Newfoundland
Dogs
Newfoundland
Newfoundland |
Newfoundlands are known for their love of water and
their
drool.
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Alternative names |
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Country of origin |
Newfoundland, (now part of
Canada) |
Common nicknames |
Newfie |
Classification and breed standards |
FCI: |
Group 2 Section 2 #50 |
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AKC: |
Working |
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ANKC: |
Group 6 (Utility) |
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CKC: |
Group 3 - Working Dogs |
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KC (UK): |
Working |
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NZKC: |
Utility |
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UKC: |
Guardian Dogs |
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Not recognized by any major kennel club |
This breed of dog is
extinct |
Notes |
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The Newfoundland is a large, usually black,
breed of
dog originally used
as a
working dog in
Newfoundland,
Canada. They are known for their sweet dispositions. They are very loyal to
their families and possess natural water rescue tendencies.
Appearance
A
Landseer painting of a Landseer Newfoundland.
Newfoundlands ("Newfies") have webbed feet and a water-resistant
coat.
Males weigh 60–70 kg (130–150 lbs), and females 45–55 kg (100–120 lbs), placing
them in the "giant" weight range.
Most Newfies are black, but brown, gray (very rare), Irish Spotted (black
with white markings), and
Landseer (black head, white body with black markings) varieties exist. 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 separate breed; others consider it
simply a Newfoundland color variation. Some
kennel
clubs consider Irish Spotted to be an "invalid" marking, and these clubs
will not allow them to be shown.
Temperament
A brown Newfie investigates a
Chihuahua-sized
mixed-breed dog.
Newfies have a gentle, placid disposition. They are nicknamed the "Gentle
Giant" and "Nature's babysitter." Indeed, the official AKC breed description
says "Sweetness of temperament is the hallmark of the Newfoundland; this is the
most important single characteristic of the breed." They are protective of
children. The dog Nana in
James
M. Barrie's
Peter Pan
was a Newfoundland. (Newfie owners resent the depiction of her as a
St. Bernard in the
Disney animated film version; the 2004 film
Finding Neverland used a
Great Pyrenees).
The Newfoundland is smart and loyal. The breed is easily trained as they are
eager to please their masters. They are not easily frightened nor excitable.
Relative to other breeds, Newfoundland puppies, especially older puppies, tend
to be calm. Puppyhood doesn't last for extended amounts of time as in some
breeds. They get along wonderfully with other dogs. They have deep,
fierce-sounding barks, but are not good
guard dogs.
They have been known to grieve when separated from their families. Despite their
wonderful qualities, this breed is not for everyone. Their large size makes them
difficult to keep in many living situations, although they do not require great
amounts of exercise and as puppies they tend to tire easily.
History
Newfoundland Dog Stamp
The origin of the breed is uncertain, but they were in use as
working
dogs on the island of
Newfoundland as early as AD
1000. It is said
that Newfoundlands were bred to pull in the fishermens' nets. Newfoundlands have
been used as water rescue dogs and for draft work. National Geographic's program
"Dogs with Jobs" named the Newfoundland as the strongest draft dog on earth. The
breed almost became
extinct; most
modern-day Newfoundlands trace their ancestry to a single stud dog named Siki
who lived in the
1920s.
Health
As with many large breeds, they have a tendency for
hip
dysplasia. A potential buyer should seek proof of hip certification from the
breeder.
Miscellaneous
Capt.
Meriwether Lewis owned a Newfoundland named Seaman. The dog was a valuable
member of the famous
Lewis and Clark Expedition.
[1]
The Newfoundland dog shown on the 14 cents stamp is Ch. Westerland Sieger and
was owned by the Honourable Harold MacPherson.
Unofficially, the second most important breed characteristic is a tendency to
drool. Newfie
owners acknowledge this cheerfully, proudly displaying paraphernalia with
slogans such as "Newfoundland is my name—slobber is my game" and "Spit happens."
One club assures that "that's OK, because drool is good for you."[2]
Some breeders offer puppies which have been bred so that their
jowls are shorter. They do not hang down as far, and thus they don't drool
as much as the common Newfoundland. They are the so-called "dry-mouths".
Gander, a Newfoundland dog serving with Canadian infantry in
Hong Kong
in 1941 was
posthumously awarded the
Dickin
Medal in 2000.
The medal was instituted in
1943 by Maria
Dickin to honour the work of animals in war and has become recognised as "the
animals'
Victoria Cross".
A Newfoundland puppy
On
February 2, 2004,
a 70 kg (155 lb) Newfoundland, Champion Darbydales's All Rise Pouchcove (callname
Josh), took the
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show's prize for
Best in
Show.
External links
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