Newfoundlands: Myths and Truths
Written by our guest: Jenna
Newfoundlands: For the past 15 years, I was dreaming of the day I got to call one of these giant fur balls my own. My name is Jenna, and I have now been a Newfie owner for just over a year, and boy was that the best decision I ever made. As a first time Newfie owner, I did a fair amount of research of the breed before finally deciding to own one. With my previous research & experience thus far, I will share with you some Myths & Facts about the Newfoundland breed. And I will gladly throw in some pictures of my 1 year old Newfie, Huckleberry, along the way!
Meet Huckleberry! Instagram: onefloofynewfie
Myth: "Newfoundlands are a Low Maintenance Breed"
Newfoundlands have a LOT of hair, and with a lot of hair, comes a lot of shedding. You will find hair in places you would never expect. If you decide to groom your newfie yourself, like me, you will need to invest in a wide array of grooming tools and a lot of your time. You will need to brush your Newfoundland often, sometimes daily, depending on their lifestyle, in order to keep their coat healthy and not have their hair become tangled and matted. Brushing often will also help control the shedding.
Truth: "Newfoundlands Love Water"
Most Newfoundlands absolutely love water and are great swimmers! They have webbed paws that make them strong swimmers and great water rescue dogs. Now, this doesn’t mean take your Newfie puppy to the water and toss them in, it is best to slowly introduce them and let them learn at their own pace. If your Newfie is anything like mine, you won’t be able to get him out of the water! But watch out, the more you water your Newfie, the faster they grow!
Myth: "Newfoundlands are lazy"
While a Newfie will be a couch potato if you let them, they love and need activity to stay healthy! Newfoundlands require some sort of exercise daily. Swimming is a great option as it is low impact on their joints. Exercising their brain with fun toys is always a good option as well! A Newfie that does not get exercise to get their energy out, can become destructive from boredom or can become overweight which can lead to many other health problems. My Newf loves being active, going on adventures and being around his family!
Truth: "They get a lot of Attention"
Growing up always wanting a newfie, whenever I saw one in public, I would always get very excited! I thought it was just me... it was not. Since having Huckleberry we’ve had many people stop and say Hi/want to pet him, more often than I've experienced with any of my family’s dogs growing up. While walking Huck, we’ve had people stop just to ask his name or tell us how cute he is, or “he looks like a bear”, or that they had one growing up! It is always a fun time and connects you with some great people!
Myth: "Not All Newfoundlands Drool"
They all drool. Some Newfies may drool more than others, but they all will drool at least a little bit. You learn to live with it. It will get on your clothes, your blankets, walls, floors, windows, in your car, etc. I’ve heard stories of Newfies owners having slobber on their ceilings, we haven’t experienced that yet, but I wouldn’t doubt that its in our future.
Truth: "They Know how to Take Adorable Photos"
Now I may be biased on this one, but Newfoundland dog pictures are some of the cutest pictures I've ever seen! They give you puppy dog eyes, and you will find everything that they are doing adorable and then sooner or later you will end up with way too many photos of them on your phone!
Exhibit A:
Myth: "Newfoundlands Eat A Lot"
This past year of owning Huckleberry, we always seem to get the question “How do you afford to feed that giant dog?” While the answer ranges depending on the dog and their activity level, a typical adult Newfie will eat 4-6 cups of food a day. Consult with your vet to determine the right amount for your pup. Huck is at about 4 cups per day. Growing up, we always fed our labs 3 cups per day, so while giant breed dogs get more food than a large breed dog, its not that much more.
Truth: "Newfoundlands are Gentle Giants"
Probably the truest statement you will hear about a Newfoundland. They are definitely gentle giants! When its not hot out, Huck turns into a giant lap dog! Newfoundlands are truly great dogs & once you go newfie you never go back!
Hope you enjoyed my take on Newfoundland Myths & Truths!
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