Newfoundlands are quiet, hardworking dogs. Their
sweetness matches their size.
Size: (5/5)
The
average Newfoundland dog weight
averages to a 132-150 pounds in males and 99-120 pounds in females.
They
stand about 27 inches tall and they are massive behemoths.
Affection Level: (5/5)
They
bond closely with their family members and are very possessive of them.
Apartment Friendly: (1/5)
The
Newfoundland dog size
is large and hence, they do not fit well in small spaces.
Newfoundland
dogs require ample space to move about.
Cold Weather Tolerability: (5/5)
Newfoundland
dogs thrive in cold weather. Their thick coat acts as an insulator and keeps
them warm even in extremely cold temperatures.
Hot Weather Tolerability: (2/5)
Newfoundlands
can tolerate warm climates but to prevent your dog from having a stroke it is
best to keep him in air condition.
Barking Tendencies: (4/5)
Newfoundland
dogs have a loud bark. Depending on their personality they can be chatty or
quiet.
Cat-Friendly: (3/5)
In
spite of having a high prey drive, Newfoundland dogs are friendly with cats.
Dog-Friendly: (4/5)
If
socialized well, these dogs get along well with dogs. They are not aggressive
or domineering.
Exercise Needs: (3/5)
Newfoundland
dogs are prone to becoming couch potatoes. Daily walks or runs in the year
should keep him fit.
Grooming Needs: (4/5)
To
keep the heavy, thick coat from matting, you need to brush it daily or you
could visit a professional groomer.
Playfulness: (4/5)
They
are easygoing and very playful. Although, sometimes they forget how large they
are.
Trainability: (4/5)
Newfoundlands
are easy to train. However, they may not listen to you if you are aggressive.
Intelligence: (4/5)
Newfoundlands are very intelligent and quick-witted.
They easily pick up on training and manners.
Mouthiness: (3/5)
Newfoundlands
are inveterate chewers and can do a whole lot of damage due to their size.
Price Group: (4/5)
The
Newfoundland dog price
ranges anywhere from $1,200 to $3,000. Price also depends on the breeder,
lineage, and location of purchase.
<>About Newfoundlands
The Newfoundland dogs are large, strong and very
hardworking. Used to pull fishnets for fishermen, they are excellent swimmers.
The Newfoundland dog lifespan is 8-10
years.
They have a very sweet and loving nature.
The Newfoundland dogs are more than just big
working dogs, they are excellent and devoted family dogs too.
The Newfoundland has strong protective instincts besides their
affectionate personality. You cannot say that it’s a watchdog but they will
protect you in times of trouble.
They are avid water dogs. They have the lung capacity; broad chest and
their webbed legs make them long term swimmers.
The Newfoundland breed does require regular
exercise even if it might be plaint and calm.
They are big-time droolers, so bringing a Newfoundland home, you need to
get ready for a drool party.
Where Did Newfoundland Dogs Come
From?
There exists archaeological evidence that the Newfoundland dog history
goes back to the Vikings. This breed developed from the smaller St. John dog
and both had similar purposes.
The name Newfoundland first came into the picture when in 1175, sportsman
and diarist, George Cartwright named his dog after the island of Newfoundland.
Then in 1780, the Governor of Newfoundland restricted the ownership of
dogs to one per household. This was a vain effort to promote sheep rearing.
It may have not encouraged sheep rearing but it did, however, escalate
the decline of this breed.
Thankfully, breed enthusiasts broke this law and continued to breed.
The Newfoundland dog has appeared in literature too, featuring in Charlotte
Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
Some 2000 Newfoundlands were living and working on the island, pulling
milk crates and fetching loads.
This dog has evolved with webbed feet. They are natural swimmers; they
are famed for grabbing sinking ropes of ships and hauling them back to the
shore.
It can be a little overwhelming to train your Newfoundland, especially if
you are a first-timer.
The Newfoundland is not your basic dog, it is like no other dog that you
will have ever trained.
Understand your dog breed. Research on behavior and be mindful of the
fact that Newfoundlands are very smart.
Judge the character of your Newfoundland. Find out whether he is sassy, a
textbook people-pleaser, goofy or obstinate.
Start training on day one, do not delay the teaching or wait for your
Newfie to grow up. That might give him the upper hand and he might not listen
to you at all.
Be consistent because of not, it might confuse your dog.
Form a training routine and stick to it. Pick a method that is both easy
for you to communicate with your dog and also is understood by him.
It should not just be you training the Newfoundland, ask your family to
pitch in on this too.
Newfoundlands Grooming
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The Newfoundland has a flat and water-resistant double coat. The outer is
coat is coarse and the undercoat is dense and soft.
The Newfoundland shed is moderate but increases in Spring and Fall.
The coat requires daily brushing, and if not done it would give room to
matting and tangling, which is not good.
You could do this yourself, which is cumbersome or you could take your
Newfie to the groomer, which is expensive.
Bathe him as required, every month or so.
Brush your Newfie as often as every week to prevent any tartar from
developing.
Clip the nails once a month. If you can hear them clicking on the floor,
they are too long. Check ears weekly for any redness or inflammation.
If you decide to clean his ears, only do so till you can see.
Common Diseases
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TARGETING THE BONES
Hip and
Elbow Dysplasia
This
condition occurs when the bones begin to have an abnormal formation in the hip
and elbow socket. This leads to arthritis and should be treated as early as
possible.
You might
have a reason to worry if your dog is having difficulty in getting up or
refuses to go up or down the stairs.
If your
Newfoundland is overweight then it is prone to this disease much higher than a
normal weight Newfoundland.
In most cases, surgery is opted for to help
the Newfoundland recover from this unbearable pain.
Ruptured
Anterior Cruciate Ligament
This knee
injury is very common and is said to occur in young, large dogs either during
physical or older overweight dogs.
The anterior
cruciate ligament tears or ruptures resulting in a sudden lameness.
Treatment could
vary depending upon the severity but in general includes rest, limited
activity, surgery or medication.
TARGETING THE EYES
Cataract
This is a
common cause of blindness in Newfoundlands.
If you
notice your Newfoundland’s eyes becoming cloudier and grey, you should quickly
check for cataract formation in your dog’s eyes.
Many Newfies
adapt well to the loss of sight. Surgically removing the cataract to restore
the sight of your dog is also an option to consider.
Cherry Eye
This
condition occurs when the gland beneath the third eyelid protrudes and looks
like a cherry in the corner of the eye.
Your vet may
have to remove the gland.
TARGETING THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
Epilepsy
This is a neurological condition where there is an
abnormal burst of electric energies in the brain which causes the body to
malfunction.
Your Newfoundland may lose consciousness during an
epileptic seizure in most cases.
Epileptic attacks prevail several times a day or
even monthly.
There is no triggering event or condition. When your
Newfie is having a seizure, there is immediate danger and you must take it to
the vet as soon as possible.
If it lasts more than a period of five minutes, take
your dog to the hospital.
TARGETING THE BODY
Gastric Tension –
This is a life-threatening situation that can affect large
and deep-chested dogs.
This could arise if they are fed large meals or they eat
rapidly or they drink too much water after eating.
This condition also called “bloat”, is common among other
dogs.
It occurs when the stomach is distended with gas or air and
then twists.
The dog is unable to vomit, to get rid of the excess air in
the stomach. Blood pressure drops and the dog goes into shock.
If the dog isn’t taken to the vet, it can die.
Check for a bloated stomach or excessive drooling. Your dog
could be breathless, depressed and lethargic. If you see these signs, call the
vet immediately.
Cancer
Canine cancer has a couple of symptoms such as unusual
swelling of a sore or a bump, sores that do not heal, bleeding from any
openings and difficulty in breathing, urinating or defecating.
Treatments for cancer are chemotherapy, surgery, and
medication.
Cystinuria
This is a hereditary disorder that is caused by the inability
to reabsorb the amino acid, cystine, in the kidneys.
This results in kidney or bladder stones causing urinary
tract inflammation or blockage.
Treatment comprises of medication that prevents the formation
of stones.
Hyperthyroidism
This is a disorder of the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism
causes epilepsy, lethargy, hair loss, dark patches on the skin, obesity.
This can be treated with changes in diet and medication.
Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis
This is a serious heart condition which is caused by a narrow
connection between the left ventricle and the aorta.
This could cause fainting or sudden death. Consult your vet
and ask him/her to prescribe proper treatment.
Addison’s Disease
This is also known as hypoadrenocorticism.
It is an extremely
serious condition that pertains to the insufficiency in production of the
adrenal hormone by the adrenal gland.
Symptoms of having Addison’s disease are vomiting, having a
poor appetite and lethargy. These signs are vague and often misunderstood for
other conditions.
Doctors often miss this disease until it does not reach a
higher stage. Severe sings include rising of the potassium levels and adversely
affecting the heart function, stress that could cause severe shock or death
even.
If it is suspected that your Newfoundland has the Addison’s
disease, the doctor will perform a series of tests for diagnosis.
FeedingFeeding
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The advised amount of food served daily, divided into two meals, is 4-5
cups of high-quality dog food.
To avoid “bloat” make sure you keep water away from your dog for at least an hour after you have fed your Newfoundland.
How much food your dog will consume depends upon the age, built, size,
build and activity level. Dogs do not eat as much as humans.
A highly active dog consumes more food than a lethargic and lazy dog.
Choose the dog food which has better quality, it will boost the nourishing of
your dog.
Keep your Newfoundland active and fit by measuring his food. Serve him
twice a day rather than keeping the bowl open for him at all times.
Vaccination and Car>Vaccination and Care
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Distemper
vaccine
This
severely affects organs such as the spinal cord, respiratory system, brain, and
intestines.
The common
symptoms of having distemper are high fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, etc.
Parvo
This disease
spreads through the infected dog’s hair or feet. It is fatal.
Usually, if Newfoundlands
are under a year, they are prone to this virus.
Signs that
your dog could have this are bloody diarrhea, depression, vomiting, fever, etc.
Rabies
This is a
very damaging virus; it deteriorates the brains of all mammals.
Dogs secrete
large amounts of this virus in their saliva and thus, a dog is infected with
rabies when it is bitten by another dog.
Signs that a
dog has rabies can be seen in behavioral changes such as restlessness and
aggression. They become hypersensitive to touch, light, sound, etc.
Hepatitis
Infectious
canine hepatitis is a very serious condition caused by a highly infectious
virus that affects the liver.
It develops
extremely quickly in puppies and dogs.
Symptoms of hepatitis are vomiting, lethargy, fever, abdominal pain and an enlarged liver.
Newfoundland
dogs are also called “nanny dogs”. This is because they are great with
children. They are extremely loving and caring.
However,
they are sometimes unaware of their size. So, they can easily knock over a
toddler or a smaller dog. It is advised that you should not leave them alone
together, no matter what.
Dogs:
Newfoundlands
should be socially trained from the beginning, they must know how to behave
with other dogs.
But
other than that, Newfies are great around dogs; they are not aggressive at all.
Cats:
Newfoundlands
are not friendly with cats at all. It is best to keep them separate. Newfies
have a high prey drive and might chase the cats.
Overview
>Overview>
The Newfoundland is a big dog breed. It is in no way a basic dog when it
comes to training.
Newfies prefer larger spaces and love to swim!
They used to pull fishnets for fishermen in the past so they are great
swimmers. They have natural protective instincts.
They might not be watchdogs but they protect their family when times of
danger arise.
They have a very strong work ethic. They need mental stimulation and
exercise. They are perfect for dog sports.
They love the cold weather but adapt to the warm weather provided you
have a working air conditioner!
Something Fun About Newfo>Something Fun About Newfoundlands!
>
The Newfoundland dogs have Canadian origins
They love love love love the water!
It is a bear-like breed
There exist some black and white Newfoundlands too
