Newfoundland Dogs
Pronunciation: new-fun-land
Nicknames: Newf, Newfie

Function:
Working group in all clubs except UKC, where the breed is classified as Guardian Dog.
Used for Ship Dogs, Drafting, Water Rescue

Appearance:
Size: Adult Male, 28 inches tall, 130-150 lbs; Adult Female 26 inches tall, 100-120 lbs. Some Newf's have been known to weigh more than 160 lbs. Although desirable, large size should never be promoted over balance.

Wide and massive head with a slightly defined stop. Short, squared muzzle. Soft, well covered lips. Small triangular ears set very close to the head. Strong neck well set into the shoulders and back. Deep chested body, fairly wide and well covered with hair. Powerful ribs, wide back. Strong and muscular loin. Tail should be medium length, fairly thick with a good covering of hair. Feet are wide and well shaped, with full webbing. The Newfoundland has a double coat, which is flat and dense with strong hair. The fur is naturally waterproof and can feel slightly oily.

Colors: Black, brown, gray and Landseer, which is a black head, with or without blaze, with a white and black body. The Landseer is named after the artist Sir Edwin Landseer who featured them in many of his paintings. Some kennel clubs consider the Landseer to be a totally separate breed, while others consider it merely a color variation. White patches on a solid colored newf are common, as are highlights of red or brown.

History: The Newfoundland is one of the few dogs native to North America. There are three schools of thought on the origin of the breed. The first is that newfies descended from the large, black "bear dogs" introduced by the Vikings in 1001 A.D. By the time that colonization was permitted in 1610, the distinct physical characteristics and mental attributes had been established in the breed. In the early 1880's, fisherman from Ireland and England traveled to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland where there were two types of working dog; one more heavily built, large with a longish coat, and another lighter, active, smooth coated water dog. The heavier one is believed to be the Newfoundland, while the lighter was the Labrador Retriever or the St. John's variation of Newfoundland. The second school of thought is that it descended from a European breed that inhabited the Canadian Arctic in prehistoric times. Bone fragments recovered from ancient burial grounds seem to be from Newfoundland dogs. A third view is that Newfoundlands resulted from mating local Labradors with dogs introduced by the fishing fleets of the 18th century, which implies that the Newfoundland is related to the Leonberger, the St. Bernard and the Great Pyrenees. It is known that in the late 1800's when a distemper epidemic all but wiped out the St. Bernard, Newfoundlands were brought in to re-establish that breed. By the early 1900's the breed was being used as a draught dog on the island for which it is named. Pulling a sled, Newfoundlands delivered mail to remote areas of Newfoundland.

They are an excellent all purpose dog which can hunt, guard flocks and houses, and pull wagons or fishnets, as well as possessing natural water rescue abilities. It should be noted that although the newfie is very protective, they do not make a good guard dog in the traditional sense of the word. They have a very deep bark, and will stand between their humans and any perceived danger but will only attack in direct defense of their owners.

The breed's water rescue abilities however, are legendary. There are literally hundreds of documented cases of Newfoundlands rescuing drowning victims as well as towing distressed water vessels to shore. The Newfoundland will instinctively grab an unconscious victim by the upper arm, rolling the person over so they are on their back with their head out of the water. If two newfoundlands are present, they will instinctively each take one arm of an unconscious victim to pull them ashore. Because of their natural water rescue abilities, Newfoundlands were commonly found aboard sailing and seagoing vessels of all kinds, hence their designation as a "Ship Dog". A newfie will first circle a victim, encouraging them to grab onto his body. If the victim does not take the proffered help, the dog will physically tow the person to shore by the arm as previously described, whether the person wants to be saved or not.

One recent local account of a rescue tells of a kayak racer who fell from his vessel during a race on a river in the northern part of Wyoming. A spectator with a Newfoundland watched the racer fall from his kayak. The untrained newfie jumped into the roiling white-water with no hesitation and proceeded to haul a very unimpressed racer back to the shore while his kayak continued on downstream.

Temperament: The official AKC breed profile states that "Sweetness of temperament is the hallmark of the Newfoundland; this is the most important single characteristic of the breed". One book of dog breeds goes so far as to say that "...the Newfoundland stands for devotion and courage world-wide".

Newfoundlands are very loyal and devoted. They love children, and are naturally protective of them, earning them the nickname of "Nature's babysitter". They will happily endure harassment from children that could result in a bite or a growl from another breed. They are very gentle with children, and the elderly, and seem to have a natural sense of their size and strength with those who are most vulnerable.

They get along well with other animals. In my personal experience, the newfie will even lay down to present a less intimidating size to a smaller dog in order to facilitate play.

Care/Training:
Newfoundlands require weekly grooming, consisting of a complete brushing to prevent mats from forming. It is not recommended to bathe a newfie too often, as this can damage the natural waterproofing of their coat. Dry shampooing is more commonly recommended. The hair on their feet and toes should be trimmed regularly to avoid potential problems with accumulations of dirt and bacteria.

As with any breed, Newfoundlands require socialization and obedience training to create a well mannered dog. While an exuberant puppy is thought to be cute, a 150 lb dog who jumps on visitors is not. Their size alone can make them an intimidating animal, so it is vital to have the proper obedience training. Newfies are eager to please, highly intelligent and respond to positive reinforcement very well. However, newfs are very sensitive to tone of voice and do not respond well to severe reprimands or physical correction. Any training program that promotes physical or harsh reprimands should never be employed with a Newfoundland as it will create a fearful, timid dog. As with any breed, a newfie lives foremost to be with it's pack. Therefore, the Newfoundland is not a breed that will flourish alone in a pen in the yard, unless of course it's people consent to live there as well.

Health: There are several health problems associated with Newfoundlands. They are prone to hip and elbow displaysia, as is any large breed. They are also prone to sub-aortic stenosis, which is a heart condition and cystinuria, which is a hereditary defect that forms bladder stones. Other health concerns include panosteitis and urinary tract issues such as kidney stones.

Famous Newfoundlands:
Boatswain, beloved pet of Lord Byron. Lord Byron was so devoted to his newfie that he had this passage inscribed on the animal's grave marker: "Near this spot are deposited the remains of one who possessed Beauty without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, and all the Virtues of Man, without his Vices. This praise, which would be unmeaning Flattery if inscribed over human ashes, is but a just tribute to the Memory of Boatswain, a Dog who was born at Newfoundland, May 1803, and died at Newstead Abbey, November 18, 1808."

Seaward's Blackbeard , 1984 Best in Show winner at Westminster
Josh , 2004 Best in Show winner at Westminster (and the largest dog ever to have the honor)
Nana , the family dog in "Peter Pan"
Sable Chief , Mascot of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment
Seaman , pet of Meriwether Lewis and companion during the Lewis & Clark expedition
Clifford the Big Red Dog, beloved character of children's books

References:
"Book of Dogs" , 1989 Reader's Digest Association
www.en.wikipedia.org
www.k9web.com
www.newfdogclub.org

Written by forum member "Kandy"