Dog
Newfoundland Champions
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Pronunciation:
noo-fuhn-luhnd
Breed Description:
The Newfoundland breed of dog is a large to giant sized breed that is well balanced and has a strong, muscular build. They should be a dog of substance but they should be symmetrical with a large head, large ears that hang down the side of the head and a thick, long muzzle. The body should be slightly longer than tall and the tail should be long and slightly curled.
The coat of the Newfoundland should consist of a soft, dense undercoat that is there for weather protection, and a top coat that is moderately long. The coat should be full and it can range from straight to slightly wavy. There should never be a curl in the coat. The hair on the tail should also be long and thick but the hair on the head and on the legs should be slightly shorter than the rest of the coat. The color of the Newfoundland can be gray, brown or black, and they should be solid in color. Generally, black or brown are the more common colors. There can be a white on the solid coats but they should be on the tip of the tail, chin, toes and chest. There is also another coat color that is called the Landseer coat, and this should be white with black markings, usually found on the head, saddle, rump and part of the tail, although not always. For more information on the Landseer, please read up on the breed.
Temperament:
The Newfoundland breed of dog is often described as a gentle giant and there is no doubt that this is a loving and loyal breed. They are usually very gentle and excel with children, even small children. They love being with their family and are devoted to them but one of the best qualities of this breed is its courageous heart. There are hundreds of stories of Newfoundland’s going above and beyond for people and they have saved many people from a range of hazards, including pulling them from water. The breed is often used for rescue work and they can train for a water rescue certification. The breed is very intelligent and is usually eager to please. In addition, they get along well with other animals and generally get along well with everyone.
Height:
The average height of a Newfoundland should be between 27 to 28 inches for a male and 26 inches for a female.
Weight:
The average weight of a Newfoundland should be between 130 to 160 pounds for a male and 100 to 120 pounds for a female.
Health Problems:
The Newfoundland breed of dog has a large number of health problems and it is very important to research your breeder before you choose a puppy. Some of the health problems the breed faces are: hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, addison's disease, eye problems such as cherry eye and cataracts; lymphosarcoma, ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, cystinuria, epilepsy, sub-aortic stenosis, hypothyroidism and gastric torsion, which is commonly known as bloat.
Living Conditions:
The Newfoundland breed of dog is not recommended for apartments, however, some people have found them to be inactive and have had success with them in apartments. The ideal living condition for a Newfoundland is a home with a large yard. They do enjoy the outdoors but are better with cooler climates and can suffer from heat exhaustion if owners are not careful with them.
Exercise:
The Newfoundland breed of dog is not as active as other dogs but they still require between 30 to 45 minutes per day. This dog loves the water so swimming should be offered to them whenever it is possible. In addition, they need to be encouraged to exercise and they can become obese if they are allowed to.
Life Expectancy:
9 to 10 years
Grooming:
The Newfoundland breed of dog is not for the faint of heart or for people who don't like mess. This is a breed that will bring in dirt and debris on their coats and in their large paws. In addition, they are average to heavy shedders so be prepared for a large amount of hair in your home. The Newfoundland should be brushed on a daily basis to remove dead hair and the hair around the ears, hocks and feet should be trimmed regularly to prevent matting. Bathing only needs to be done when necessary and it is important not to over bathe your Newfoundland since it can strip natural oils from your dog's coat.
Origin:
The Newfoundland breed of dog was developed in Newfoundland, Canada and is one of the two breeds that was developed in that area, the other being the Labrador Retriever. While we do know that the breed was established in Newfoundland well before the early 1700's, the actual origin of the breed is still unknown.
There are actually several theories as to where the breed came from. On theory believes that the Newfoundland was developed by crossing the American Black Wolf, which is now extinct, with the Tibetan Mastiff. Another theory is that the Europeans crossbred many European breeds to create the Newfoundland when they came to the New World in the 15 and 16th century. With this theory, it is believed that the Mastiff, Portuguese Water Dog and the Great Pyrenees may have been the foundation dogs for the Newfoundland. The final theory is that the dogs prized by Vikings were left in the New World sometime around 1000AD and through crossbreeding with wolves, developed on their own and were already in Newfoundland when settlers arrived.
Despite the theories, the actual development of the breed has been lost in time and we can trace them to the early 1700's. Originally the breed was used by fishermen in Newfoundland and it was also used for retrieving lines from the icy Atlantic Ocean and also as family dogs. During the 1780's, however, the Newfoundland faced extinction when restrictions on dog ownership were imposed in Newfoundland.
If it wasn't for the efforts of the Honorable Harold MacPherson in the early 1900's, the breed may have been wiped out, however, he adopted the Newfoundland as his breed of choice and help ensure that the breed was maintained. The first Newfoundlands were registered with the AKC in 1879 and the breed can accredit many of its pedigrees today to a dog name "Siki".
It is interesting to note that the Newfoundland has been a popular choice for many, and Sir Edwin Landseer, a famous painter, was fond of the black and white Newfoundland’s and often had them in his paintings. His love of the breed led to the black and white Newfoundland’s being commonly known as Landseers.
Comments
The standards for all the breeds accepted to the AKC are used here for breed information, and those not part of the AKC are resourced from FCI standard information, where it is written and coded into the club rules for those breeds.
