Newfoundland Dog

by Dane The Great August 25, 2015, 4:44 AM 9.2k Views

Newfoundland Dog Appearance

Table of Contents

The Newfoundland dog is a very big and burly dog. It carries a stout and huge head with a muscular body. They are very strong and massive animals. Their face could be considered a little droopy, ears are triangular. Like their coat, their nose, their eyes, they are all dark colors, normally black or brown. Their webbed feet make them great swimmers. The dark coat is lengthy, full and fluffy. The male’s weight ranges from 130-150 pounds, where females weigh from 100 to 120 pounds. Some dogs will have a black and white pattern that is called Landseer. This pattern will usually cover their muzzle.

The Newfoundland’s are very good swimmers. Their lung capacity is bigger than most dogs, which allow them to swim long distances. Their muscular stature allow them to swim through tough waves and strong tides. The thick coat that covers the body protects them from the extreme cold of some waters. Shedding and drooling is common to these dogs.

Newfoundland Dog Grooming

Grooming the Newfoundland can be very daunting and can take up time. Their coat is susceptible to getting very dirty. It will catch a lot of dust and debris. To take great care of their coat it must be brushed daily. If not taken serious tangles can form, which can lead to mats in the hair. In the spring and the fall, they will shed in great amounts. Also, they need to be bathed monthly.

Hygiene should definitely be kept up. Weekly, their teeth should be brushed. It is easy for them to build up tartar, gum disease, and bad breath. Frequently, check their ears for irritation, infection and wax buildup.

Newfoundland Dog Temperament

These gentle giants are very intelligent and friendly. They are very easy to train. Trainers enjoy working with them because they are willing to work with humans. The Newfoundland is a very loyal dog. It is a family, watch and guard dog. They will be protective of their owner and children. Being playful with children is one of their skills. They can be aggressive when they feel their family is being threatened.

Newfoundland’s will have the best life when owned by outgoing owners who enjoy being out and about. These dogs love to be active and outside. They are so playful with children. Sometimes they will forget how big they are and will climb over you like they’re a puppy. They’re great for snuggling up with to relax and watch a movie. If you need a good baby-sitter they are great at protecting and caring for children. Separation anxiety can develop if they are left alone for long periods of time. They love and adore their owners and will miss you. A good way to tell if this is happening is if they chew on objects very aggressively with no regard to being disciplined. They will develop anxiety if this continues. It is ideal for them to be with owners that have big families and who work from home.

As puppies, these dogs are like jack rabbits that bounce off the walls. They are hyperactive and rambunctious. They are very good with children, but don’t mix them together until the child is around five to six years old because they could cause injury from the dog just being helpful.

Newfoundland Dog Training

It will take some time, patience, care in effectively training. Developing a positive relationship with them is essential to getting desired obedience. These dogs will respond to strong but caring authority. Love and care will be very helpful in building that bond. From this they will learn to trust and depend on you. Building a bond with these dogs is crucial and should be started as soon as you get them into your home. Mainly, because you want to start instilling that trust and confidence to make your training experience a smooth experience. Newfoundland’s will respect, love and care for you when they are confident in knowing that they are part of your family. When this happens being disobedient should never be an issue. They will ultimately become extremely loyal to you and your family members. You also will know that you have a dog you can count on and not have to worry about. For this to happen, boundaries and limitations have to be drawn and clear. When they are crossed, firmness and fairness must be practiced for the Newfoundland to understand what they did wrong and that you are not a pushover. Again, do this with care and love. If the respect, trust and care is not evident to these dogs training or building a bond will never happen.

The Newfoundland dogs are very lovable. This will come easy when you spend time with them, especially outside of the house. When they feel you can communicate with them it will make them more eager to do what you ask. If you can do all that it will be easy to control them where they end up being a very calm well trained dog. If they feel loved, they will return the love. This will allow you to also teach them some fun and entertaining command behaviors.

Newfoundland Dog History

These dogs originated from the easterly province of Newfoundland in Canada. Their popularity spread for being a work dog in and out of water. There are small connections between that of the Tibetan Mastiff breed. At this point and time they were employed to manage live stocks on farms and ship. Also, they were considered very talented swimmers. They are posted with life guards at stations along the British coast. Their skills include being watchful of people swimming too far out and actually rescuing and pulling people to safety.

They evolved from the black “bear” dogs and later brought to Newfoundland and the Americas by the Vikings in the 11^th century. By the 17^th century, started become very popular. We start to see them used in literature and journals. During the 19^th century you start to see Newfoundland dogs used to deliver milk and pull large loads of materials throughout cities.