newfoundland

9 replies

octavia · 23/07/2006 16:33

does anyone own a newfie and could you tell me you experiences of owning one please.Dh & Ds have put them on top of their list for prefered dog.I do understand the need for exercise,food,space and that wont be a problem.Its the day to day living with a big dog,I would imagine they drool alot?

OP posts:

2labs · 23/07/2006 17:28

Not got one myself but a friend who runs a training class has one. Boy yes she does drool - looks like shoelaces . Hers is 7 now and pretty slow but apparently has always been that way - does everything at her own pace. Exercise yes but not major amounts (especially not until age 2 as the bones/joints are still developing and with a dog this large you will have major problems if you let it do too much). They tend to love water/swimming.

They are also very prone to bloat which can be fatal if not treated immediately. There are things you can do to help minimise the risk. Hers has had it no less than three times and was touch-and-go. Would recommend having a chat with the breed club as they will be able to put you in the picture better. Website is here .

TillyRose · 23/07/2006 18:16

We had a newfie while we were children. His drool used to end up on the ceiling when he shook his head. He was lovely but weighed over 12 stone. He was also a bit unpredictable around other dogs - it made for interesting walks I can tell you.

He also liked to rescue people in their boats by pulling them ashore. They were trying to row out to their big boats and found him pulling them the other way.

vnmum · 23/07/2006 18:58

i havent got one but working in the veterinary field i can advise on what to look for in a dog. with children, temperament is paramount. some breeds that are stereotyped as family dogs can have temperament problems in the breeding lines- golden retrievers for instance. look into breeds carefully on the breed websites and take into account any hereditary diseases eg hip dysplasia and make sure the puppy has been tested for these.

i would definately avoid at all costs shar peis as IMO they are very nasty and after working with them i wouldnt trust one (sorry if i offend anyone who has one), also personally i dont trust german shepherds, i do however trust rottweilers as if they are nasty they give you warning, german shepherds dont.

all said, you can get very good temperamented german shepherds etc. always see both parents if possible and see how they act with kids, and also dont be tempted to go for the quiet shy puppy as these almost always have temperament probs as they are timid and can bite etc out of fear.

i personally love cocker spaniels, i have one so im biased and mine is brill with kids, but i would avoid any solid black or red cockers personally as they can have temperament problems called rage syndrome.

all in all, alot of it comes down to how the dog is brought up and trained, get this right and you should be fine

HTH

festiveface · 23/07/2006 19:15

sorry no experience with newfoundlands myself but i do know people who have hated the amount of drool everywhere.

can i just ask vnmum if she has any experience of schnauzers or poodles please, sorry to hijack.
i am looking into the lesser allergenic breeds at the mo.

vnmum · 23/07/2006 19:20

hi festive face, from my experience i have not had problems with schnauzers, i quite like them. the small poodles can be snappy but standard poodles are nice. another breed that doesnt molt is the soft coated wheaton terrier but i havent had many dealings with these. the other one is a labradoodle, especially bred for allergic people and you get the best of poodle and labrador.

everyone please be aware that no dog or breed can be 100% guaranteed for temperament and these views are just from my experience working with dogs

festiveface · 23/07/2006 19:23

thanx

throckenholt · 23/07/2006 19:23

My Cousin has just started breeding them (one litter so far), and has 2 of them as "pets" - she also has 3 kids under 5. Mail me if you would like me to give you her email to you (julie at highfields1 dot plus dot com).

They are BIG dogs !

2labs · 23/07/2006 20:54

vnmum - many labradoodles certainly do moult and are often not suitable for people with allergies, despite the hype - no breed standard and a variety of unpredictable coat types. I know of several who moult easily as much as a normal lab.

vnmum · 23/07/2006 21:04

i havent had any dealings with labradoodles, i was just going off the reasoning behind the breeding of them. thanks for letting me know that, i will make sure i dont reccomend them for allergies again and will stick with breeds that are known not to moult

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