The Newfoundland

Appearance

The Newfoundland is a large well muscled dog with a moderately long flat top coat and a soft dense undercoat.

They come in three colours; Black, Brown and a White dog with Black markings called a Landseer.

The average height for a dog is 71cm and for the Bitch 66cm

History

Born as a Canine Seaman, the Newfoundland was often a member of the crew on fishing boats in Canda’s Maritime Province that gave the breed its name. Fishing has always been the island of Newfoundlands chief industry; the dogs hauled fishing nets out to sea and back to the boat and retrieved objects or people who fell into the sea. Equally at home in water or on land, the Newfoundland was large enough to pull in a drowning man or to break the ice as he dove into the f rigid northern ocean, His lung capacity allowed him to swim great distances and fight ocean currents.

At the end of a days fishing, the days catch was loaded into a cart and the dog was hitched up to haul the load into town. Other Newfoundlands pulled wagons to deliver milk and mail throughout the island.

Born as a Canine Seaman, the Newfoundland was often a member of the crew on fishing boats in Canda’s Maritime Province that gave the breed its name. Fishing has always been the island of Newfoundlands chief industry; the dogs hauled fishing nets out to sea and back to the boat and retrieved objects or people who fell into the sea. Equally at home in water or on land, the Newfoundland was large enough to pull in a drowning man or to break the ice as he dove into the f rigid northern ocean, His lung capacity allowed him to swim great distances and fight ocean currents.

At the end of a days fishing, the days catch was loaded into a cart and the dog was hitched up to haul the load into town. Other Newfoundlands pulled wagons to deliver milk and mail throughout the island.

During the late 1700’s and early 1800’s there was a mass exportation of the breed to Europe

There are many legends of Newfoundlands saving drowning victims by carrying lifelines to sinking ships, the dogs were kept in the “Dog Walk” on early sailing ships. If the sea was too choppy when land was sighted; they carried a line to land.

A Newfoundland named “ Seaman” was selected to accompany the Lewis and Clark expedition, “ Nana” the children’s “Nurse” in the original of Peter Pan was a Newfoundland and “Hector” was the first Newfoundland to enter Australia, arriving with the First Fleet on the vessel “ Scarborough”

Temperament

The Newfoundland has an exceptionally gentle and docile nature, his outstanding character traits are a benevolent disposition and a strong lifesaving instinct.

Care / Grooming

PUPPIES: The Newfoundland puppy has a dense woolly coat, which requires daily brushing with either a Slicker of Pin Brush. Only bath the puppy if his coat is still dirty after a thorough brushing or his skin is dirty.

ADULTS; The adult Newfoundland requires a thorough brush once a week. The adult coat has a slightly oily feeling,, after brushing it will lie flat against his body.

Your Newfoundland will keep fairly clean simply by regular thorough brushing,, if he starts to smell or his skin is dirty he will need a bath. Excessive bathing will remove the natural oil from his coat.

Health

Newfoundlands generally are a healthy breed. Good breeders will evaluate their Breeding Stock and only breed with animals that should produce healthy pups, that have good temperaments and are of good Breed Type

All Giant Breeds need careful rearing and new owners should be given instructions by their breeders on how to successfully rear their puppy.

Diet, exercise and environment should be gone into to give the puppy the best chance of developing both physically and mentally into a well balanced sound individual that both the owner and the breeder can be proud of.

Find Newfoundland Breeders
or
View Newfoundland Puppies for Sale | View Newfoundland Older Dogs for Sale