Newfoundland

The Newfoundland is a giant breed that originated on the Canadian island after which it is named. Males usually weigh between 130 and 150 pounds, with females at 100 to 120 pounds, putting the breed among the heaviest dogs kept anywhere. For all that bulk, the temperament stays gentle and unhurried, and owners often describe the Newfoundland as a working dog that happens to be placid around the house.

Fishermen originally bred the Newfoundland to work alongside them at sea. A thick double coat, webbed feet and powerful shoulders all suit cold water, and the dog can swim long distances; there is a well documented history of Newfoundlands pulling people and equipment out of the water. The same strength was put to use on land too, hauling carts and fishing nets.

Indoors the breed is affectionate and patient, bonding closely with its family and showing marked tolerance towards children, which is a large part of its reputation as a careful family companion. The trade-off is the sheer scale of looking after a dog this size: space, a substantial food bill, regular grooming, and a fair amount of drool to mop up.

Who it suits

The Newfoundland suits a household with room for a large dog and the patience for heavy grooming and a hefty food bill. It is a better fit for people after a calm, devoted companion than a high-energy sports dog, and families with children often get on well with the breed thanks to its patient nature. It is a poor match for a small flat, a very hot climate, or an owner who cannot abide drool and shedding fur.

The breed takes its name from the island of Newfoundland off Canada's eastern coast, where it developed during the 1700s among fishing communities working the cold North Atlantic. Its exact ancestry was never fully recorded, but the working dogs kept on the island are generally taken as the foundation of the breed as it exists today.

Fishermen valued these dogs for their water work. A Newfoundland would haul nets and lines, retrieve gear that went overboard, and help pull people from the water when needed. Webbed feet, a water-resistant coat and real swimming strength made it well suited to this work in cold conditions.

During the 1800s the breed found favour in Britain, kept by notable owners of the day and appearing in the paintings and literature of the period. That exposure carried the Newfoundland well beyond its working origins and shaped its development as both a companion and a show dog.

The Newfoundland was among the breeds recognised in the early years of organised kennel clubs in the late 1800s, and in South Africa it is registered through the Kennel Union of Southern Africa (KUSA), the country's national body for pedigree dogs. Today the breed is kept mainly as a family companion, though water rescue and draft work remain part of its recognised character and are still practised by some breed clubs.

The Newfoundland is a large, powerfully built dog carrying heavy bone on a broad, deep body. The head is large with a broad skull and a soft expression, and the overall build favours strength and stamina over speed. Webbed feet and a strong tail aid swimming, with the tail working as a rudder in the water.

Coat and colours

The outer coat is coarse and water-resistant, with a soft, dense undercoat beneath it. Solid black is the most common colour, and solid brown and grey are also accepted. The black-and-white pattern, known as Landseer, has a white base with black markings and takes its name from the painter who depicted the breed. The double coat sheds steadily all year and considerably more during the seasonal changes.

The Newfoundland is known for a gentle, steady temperament. It tends to be calm around the house and forms a close bond with its family, seeking out human company and sometimes struggling if left alone for long stretches.

With children the Newfoundland is usually patient and tolerant, which accounts for much of its reputation. Given its sheer size, it is still sensible to supervise time with very young children, simply because a dog this heavy can knock a toddler over without meaning to. Around strangers the breed tends to be friendly or politely reserved rather than aggressive, so it is not much of a guard dog by temperament, even if its size alone puts most people off.

With other pets the Newfoundland generally gets on well when raised together or socialised early. It is not a high-energy breed and does not usually show a strong prey drive. The main things to plan around are its need for company and its tendency to drool.

Grooming

• Brush the double coat at least two to three times a week, and daily during the seasonal moult
• Use a slicker brush and an undercoat rake to get down to the dense undercoat
• Bath the dog every one to two months or as needed; drying a coat this thick properly takes time
• Check and clean the ears regularly, since drop ears can trap moisture
• Trim the nails and keep the hair between the paws tidy
• Wipe the mouth and jowls often to keep drool under control

Exercise

• Aim for about 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day
• Daily walks at a moderate pace suit the breed well
• Swimming suits the Newfoundland naturally and is gentle on the joints
• Avoid strenuous exercise in the heat and during a puppy's rapid growth phase

Environment

The Newfoundland does best in a cool climate and a home with room to move around. South Africa's climate varies a good deal by region and altitude, and in the hotter, more humid parts of the country that thick coat becomes a real concern, so shade, fresh water and cooling matter wherever summers run hot. The breed settles well indoors given its calm nature, but it needs enough floor space to lie down and turn around comfortably.

The Newfoundland needs a complete and balanced diet formulated for large or giant breeds. Because the dog carries so much weight, keeping it in good condition takes real strain off the joints and heart. Measure out food rather than leaving a bowl down all day, and adjust the amount to the individual dog's activity level and body condition. Puppies should go onto a large-breed growth formula that supports slow, steady development rather than rapid weight gain.

Treats and supplements

Keep treats to roughly ten percent of daily calories to avoid piling on weight. Given the breed's size, some owners add joint supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin, along with fish oil for the coat and skin. Discuss any supplement with a vet before starting it, as individual dogs' needs differ.

The Newfoundland typically lives around 9 to 10 years, in line with other giant breeds. The breed is generally hardy, but its size brings particular risks affecting the joints, heart and digestion. Buying from breeders who screen their breeding stock, and keeping the dog at a healthy weight, both help reduce that risk. Owners in South Africa should also be alert to tick-borne biliary (canine babesiosis), a regional risk for any dog that spends time outdoors in tick country.

Preventive care

• Annual check-ups with the vet, more often for seniors
• Hip, elbow, heart and DNA screening in breeding stock
• Keep the dog at a healthy weight to protect the joints and heart
• Feed measured meals and avoid strenuous exercise straight after eating to lower the risk of bloat
• Keep vaccinations and parasite (including tick) prevention up to date
• Routine dental and ear care

The Newfoundland is intelligent and genuinely willing to work with its handler, which makes it a fairly straightforward breed to train. It responds best to calm, consistent guidance and reward-based methods, and harsh corrections tend to backfire with a dog this sensitive. Because the adult reaches such a size, teaching manners while still a puppy matters a great deal: a 130 pound dog that pulls on the lead or jumps up is hard work to manage, whereas the same dog trained early is easy to live with.

Basics

1. Start socialisation early, exposing the puppy to people, places and other animals
2. Teach a reliable walk on the lead before the dog reaches its full size and strength
3. Build the core cues: sit, stay, come and down
4. Practise calm greetings so the dog does not jump up on people
5. Introduce water work and swimming if the dog shows an interest, and many do
6. Keep sessions short, positive and consistent

Responsible Newfoundland breeding waits until the dog is physically and mentally mature, generally around two years old, so that health screening can be completed beforehand. Recommended screening covers the hips, elbows, heart and inherited conditions such as cystinuria. Gestation runs to roughly 63 days, much the same as other breeds. Litters tend to be large, and whelping a giant breed can carry added risk, so having a vet involved is a sensible precaution.

Raising the litter takes planning. Puppies grow fast and need a large-breed diet that supports controlled growth rather than rapid weight gain, protecting the joints as they develop. The dam needs strong nutrition and enough space to manage a sizeable litter, and early socialisation from the breeder lays the groundwork for the calm adult temperament the breed is known for. Anyone looking to buy should expect a wait, in South Africa as elsewhere, since reputable breeders of a giant breed like this do not produce litters often, and KUSA registration is worth checking for when buying a puppy.

Newfoundland registration and microchips in South Africa

Load your Newfoundland's details once and be done with it: name, date of birth, photo, your cell number, save. The profile is free for his whole life, and it takes a chip number the day the vet supplies one. Dog registration is the start of the paper trail.

A chipped Newfoundland still needs the number loaded into a registry, because the vet's job ends with the implant. Register the microchip on the free lifetime plan: any brand a local vet uses qualifies, updates stay free when you relocate between provinces, and the record answers the lookups SPCA branches run daily. Create your free account and settle both records today.