Newfoundland

Officer Giggles

i am currently researching Newfoundlands as i am interested in getting one. Could anyone that has or have had one please tell me of their experiences and what i must ensure i have for the dog to be happy

Ruby Soho

I don't have a newfie myself, BUT from any information I have gleaned about them, you MUST have access to water (beach / river / lake), they love to swim, its their job!
Not a dog for the average suburban back garden at any rate, these guys need space, and lots of it. I'm sure there are people that just keep them as back garden pets, but it's hardly ideal, is it? You would also need to be knowledgeable about diet, particularly as a growing pup / adolescent, any breeds of this size are particularly prone to skeletal developmental diseases. You must also be willing to put the time into coat care.

Officer Giggles

from what i have read i am lead to believe that u dont neccessarily need to have a massive back garden as they prefer to live indoors AS LONG AS you give them good exercise and in particular a swim. i am open to correction on this though.

i am also very interested on what the cost of buying, feeding, keeping a newfoundland is

also what are the pro's and cons's of such dogs

i know i have alot of questions but i am doing alot of research on the web and am just trying to get a wide variety of opinions

thanks for all the help

The Artist

heres some info about this breed of dog.
yes they are big dogs like the one in beethoven films.
St. Bernards.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_(dog)

Officer Giggles

to be honest what am looking for is a "true life" what are newfoundlands like in reality, iv read dozens of descriptions on various websites and its like someone wrote a description of them and everyone just copied and pasted, what i know is that they are big, very big, bloody huge in fact, they love water and they have an excellent temperment, they shed alot of hair and are slobbery

Aimee_gleeson

Hey, we have a bitch and shes now 6years old. Such a loving dog, loves attention. They are so silly/stupid though, runs to you and forgets to stop They love nothing more then attention. She lives outside, recently we lost her companion and she is taking it SO hard, we don't want to replace the other dog so we are spending more time with the Newfie now as she is rather upset. Shes too big for our Cavaliers/Yorkies to leave play with and the Great Dane is only a pup (nearly one) and jumps up on her and shes not able.

Newfs are excellent with kids, they could hang out of her ears and wouldn't bother her. Shes a big bear is all Yes they do drool, but nothing a towel can't clean up. Mainly food starts the drooling and they are messy drinkers. They do like water, she plays in her water bowl a lot of the time but does not like the sea and more open water. We introduced her at a young age and she just tried climb up us so we stopped and stuck with a paddling pool when she was younger.

They don't eat a LOT people seem to think they do. I can't tell you exactly what shes fed cause we have this scoop that measures it out.

Our bitch is rather lazy, would lie in the garden with you for hours on end, even if you were up pottering about and wouldn't move.

The breeder we got her off had TWELVE in his house so im more then sure he would be willing to talk to you if you had any questions. I can find his number for you? They were situated in Kilkenny..

theonlygirl

I have a newfie pup, he's now 12 weeks old and growing by the second! They're a gorgeous breed, really affectionate, but not the easiest to train. We have a 2nd little pup (golden cocker spaniel - in a moment of madness we decided 2 pups were better than 1) and the newfie is way behind in the toilet training stakes, while the other guy seemed to get it straight away. My newfie he also seems to run straight into things without stopping which will get tricky when he's older!

They are the only downsides though, I wouldn't say you need a whole lot of room, even as a puppy our guy tends to stay close and not want to excercise a whole lot. He loves to just chill out on the mat beside the back door and watch the world go by. And he definitely eats less than the cocker spaniel, who is growing a pot belly from eating from the newfies leftovers as well as his own dinners!

Definitely a beautiful temperament of dog, not very high maintenance, but I was advised by the vet to get pet insurance as he gets older as they do tend to have hip and heart problems like most giant breeds.

Officer Giggles

Thanks for the replies guys, I looked into the insurance thing about a week ago and allianz(i think they are the only ones that do pet insurance) charge €240 a year for a Newfoundland,

I will get over the whole drulling and shedding thing as it just means i might have to get up and do a bit of cleaning. I also presume i can brush its coat while watching tv so this shouldnt be too hard of a chore.

Aimee if you could please give me the breeders details id appreciate it.

Vas_Guy

Check out http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/dogs/769648

They are breeders who operate a Newfoundland helpline for people who own or are thinking of getting a newfoundland, I found them very helpful when I was considering getting one.

The Artist

Vas_Guy wrote: »

Check out http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/dogs/769648

They are breeders who operate a Newfoundland helpline for people who own or are thinking of getting a newfoundland, I found them very helpful when I was considering getting one.

be carefull when you buy from done deal as theres scams and puppyfarms on them.

Aimee_gleeson

Alan Ford wrote: »

be carefull when you buy from done deal as theres scams and puppyfarms on them.

Please note this ad is not to sell pups or put you off buying one, we are owners/breeders with over 30years experience, we simply want to give you the facts about these Gentle Giants to help you decide if a Newf is the dog for you.

Think that link is pretty safe

@Officer Giggles, you could try that number or ill have the other one for you by the weekend..

Officer Giggles

Thanks everyone, yesterday i made contact with Alison McVea via email, Mrs Mc Vea is the Chairperson of the Newfoundland Club of Ireland and has been more than willing to anwser my numerious questions. But if antone has anything more to add to this thread please do the more opinions the better

Vas_Guy

Alan Ford wrote: »

be carefull when you buy from done deal as theres scams and puppyfarms on them.

i agree, but they are not selling dogs jsut offering an information service for people considering gettting a Newfoundland.

These are responsible breeders who's dogs come with endorsemsnts only lifted when all the health checks are done, that's after a home check before tehy seel you a pup.

BraziliaNZ

I heard that they get bad arthritis due to their size when they get older thus they don't have a long lifespan, is that true?
I would really love to have one though but will be crammed in cities for as long as I can forsee

Officer Giggles

their lifespan seems to be between 8 to 10 years, and yes they suffer from hip problems and i think i read somewhere that they suffer alot from bloat so you have to watch when u feed them

does anyone have a rough estimate on how much it costs to actually feed the Newfie

whitser

how much it costs depends on what your feeding him. raw butchers meat is best for dogs but it isnt alawys practicle from a storage and financial point of view. good meat based dry food is good, saty clear of the cerial based stuff its worthless to a dog. a decent bag of dry food will cost you about 20-30 euro. and i'd say a big dog like a newfound would get about 2-3 weeks out of it. i wolud recommend giving meat at least 2 twice a week. a good bag of dog meat should cost about 7-10 euro and that'll do 2 days of the week.

Officer Giggles

so id be talking about 20 at the most 30 euro a week, thats not too bad some people spend alot more than that on fags everyweek

whitser

about that. but as much good raw meat as possible. i feed mine on dry stuff mostly but at least twice a week if not more i'll give raw meat. its the best.

whitser

give him any meat and veg scraps from the dinner on top of his dry stuff also.

Officer Giggles

is their specific meat to get or will the butcher know the story, if raw meat is the best for him would it not be best for me to just go daily and get it

whitser

if its practicle by all means. ask for dog meat.my butcher gives me a bag with all differnet cuts and bits in it. if you can offord to buy meat from the butchers go for it. chicken beef and lamb are best. your dog will thank you for it. i ahve 5 dogs so having the money and storage space to keep meat isnt possible.

Officer Giggles

what is the best brand of dog food and dogs biscuits(for treats when they are good) to get for a Newfie

lightening

whitser wrote: »

about that. but as much good raw meat as possible. i feed mine on dry stuff mostly but at least twice a week if not more i'll give raw meat. its the best.

I give my dog a marrow bone, that has raw meat on it, what other raw meat would you give your dog?

whitser

chicken lamb beef are best,give them bones and all.

Officer Giggles

what type/brand dog food would you give him, is their any book or website that would tell you how much and how often to feed your dog

peasant

With giant breeds like Newfs it is important not to overfeed them, especially when they are young. Too much too rich food when they are young and they will shoot up before their bones and joints have a chance to form properly.

Giant breeds have to be more or less "starved" into adulthood and once they're fully grown it is still very important to watch their weight, as every extra pound will take its toll on the joints.

It is therefore very important to get your Newf from a good breeder with experience. They will give you a good and correct diet plan for your dog for all stages of its life, so that it gets everything it needs, but not too much of it.

boomerang

Especially for a giant breed like a Newf, it's crucial that you feed them a very high quality diet from the start, that's appropriate to their age (eg puppy/junior and so on). I would say 20-30 euro is at the very bottom end of the scale in terms of what you should pay for a 15kg bag of dog food - most if not all of the dry foods in that price bracket contain a lot of cereal fillers, nasty artificial preservatives that are already banned in human food production and pretty yokky meat derivatives - in other words, carcass by-products of the animal slaughtering business or meat that has not been passed as being fit for human consumption - e.g. because the animal was ill.

You should be looking for a complete food that lists a meat or meat meal as its main ingredient, and expect to pay 50-70 euro per 15kg bag. Brands to consider would include Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved, Burns, Arden Grange, or Nutro. Work out how many grams per day you should feed an adult Newfie, then work out how long a 15kg bag will last you. I'd imagine a fully grown Newfie would go through a full 15kg bag in a month to six weeks tops.

There is enormous debate surrounding raw-food diets for dogs - I would not go down this road without doing a LOT of research. Raw meat alone will not meet all of the dog's dietary requirements and it is a challenge to ensure that a home-cooked/raw diet caters for all the dog's nutritional needs. The decision to feed your dog bones should also be very carefully considered, as there are risks involved.

whitser

boomerang wrote: »

Especially for a giant breed like a Newf, it's crucial that you feed them a very high quality diet from the start, that's appropriate to their age (eg puppy/junior and so on). I would say 20-30 euro is at the very bottom end of the scale in terms of what you should pay for a 15kg bag of dog food - most if not all of the dry foods in that price bracket contain a lot of cereal fillers, nasty artificial preservatives that are already banned in human food production and pretty yokky meat derivatives - in other words, carcass by-products of the animal slaughtering business or meat that has not been passed as being fit for human consumption - e.g. because the animal was ill.

You should be looking for a complete food that lists a meat or meat meal as its main ingredient, and expect to pay 50-70 euro per 15kg bag. Brands to consider would include Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved, Burns, Arden Grange, or Nutro. Work out how many grams per day you should feed an adult Newfie, then work out how long a 15kg bag will last you. I'd imagine a fully grown Newfie would go through a full 15kg bag in a month to six weeks tops.

There is enormous debate surrounding raw-food diets for dogs - I would not go down this road without doing a LOT of research. Raw meat alone will not meet all of the dog's dietary requirements and it is a challenge to ensure that a home-cooked/raw diet caters for all the dog's nutritional needs. The decision to feed your dog bones should also be very carefully considered, as there are risks involved.

i feed with feedwell and have found it good for a dry food. i've used it for years now. a lot of men who keep working dogs use it and working dog men wouldnt feed crap. as for meat,dogs have survived and evolved to eat meat. i also recommended that the chap feed veg scraps aslso. bones that arent cooked are quite safe for a dog to eat. take it from me,anyone who keeps working dogs will tell you that meat is best, and working dogs need good nutrition or they cant do their job. just because a bag is more expensive doesnt translate to it being better. are an over priced pair of nike better trainers then a cheaper pair? of course not,all packaging.

Officer Giggles

thanks for all the advice guys

i wasnt saying i was going to get a 15kg bag of food for €30 i said that the speed at which the dog will eat the food will mean that on average it will cost me €20-30 a week to feed him

i know Newfie's dont like being left alone "all day" but what is meant by this obviously people have to work!!!!!

there is a show on in swords on the 21st i think im going to go and get a look at these beasts in the flesh

boomerang

whitser wrote: »

i feed with feedwell and have found it good for a dry food. i've used it for years now. a lot of men who keep working dogs use it and working dog men wouldnt feed crap. as for meat,dogs have survived and evolved to eat meat. i also recommended that the chap feed veg scraps aslso. bones that arent cooked are quite safe for a dog to eat. take it from me,anyone who keeps working dogs will tell you that meat is best, and working dogs need good nutrition or they cant do their job. just because a bag is more expensive doesnt translate to it being better. are an over priced pair of nike better trainers then a cheaper pair? of course not,all packaging.

I completely disagree. Feedwell, like a lot of brands in that price bracket, is poor quality. We've taken in a lot of dogs from "working dog men" in poor condition, because cost is a bigger factor for many of them when it comes to feeding their dogs, rather than quality. I've seen enough dogs come into rescue with dull, lifeless coats and skin conditions because they've been fed cheap dog food like Feedwell, Kasco, etc. etc. Put them on a decent (and more expensive) food like Arden Grange or RC, and in a few weeks, they're on the mend and their coats begin to shine. I don't consider such brands to be overpriced - you get what you pay for.

Yes, dogs have evolved to eat meat primarily, but not meat alone. It's hard to balance a dog's diet when you make it up from scratch yourself. That's why I don't recommend anyone try it unless they've done some serious homework.

There are dangers to giving a dog raw bones, not least of which is chipped teeth, not to mention bowel obstructions. So again, I'd do my research and weigh up the pros and cons before deciding on whether to feed a dog raw bones or not.

Officer Giggles

Thanks boomerang

can the food brands you mentioned be bought in most places

i.e. Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved, Burns, Arden Grange, or Nutro

peasant

Officer Giggles wrote: »

i know Newfie's dont like being left alone "all day" but what is meant by this obviously people have to work!!!!!

Very heated debate on that issue here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055293626

Officer Giggles

peasant wrote: »

Very heated debate on that issue here:
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055293626

Thats an understatement peasant, thanks for the link

boomerang

Officer Giggles wrote: »

Thanks boomerang

can the food brands you mentioned be bought in most places

i.e. Royal Canin, James Wellbeloved, Burns, Arden Grange, or Nutro

You'll find them in pet shops and some vets. You won't find any of them in the supermarket.

whitser

boomerang wrote: »

I completely disagree. Feedwell, like a lot of brands in that price bracket, is poor quality. We've taken in a lot of dogs from "working dog men" in poor condition, because cost is a bigger factor for many of them when it comes to feeding their dogs, rather than quality. I've seen enough dogs come into rescue with dull, lifeless coats and skin conditions because they've been fed cheap dog food like Feedwell, Kasco, etc. etc. Put them on a decent (and more expensive) food like Arden Grange or RC, and in a few weeks, they're on the mend and their coats begin to shine. I don't consider such brands to be overpriced - you get what you pay for.

Yes, dogs have evolved to eat meat primarily, but not meat alone. It's hard to balance a dog's diet when you make it up from scratch yourself. That's why I don't recommend anyone try it unless they've done some serious homework.

There are dangers to giving a dog raw bones, not least of which is chipped teeth, not to mention bowel obstructions. So again, I'd do my research and weigh up the pros and cons before deciding on whether to feed a dog raw bones or not.

listen you might take in rescue dogs,and because they havent been properly looked after thats why they are in bad condition,not because of the feedwell. im keeping working dogs nearly 18 years and i know how to keep a dog in excellent condition. as for meat, most fox hounds are fed on offal do you think a fox hound could could do 20 miles at a callop over mountains and bogs if it wasnt well nourished. feedwell is cheaper then other brands because its made in ireland and not imported from europe. i'd like you to come at look at the condition of my dogs because they are in prime condition and fit as fiddles. if the dogs you take in to rescue are in bad condition its probably down to not being wormed properly ad generally not being well looked after. at the end of the day your entitled to your opinion, but my opinion is based on expoerience. raw food is best, and mix in some veg for fibre etc... i would feed that way if i had the storage space to keep a weeks food at home or if i could get to the butchers every day but its not feesable. any way, take it from me gihhles your dog will do best on meat. and finally men who keep working dogs are always have their dogs health to the forefront of their mind,cos an unfit badly conditioned dog cant work.

boomerang

A raw-meat based diet might work for some working dogs, but the average, fairly-sedentary pet dog would be absolutely bouncing the walls with that level of protein in the diet.

Please don't make any assumptions about my experience (or lack thereof) or about the dogs that come into my care.

We're both entitled to our opinion, which we've both based on our own experience.

XxlauraxX

whitser wrote: »

chicken lamb beef are best,give them bones and all.

never give your dog chicken bones

Officer Giggles

why should you never give a dog chicken bones?

boomerang

Because they can splinter and cause intestinal damage. You should also NEVER feed your dog cooked bones of any kind, as they are brittle and more likely to splinter than raw.

Feeding raw chicken/bones/wings/necks is also problematic because of the risk of Salmonella and other harmful infections. Proponents of the raw food diet however would argue that dogs are better adapted than humans to deal with such bacteria.

Undigested raw meat and bones can become impacted in the stomach, causing bloat and gastric torsion, which can be fatal.

There are pros and cons to a raw food v commercial food diet - it's up to each person to assess the risks and make an informed choice for their pet.

wazzoraybelle

I have a newfie lab cross and shes adorable, she's short hair and quite a bit smaller than a newfie but retains the stupidity and has that bear look. I would suggest getting a companion as they get anxious when left for a long period on their own. while we have a lot of space for her I don't think she requires it as she spends the day snoozing but loves being walked.
The lab in her means she doesn't suffer the health problems most newfies suffer and will hopefully add a year or two to her lifespan.
My bitch (2 yrs) just about swims and spent a long time trying to climb out of water before she got the hang of it. I've heard stories from other newfie owners that the owners have difficulty swimming as the newfie tries to rescue them and bring them back to shore!!!
Newfies are very affectionate and are happy when they know someone or a companion is about ( even if its just a cat!)

Best of luck with your dog!

Officer Giggles

haha yea iv heard stories like that alright iv heard of owners that have had to stop going swiming with their Newfie as he just keeps jumping on top of them, iv read on alot of websites that Newfie's dont seem to really need that much space as they are pretty lazy so its imperitive to ensure you exercise them.

What would you reckon is the longest time you should leave them on their own for?

wazzoraybelle

Officer Giggles wrote: »

.

What would you reckon is the longest time you should leave them on their own for?

to be honest I wouldn't leave my bitch on her own at all, I have another dog and they are inseperable. In an emergency I'd be comfortable to leave her for 4-5 hours.

whitser

giggles what ever you do i hope the new dog works out for you, best of luck.
as for raw v's dry. 30 yrs ago processed it our shelves it was the best thing since sliced bread,cheap easier to get good for you...this has shown to be nonsense. the best food to eat is natural food. its the same for dogs. nature knows best and natural is best. dogs have evolved to eat meat and they would naturally get some veg when they eat the stomach of their prey. i feed meat as often as i can,my dogs are in excellent condition. your newfie is a working dog breed and if your going to be giving him plenty of swimming and exercise he'll need to be getting good nourishment, this means meat imo.
best of luck.

whitser

XxlauraxX wrote: »

never give your dog chicken bones

im talking about raw bones not cooked bones. raw bones are safe.

Vas_Guy

whitser wrote: »

listen you might take in rescue dogs,and because they havent been properly looked after thats why they are in bad condition,not because of the feedwell. im keeping working dogs nearly 18 years and i know how to keep a dog in excellent condition. as for meat, most fox hounds are fed on offal do you think a fox hound could could do 20 miles at a callop over mountains and bogs if it wasnt well nourished. feedwell is cheaper then other brands because its made in ireland and not imported from europe. i'd like you to come at look at the condition of my dogs because they are in prime condition and fit as fiddles. if the dogs you take in to rescue are in bad condition its probably down to not being wormed properly ad generally not being well looked after. at the end of the day your entitled to your opinion, but my opinion is based on expoerience. raw food is best, and mix in some veg for fibre etc... i would feed that way if i had the storage space to keep a weeks food at home or if i could get to the butchers every day but its not feesable. any way, take it from me gihhles your dog will do best on meat. and finally men who keep working dogs are always have their dogs health to the forefront of their mind,cos an unfit badly conditioned dog cant work.

I agree speaking to one person who knows dogs and who has a successful business designing dog kennels, runs, told me that the best cared and looked after dogs are those owned by working men and working gun dogs.

irishlass37

Hi all

Yes Alison McVea will steer you right, I know her personally and we all own Newfies, If you are in Dublin or close and wanna meet two feel free to PM and say...
Mine will love the attention and you can see whats involved close up by all means

Irishlass