Newfoundland Information, Guide to the Viking Bear Why This Breed Is a Perfect Companion at the Beach

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Newfoundland dogs photo
Giant Breed Hip Dysplasia Elbow Dysplasia Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis Newfoundland

IS THE Newfoundland dog RIGHT FOR YOU?

  • 1 Newfoundland dogs are an amazing breed, as comfortable in the water as out.
  • 2 Newfoundland puppies are intelligent and ready to show off.
  • 3 As a Newfoundland grows they develop a thick coat making them ideal for cold climates.

HISTORY

Believed to be a relative of the more popular Labrador Retriever, Newfoundlands have been around for hundreds of years. Possibly a descendant of the Viking โ€œBear Dog,โ€ maybe coming from the Tibetan Mastiffs brought over to Canada, the genealogy of the Newfoundland is still shrouded in mystery. We know that they were used for water rescue and the retrieval of anything that fell overboard. They were also used for cart pulling and lumber hauling, being such massive pieces of dog.

Quick Facts

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    Size

    Extra Large

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    Lifespan

    10 years

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    Hair Length

    Medium

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    Male Height

    27-29 inches (69-74cm)

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    Male Weight

    130-150 pounds (59-68 kg)

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    Female Height

    25-27 inches (63-69cm)

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    Female Weight

    100-120 pounds (45-54kg)

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    Litter Size

    8-10 puppies

Personality

Newfoundlands are well known for their tender disposition. They are certainly massive dogs, but they counterbalance their size with the calmness and patience that makes them in no way threatening to be around. They are quite sociable, and have a tendency to be very friendly with strangers. They are also quite intelligent, but not always easy to train, as they can lose their focus. Also, being as large as they are, it is best to train them early so as to cut down on pulling on the leash. .

Color

Newfoundlands can be black, brown, gray and black, or white (Landseer).

Health Concerns

The major diseases that affect the Newfoundland breed are:

  • hip dysplasia
  • subvalvular aortic stenosis
  • cystinuria
  • elbow dysplasia
Appearance

The Newfoundland is a gigantic dog. They have a huge, broad head with a short, wide, squared-off muzzle. Being water dogs, they have webbed feet and a coat that is water-repellant, with flat, oily fur. They have muscular legs and a strong neck and back. They also have small, triangular ears, and little dark eyes.

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