland Dog owner. The following sites below offer pictures of Newfoundland Dog dogs, Newfoundland Dog puppy photos, funny Newfoundland Dog photos and more. Enjoy!

• Newfoundland Dog Dog Pictures
  
  

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Additional Newfoundland Dog Information Resources

There are a wealth of resources online that can help you learn more about the Newfoundland Dog dog breed. We've compiled a list of Newfoundland Dog information sites to assist you in quickly locating quality information about the Newfoundland Dog dog breed, while avoiding the "garbage" sites that are nothing more than poor attempts to capitalize on the popularity of dog breeds in general. If you know of an Newfoundland Dog information site that offers unique, quality information and photos of the Newfoundland Dog breed, please contact us with the URL and a brief description so that our editors can consider it for inclusion in our list below.

• Wikipedia - Newfoundland Dogs

Breed Brief - History - Appearance - Temperament - Exercise - Grooming
Training - Health - Is Breed Right For Me? - Breeders/Puppies For Sale
 Dog Names - Pictures - Further Info - Clubs/Rescues

Newfoundland Dog Clubs and Rescues

Newfoundland Dog clubs and rescues web sites can help you learn even more about the Newfoundland Dog dog breed, help you locate a responsible Newfoundland Dog breeder, or help you find an Newfoundland Dog dog or puppy in need of a second chance for a loving, forever home. We've compiled the following list of Newfoundland Dog clubs and Newfoundland Dog rescues web sites for your convenience:

Newfoundland Dog Clubs - Newfoundland Dog Rescues