Newfie or Lab? What should i get?

[Totallyfloaty35]

Just found out that Newfie im on puppy list for has not taken,this is 3rd time its happened and means i have to wait for this breeders other dog to be mated(due to happen next week) or start searching for another Newfie Breeder,they are really hard to find down south.
The reason i wanted this dog was because it should have been readty just after xmas,when dh is home for 2 months to help with training.If i go on another waiting list it will be Easter by the time i get my Newf,DH will be working away again and no help.
DH told me to get a Lab,this was his 1st choice and my 2nd.
Im torn now,originally we were supposed to have our Newf in July,my kids are beginning to think im deluded an that we shall never get a dog.
The other thing is i really like Brown Labs,and DH likes Black ones,but i was told Browns are harder to train,is this true?
What should i do? Wait longer(it will have been a year on waiting lists soon) or go for a Lab?

Sorry that should say mating due to happen sometime next month

I've heard that about brown labs too, I didn't know if it was an urban myth though.
Labs are lovely dogs, but so are newfies, ohh tough one.

I'm not 100% sure if it's true about chocolate labs vs. black labs, but the choc ones I have met have all been mental! Obviously, I haven't met every single one though
Who will be in charge of the dog? From the OP, it looks like it will be you, in which case, I would wait and get the breed you've been waiting for for so long.

Yes it will be me,i look after all the dogs we own.
The other thing is im hoping to try for baby number 4 next summer so want whatever dog we get to be calming down by time new baby comes.
I was so upset by latest news of dog not being in pup i started crying when breeder told me

I used to have a choccie lab (sadly no longer with us) and he was easy to train (I used him out shooting) but he was generally a very laid back dog.

Newfies are lovely but as I am sure you are aware a real housefull. I hope you are addicted to hoovering and long long long country walks every day! Wiping up the slubber would be the thing that I would hate. Newfies take even longer to mature than labs and at 2 will still be pinging around like a puppy but will be huge! I hope you have loads of money as newfies are so big you will need a second mortgage just to worm them, let alone any other mediciation they need.

A Choco lab will still need loads of exercise but will not be so slobbery. All labs respond to consistent training and would be as much fun as a newfie but maybe not quite such a house full. Be careful when buying a chocolate lab as quite a few have allergy problems that can be difficult to treat. I have found black, or yellow labs a bit less ditsy than my chocolate ones but only had 2 choco ones.

I guess I am telling you what you already know so it is personal choice. So sorry you missed out on a pup this time around.

Thanks minimu,the slobber and cost were what put them as DH number 2 choice,it doesnt really bother me though.My friend is trying to persuade me to get a Leonberger as she has met some fab ones that live close to me but i have not really researched that breed.
We were told not to walk our Newfie for miles when it was under a year old in case joints were overworked.A minutes exercise for every week of age the breeder says.
What sort of allergy problem do they have,is it food based?
Brown Newfies are supposed to be bouncier and ditsy,i wonder if its brown dogs in general

lol at second mortgage to worm them

You need to talk to the MNer with the friend whose Newfie has shaken its head and sprayed slobber up into the beams of their roof - who was that again?

And yes, they need restricted exercise when young , but that makes it worse as they have all the energy, but no outlet for it, iyswim...

...as do labs

Id say go for a black lab or a flat coated retriever ( sooo nice). Will Newfies not cost a fortune to feed as well? The cost of upkeep, slobber and hoovering would put me off one! But then my dog only weighs 3 1/2 lbs so Im not one to ask about big breeds

my newfie cost us a fortune and the mess was enough to put me off all slobbering dogs.

However, if you have the time and energy, they are wonderful family dogs.

I am currently toying with the ide of another puppy but either a golden retriever or Estrela

Leonbergers are beautiful but I would like something a little smaller hence the Estrela.

Leonbergers don't slobber so will be a great alternative to a Newfie

My lab is the love of my life! Newfies are gorgeaus but I imagine would be slightly harder work than a lab. (Not that any puppy is easy!)

Labs are gems, they respond well to training and are fantastic with children. They do not slobber but require lots of exercise although not sure how much a newfie needs. My 16 month old lab has a long walk once a day of between 1 1/2 and 2 hours every day.

She is a gem around the house, calm, placid and mostly sleeps!

Labs are fab!I am biased though!

I don't think there's that much general temperament difference between black and choc labs; but I think there is a big difference between the two main 'types' of lab ie working and show. Show dogs tend to be stockier, with shorter legs and bigger heads and I think are a bit calmer. Working dogs are slighter, with longer legs and finer heads and a little bit more mental .

Rather than breed specifics, I feel it's the character of the individual dog which is most important. I have had 3 working black labs, 2 from the same litter and each one is wildly different in character and behaviour.

One is a little bit thick, quite clumsy and very keen; another is as fast as the wind but rather too keen on pretty flowers and 'keeping her hair dry' when she swims. The other is the one who flings herself into everything, learns things at incredible speed and is always, always in some sort of mess. Today it was badger poo.

Something else which might be useful is the mantra of my trainer....

She always says 'In the time it would take to train one Flat Coat Retriever you could train three Golden Retrievers and six Labradors.'

I don't think lab temprament is down to colour! You just need to pick carefully if you want a choc lab - you will find insane yellow ones or black ones as well as choc. Similarly you will find calmer versions of all.

My black lab is working bred - his sire is a working chocolate (Field Trial Champ., which is rare, but shows that it really is down to temprament of the indivdual dog

I have my name on the list for a puppy from my lab's full sister - there is a chance it may be choc or black - but I don't care which, it's the temprament I'm after.

Not sure that helps?

Another consideration is life expectancy and genetic conditions - for example, Labs which are not well bred can have hip and eye problems (and this can happen even in good breed lines). Newfies are shorter-lived and can suffer heart problems and hip dysplasia.

Whichever you choose do as much as you can to ensure that the pup of your choice has been bred in order to avoid the health conditions that the breed can suffer from.

I know only too well the heartache of losing a dog to a disease which their particular breed can experience, having lost a GSD to DM. It didn't put me off having another Shepherd as I think they are the best breed in the world but it certainly worries me and I know that my 10 year old lab cross, a rescue dog, is far less likely to suffer such problems.

If you really have concerns about both Newfies and Labs then maybe its an idea to discuss with your family a different breed altogether or a crossbreed? Remember (and I have to say this as I'm passionate about the problem), there are a hell of a lot of unwanted dogs out there in pounds and rescue looking for loving homes and those in pounds are killed in huge numbers each week for want of someone to love them.

Whichever dog you choose, good luck and keep us posted, just to make us all jealous!

Cant get a rescue as have toddler,cat and 2 chihuahuas,rescue centres say no a lot.
The breeders im in talks with have very good puppies and do all the screening tasts.
I do have another question though re crate training.Is it possible to crate train a Newfie? would the crate not end up roughly the size of my kitchen to fit the dog in? What size would i have to get?
Thankyou everyone for all your comments,lots to think about in them.

Yes, you can crate train them. I used to know a Newfie breeder and all of hers had crates. Took up most of the house, but yes

Totallyfloaty35 I am getting ready to be shot down in flames but you already have 2 weeny weeny dogs and you are thinking of adding one with totally different needs to the pack. Are you prepared for the problems this may cause?

The early days of having a newfie on restricted exercise and the chihuahuas needing walks will mean four different sets of walks a day for months at the very least. Do you have room to keep them separated? A playful pup newife playing with older chihuahuas will have to supervised at all times due to the huge size difference.

I think you are taking on a massive project and just hope you are prepared for the work that will come with it all.

I grew up with a Newfie called Boris. My mum had to wipe the slob off the sitting room ceiling regularly. We all found it funny but I don't think visitors were impressed. He was a lovely dog but had hip dysplasia and died quite early. The vet's bills were in the thousands.

My chis are fairly big both5- 6kg.We did have a Shar-pei so they used to bigger dogs.Also my dds walk the chis,who dont like cold wet weather(just the stuff a newf loves)and regulary refuse to leave the house!
I do know they need supervision,thanks minimu but have to supervise any puppy really as you never know what they going to do next.
I have talked a lot to the breeders about my current dogs and integration.
Well the latest is that another breeder i was talking to has a dog in whelp(Newfie) so i could have my favourite dog breed by Jan 6th Dh is pleased but he and dd1 still quite fancy a non slobbery dog.

I second what others have said about labs...they are fabulous dogs. I own a choc lab, who is just shy of a year old. He's quick to learn, clever (perhaps a little bit too much!) tolerant, patient, eager to please, very very loving and...a little bit nuts lol.

Seriously though, I've never had a problem training him..his only issue is pulling on the lead, which we are working on and he is getting better.

He is an american bred working lab (tall and lanky)...therefore has lots of energy and needs lots of long walks but is equally happy lying sound asleep, sprawled out, legs in the air and snoring like the typical teenager he currently is....you can tell I love him!

I don't know a lot about newfie's but labs dont do well if left alone, they need company and will tolerate periods alone but make sure he/she is given plenty of things to occupy him/her or be prepared for chewing destruction! Labs are also very greedy and are commonly known as "the dustbin" therefore diet needs to be strictly controlled. I have no problems with allergies with my lab.

As with any dog you put the right effort in and you should be rewarded with a loyal loving friend.

Best of luck in getting your new pup, whatever breed you decide on.

OH..BTW - I have a cat and 4 kids (one of whom is 3) and like you rescue centres all said no.

our newfie would be destructive if left for any real amount of time. He was probably fine for up to about an hour at a time

The things that dog ate!