Newfoundland Dogs

Newfoundland Dogs

Legend says that there was once a Newfoundland that aided in the rescue of 63 shipwrecked sailors. This tale of the bravery of this wonderful breed of dogs was told by anchor Bob Goen in the Discovery Channel's second day of coverage of the AKC Eukanuba National Championship held on December 3, 2006.

Indeed, Newfoundland dogs have placed much in history. There is even a postage stamp dedicated to this dog, not to mention a monument (Statue of York and Seaman), which you can find on Quality Hill in Kansas City, Missouri.

Profile

Newfoundland dogs, affectionately called "Newfies" or "Newfs," are a large breed of dogs with usually black coat. Although they were originally used as working dogs in Newfoundland, they are largely known for their sweet dispositions.

A typical Newfoundland male dog weighs around 60 to 70 kg or 130 to 150 lbs. Females are characteristically smaller at 45 to 55 kg or 100 to 120 lbs. But female or not, Newfoundland dogs are definitely within in the "giant" weight range of dogs.

Newfoundland dogs are very loyal to their families. They also have strong natural tendencies to perform water rescue, an instinct that is perhaps boosted by the Newfoundland's possession of webbed feet and water-resistant coat.

Temperament

As for their temperament, the American Kennel Club official describes the breed as follows: "Sweet of temperament is the hallmark of the Newfoundland; this is the most important single characteristic of the breed."

It may be because of their sweetness of temperament that Newfoundland dogs are often nicknamed as the "Gentle Giant" and "Nature's Babysitter." And literature certainly recognizes this positive trait of the Newfoundland. James M. Barrie's Peter Pan even features a Newfoundland dog, called Nana, who helps watches the children as they sleep.

Color Standards

Most Newfoundland dogs are black. However, the American Kennel Club lists three standard colors of the Newfoundland breed: black, brown, gray. The Landseer, a Newfoundland dog with a black head and white and black body, is called such because Sir Edwin Landseer liked to paint it in many of his paintings. The Landseer is in fact named after the painter.

Health

Newfoundland dogs are associated with many health concerns. For instance, this breed is particularly prone to hip dysplasia, a condition that results from malformed ball and socket in the hip joint. Another important health risk to Newfoundland dogs is elbow dysplasia, which is similar to hip dysplasia only instead of affecting the hip bone, elbow dysplasia affects the elbows.

Besides those two, there are other health conditions you should watch out for if you own a Newfoundland. Watch out for a heart condition called sub-aortic stenosis and a hereditary defect called cystinuria, which causes a formation of calculi stones in the bladder.