So You Want to Have a Newf.....?
There are a number of questions I have been asked about my dogs over the years by people thinking of getting themselves a Newfoundland puppy, I thought I would tackle some of them here.
Do they take up much room?
Well that is all relative, we are lucky enough to live in quite a large house, and they are known for their lion like sleeping capacity which means that they aren't thundering around all the time. I have to point out though that I have seen smaller Shetland ponies. If you live in a house that has a 10 foot by 10 foot lounge you are going to be aware of them, but you will save on your heating bills, boy can they kick out some heat.... When the doorbell rings if you are unfortunate enough to be stood in the doorway between them and the hall you will get to experience Newf Surfing, which is like crowd surfing only with more hair and gloober. They do also, much to my husbands frustration, have a knack for lifting their heads up just as you go to step over them whilst carrying your plate full of dinner. Much as I point out to him that it is purely coincidental he does on occasion feel that they have the timing of Ninja assassins.
Do they take up much room?
Well that is all relative, we are lucky enough to live in quite a large house, and they are known for their lion like sleeping capacity which means that they aren't thundering around all the time. I have to point out though that I have seen smaller Shetland ponies. If you live in a house that has a 10 foot by 10 foot lounge you are going to be aware of them, but you will save on your heating bills, boy can they kick out some heat.... When the doorbell rings if you are unfortunate enough to be stood in the doorway between them and the hall you will get to experience Newf Surfing, which is like crowd surfing only with more hair and gloober. They do also, much to my husbands frustration, have a knack for lifting their heads up just as you go to step over them whilst carrying your plate full of dinner. Much as I point out to him that it is purely coincidental he does on occasion feel that they have the timing of Ninja assassins.
Have you got any that don't slobber?
No, they are called poodles. All Newfoundlands slobber. True Newfoundland lovers have contests for the longest gloober strand and the furthest distances reached whilst head shaking.... distances of up to 20 feet have been recorded. The area around the water bowls can take on the properties of a super greased ice rink, as not only do they drink loads, they are enthusiastic about it. Newfs love water, some of mine try to paddle in the bowl whilst drinking and drooling into it.
If you are house proud or hate gloober, DO NOT get a Newfoundland.
Have you got any that don't shed hair?
No, they also are called poodles. All Newfoundlands shed, for most of the year they just shed handfuls of fur a day, but twice a year you get to experience them blowing their coats, which can when you are grooming them result in a whole other dog of fur left in the utility room. Dog hair is considered to be a condiment in our house.
Are they easy to look after?
The main workload with your Newf is grooming. That double coat takes some work to keep matt free and in good condition. If you don't keep on top of it you will end up with a very matted, very smelly, very unhappy dog. They only take about 10 minutes a day to give a good brush over and then either you or a professional groomer can give them a good bath and blast once a month to keep them in top condition. Unless of course it is raining, or muddy, or you have allowed them to get bored in the back garden and they have started digging... then you will encounter the Newfoundland 'velcro for mud and debris' phenomenon.....We have been known to have waist high mud tide marks around our walls, where they have come in and flopped sideways, leaving something that looks like the aftermath of flood waters in a line around the room. The good news is that Dulux Diamond Hard paint is fully scrubbable.
If you think you can live with the periodic redecoration....... get a blaster it will be your new best friend.
Do they eat a lot? I bet they cost a fortune to feed!
Surprisingly not. As Newfs are bears of very little energy output as a general rule, they eat maybe 30/50% more kibbles a day than the Labradors do. Which is not to say that they would not welcome a diet that fed them twice as much, but that would just result in them getting fat.
They are however, notorious for their 'counter surfing' capabilities... after all when your head is level with the worktops it almost seems rude not to.....
Are they easy to train?
Newfoundlands are notorious for selective hearing. Shouts of "dinner!!" "walkies" and "lets play" can be met with a tsunami of canine enthusiasm and gloober - as can the opening of a packet of crisps to be fair- whereas simple commands such as "sit" "stay" and my personal favourite "DOWN!!", are greeted with a nonchalant glance or just totally ignored.
Recall is the subject of much tearing of hair and wailing on many of the Newfoundland lovers Facebook pages. I have found that pockets full of wonderful tasty things are the key, combined with enthusiastic shouting and arm waving, but its 50/50 if there is a suitably interesting distraction whether they will even slow down. If you want to train your Newf, start early, always use positive reinforcement (and treats, lots of treats) and bear in mind that Newfs do not like to be shouted at and will sulk or just walk off.
The key lessons we have always tried to drum into them are "sit" and "down". Seriously guys, that cute little 8kg bear cub that looks totally adorable and you can carry around, will in 12 months time, weigh about 60kg and totally flatten you if you don't teach them not to jump up. You have to get that one in early.....
Are they expensive to keep?
They are not the cheapest breed. Their food we have discussed before, but there are other things that I would advise a new owner that have to be factored in.
Insurance for a Newfoundland is something that is mandatory. If you have chosen your breeder carefully and they have done all of the relevant health tests, it doesn't mean that your Newfoundland will NOT get hip dysplasia or any of the other problems that the breed is known for, it just means that it is a lot less likely. Breeders aren't God, all we can do is stack the odds in the puppies favour using all the tools we have available at the moment.
When things go wrong with a Newfoundland, it gets really expensive really quickly. Insurance is an absolute must. There are some fantastic deals around and you should be able to get full coverage for up to £12000 per condition per year for around £30 per month.
If you want to use an outside groomer you are looking at about £50 for a full groom. You have the cost of their vaccinations and all of the other routine medical checks. Most surgeries offer an annual deal that you can sign up to that gives you a discount on the vets fees and all of their jabs etc....My vets plan works out at about £16 per month per dog. You need to add all of it up BEFORE you fall for that cute little bear cub, not panic after.
If after all of this you still want to take the leap and get that adorable bundle of fluff, then congratulations, you will be rewarded with a companion like no other!
They are not the cheapest breed. Their food we have discussed before, but there are other things that I would advise a new owner that have to be factored in.
Insurance for a Newfoundland is something that is mandatory. If you have chosen your breeder carefully and they have done all of the relevant health tests, it doesn't mean that your Newfoundland will NOT get hip dysplasia or any of the other problems that the breed is known for, it just means that it is a lot less likely. Breeders aren't God, all we can do is stack the odds in the puppies favour using all the tools we have available at the moment.
When things go wrong with a Newfoundland, it gets really expensive really quickly. Insurance is an absolute must. There are some fantastic deals around and you should be able to get full coverage for up to £12000 per condition per year for around £30 per month.
If you want to use an outside groomer you are looking at about £50 for a full groom. You have the cost of their vaccinations and all of the other routine medical checks. Most surgeries offer an annual deal that you can sign up to that gives you a discount on the vets fees and all of their jabs etc....My vets plan works out at about £16 per month per dog. You need to add all of it up BEFORE you fall for that cute little bear cub, not panic after.
If after all of this you still want to take the leap and get that adorable bundle of fluff, then congratulations, you will be rewarded with a companion like no other!