Spotlight Breed Newfoundland

Spotlight Breed: Newfoundland

We are excited to share our new Spotlight Breed of the week – the Newfoundland!  Also known as the “newfie”, this breed is large and strong.  They were originally used as a working dog to pull nets for fisherman and haul wood from the forest.  To no surprise, this breed originated from the Canadian province of Newfoundland.

The newfie has so many different interesting qualities to note!  They are one of the most sweet-natured and responsive breeds, making them a wonderful family companion.  They are most certainly not meant for apartment living as they require additional space for mental stimulation.  Their all-around friendliness is amongst the highest of any dog breed.  They are affectionate with family; they absolutely love kids, and they will give other dogs and strangers a fair chance!

A newfie owner must pay close attention to the health and grooming needs of their dog.  This breed tends to shed a lot so be prepared to invest in a quality lint roller and a good vacuum!  Newfoundland dogs are not the easiest to groom as they require regular bathing, clipping, and other grooming just to stay clean and healthy.  Newfie’s are extremely intelligent!  They are trainable in the fact that they can easily form an association between a prompt, an action, or a consequence very quickly.

This breed has a huge potential for playfulness.  Oddly enough, their intensity level is not that high!  Regardless of the purpose of the Newfoundland in your life, be it worker or companion, he will no doubt capture your heart.  There are many accounts of Newfoundland’s rescuing people from the cold waters of the Atlantic following a shipwreck or plucking children from icy deep water – just in time!

Our favorite quote about the breed is…”Until one has loved a Newfoundland, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”