Newfoundland

Beautiful giants, calm, confident and very, very brave - Newfoundlands. These dogs do not leave indifferent any person and do not remain without attention on the street. Despite their impressive size, dogs do not cause fear, but only respect. And indeed, these large dogs have something to respect.

Breed origin

Researchers have not yet managed to find out the exact origin of this breed, however, there are a number of quite plausible and not very hypotheses. For example, there is a perception that the direct ancestors of the Newfoundlands are huge shaggy dogs with white hair of the Viking Erickson, who often visited the New World. Also, their origin is associated with the oldest breed of Tibetan mastiffs.

The breed received its name in honor of the maritime province in Canada, which is distinguished by the severity of climate and icy winds. Before European colonies were formed on its lands, aboriginal tribes lived here. Their true four-legged friends were dogs whose wool was thick and repelled by water. Scientists are inclined to the theory that it was the aboriginal dogs that intersected with Molossian dogs, mastiffs, black shepherd dogs from Scotland and other representatives of European breeds.

Whatever processes would occur, but the aboriginal dogs living in this territory turned out to be very similar to the representatives of the modern breed - massive, powerful and fearless. Newfoundlands, as a separate breed, gained fame in the early 18th century. Even then, in the breeding book it was written that dogs love water, dive deeply and assist fishermen in pulling nets out of the water. In addition, they were described as very hardy and balanced dogs.

Due to such qualities, the news of the breed quickly reached European countries, and there were many who wanted to get such a beautiful and loyal four-legged friend. Then began the mass removal of dogs from the province. This work was done by the Vikings from England. In England, breeding work on the breed continued. Initially, preference was given to individuals with black and white hair, however, over time, black dogs began to prevail.

In the 86th year of the 19th century, the first pedigree club appeared in the capital of the country, which came in very handy, since at that time there was a fashion for dogs with a colorful appearance and large size. At the same time a standard was published, the basic requirements of which are still relevant.

Newfoundlands began to gain popularity and by the beginning of the 20th century, they again fell on American lands, but they were already representatives of the formed breed. Today, representatives of this breed can be found around the world. They participate in the most prestigious exhibitions and are excellent companions.

Newfoundland breed description

Newfoundlands - dogs with a volumetric, but compact body, well-developed muscle mass, decent size and measured movements. Moreover, in females the body is more stretched and less heavy. The average height of males is 71 cm, weight is about 68 kg, bitches are somewhat more compact - height is 66 cm, weight is 54 kg.

The large size of the dogs is highly valued, but subject to the proportions. The dog must be not only big, but also correctly folded:

Representatives of the breed have a massive head , with a wide, slightly convex skull. Occiput is well developed.
The dog has a large nose with good pigmentation and wide nostrils. In individuals with black and black and white wool, it is black, and in brown ones it is brown.
The muzzle is square, of decent depth, moderately short, with a soft short coat. The skin fits tightly, so there are no folds. Newfoundland has flies, but they are neat and soft.
The eyes are small, with a moderate deep landing. The iris in dogs depends on the color of the coat: in black and two-colored dogs it is dark brown, in chestnuts there may be lighter shades.
If we take into account the dimensions of the animal, his ears are small, triangular in shape, the ends are rounded. They are set high enough and have a tight fit to the head.
Dogs with a strong, muscular neck with a good set, pronounced suspension is undesirable.
Dogs have developed bones , a back of a decent width, from withers to croup, creates a straight line. Loin and croup wide, with good musculature. The rib cage is powerful, differs in volume and depth, the ribs have a good bend.
The abdomen creates a flat line, not matched.
The forelegs with muscular, oblique shoulder blades, stand straight, parallel to each other, elbows pressed against the body, metacarpal bones have a slight inclination. The paws are large, round-shaped, firmly assembled, the fingers are strong and compact, between them there are membranes.
For dogs that need to swim well and carry loads, it is very important to have strong hind legs with a strong, wide hips. In the Newfoundlands, they are, with wide hips, strong legs and slightly bent knees, which gives the dog a slightly crouched look. As for the hock , they are short, do not have an external or internal reversal. Representatives of this breed often have dewclaws, but they must be removed.
The tail of a floating dog has a special function - it acts as a rudder, which determines its broad base and the musculature that is even here. In a quiet state, it goes down, its end may be slightly curved. In a moving or excited dog, the tail is straight and bends slightly upwards. But the Newfoundlands never hold their tails and throw it on its back.

Wool and color of representatives of the breed

In pedigree representatives, the wool is double-layered - with moderately long and straight hairline hair that does not have curls. The standard allows for a small wave. The undercoat is soft and high density, and in winter the latter figure is much higher. In the area of the head, muzzle and auricles, the fur is slightly shortened. On the paws there are rich "pants." On the tail the coat is elongated and thick, but does not make it look like a “flag”.

As already noted, there are three types of Newfoundlands:

With black wool - the most common color, uniformity is desirable, but a slight shade of chocolate is permissible.
With black and white - dogs of this color are most reminiscent of their ancestors. The ideal is the head of black color, the presence of a white groove in the middle of the muzzle, a black saddle, flat markings, croup and the upper part of the tail are also black. The rest of the body should be covered with white wool, specks can be, but at a minimum.
From brown - the color of wool can be any shade - from dark chocolate to bronze.

It is worth noting that the black and white representatives of the breed at exhibitions are exhibited in the same class with black ones.

The nature of the dogs of this breed

The Newfoundlands have an amazing character - they are very loving, obedient, balanced and have unreal patience. Their intellectual abilities are at a high level, they admire the readiness of dogs to rush to protect families and people in distress.

These pets are “quiet”, but as a rule, they do not need loudness, since their main weapon is an impressive size and a serious representative appearance. They are deeply loyal to all members of their family and can greatly relive the separation or change of owners. Their longing extends not only to people, but also to pets, with whom they live in the same house and are forced to part.

Newfoundlands can be kept with other animals, even small dogs and cats can become true friends for them. But here socialization plays an important role, with which usually problems do not arise. Dogs have some independence, so a short loneliness will not be stressful for them. But only if they normally receive enough attention and communication with family members.

Such a giant is an excellent option for a family with children, as it is very patient and indulgent in communicating with younger members of the family. Dogs of this breed love small children and allow them absolutely everything. And for older children, a dog can be a companion, a guard and a participant in joint fun. And even playing carelessly, the pet will constantly monitor the safety of its little owners.

Newfoundlands, like true waterfowl, are very fond of the water element and never miss the opportunity to plunge. If owners do not have bathing plans for their pet, then you should avoid such situations. Dogs are real travelers, they perfectly carry the ride, including in the car.

Training and training

Representatives of this breed are easy to train , as they are very smart and always try to please their owner. They not only willingly carry out commands, but often even predict the desires of the owner. As for punishment, given the sensitivity of the representatives of the breed, it is enough to use a voice. Dogs react to intonation, and if the owner is disappointed, angry or unhappy, the dog will certainly feel it and try to correct the situation.

Any tough methods in teaching Newfoundlands are unacceptable, and you should not shout at your pet. Improper handling can hurt the dog, and the dog will long experience resentment and frustration. The self-control of these dogs allows them to never succumb to provocations. They clearly assess the existing threat and act only if it is real. Therefore, artificial methods of developing protective reactions for representatives of this breed are not suitable. No matter how hard you try, the perfect bodyguard from such a dog will fail.

But the dog’s vocation is somewhat different - to save people in distress, to help in their work, to be companions and support. But with a real threat, a phlegmatic animal will be able to show what it can do. The dog’s main unit of commands is learned once or twice. Then you can proceed to further learning and do not worry - the dog will not forget the basics and will be able to get new knowledge and skills.

How to care for Newfoundland

Unique, not soaking wool is the main problem in the care of a pet . More precisely, it will not be a problem if you carry out regular combing using special brushes. It is recommended to do it every 2-3 days. If the wool fell into mats, they must be carefully unraveled. They are cut only in the case when they are completely impossible to separate.

Newfoundlands tend to shed year-round, and completely get rid of the dead undercoat only in the autumn and spring periods. At this time, the dog wool gets out in frightening volumes, so you need to scratch your pet daily. Grooming and hair cutting will help ease care, but for this breed these manipulations are not encouraged, and for show individuals are not allowed.

Natural grease that does not allow the coat to get wet, also protects the pet from contamination. It makes it very clean without regular water treatments. Yes, and frequent bathing with shampoos can affect the quality of the hair and glands that secrete grease. Caring for the ears and eyes is required, but it is not burdensome. It is enough once a week to inspect them for extraneous formations (which indicates the presence of infection) and wipe with a wet cotton pad.

Feeding purebred dogs

Experts rush to debunk the universally accepted myth that dogs of this size eat a lot and, as they say, indiscriminately. On the contrary, there are special requirements for the nutrition of giants.

It is very important that the dog receives all the necessary vitamins and minerals . After all, his bone corset and joints withstand a significant load. It is very difficult to independently create a complete menu for the dog, so you can include in the diet high-quality ready-made food, enriched with essential minerals and useful components.

But feeding exclusively “drying” of the Newfoundlands is not recommended, as this may lead to the development of constipation . The pet should receive raw, scalded with boiled water meat. Chicken and pork can be given to the dog, but in small quantities. But offal is quite suitable for feeding dogs. In addition, the pet menu must contain cereals and vegetables.

On the topic of feeding look:

Photo of Newfoundland

Newfoundland Video
The acquisition and the cost of puppies

The price of puppies depends on many factors: you can buy a pet with documents for 20,000-25,000 rubles, and without documents, the offspring can be sold even cheaper. But puppies from the kennel, having titled parents and excellent prospects, are much more expensive, their cost can reach 100,000-120,000 rubles. In many ways, the price depends on the purpose of acquiring a pet.