They're A Lot Of Work!

It's a lot of work owning a Newfoundland dog.

Grooming is not a big deal, it's a huge deal. Most experts recommend at least a quick, ten-minute brushing session every day, combined with a more thorough, half-hour or more, workover every week.

This is just to keep the dog presentable, mind you; that beautiful show dog you saw on TV gets a lot more attention than that.

What happens if you let grooming slide? As one long-time breeder put it,

Almost every Newfie that is rescued out of a pound or shelter shows the effects of many months of no grooming, resulting in massive matting and horrendous filthiness, sometimes with urine and feces cemented into the rear portions of the coat. It appears that unwillingness to keep up with coat care is a primary cause of abandonment.

Then there's the whole exercise business. Newfies are pretty laid-back by nature, but does not mean they don't need exercise; not at all. It means you need to motivate the dog and make sure they get the exercise they need. If you don't, you're likely to end up with an unhealthy, unhappy dog.

Some sources recommend that ideally, an adult Newf should get a brisk, one-mile walk twice a day. Do you have that kind of time available?

Add in the hours you spend cleaning up after the mess your Newfie makes, and the time you spend on training- and training is a must- and you see what I mean about Newf ownership being a heck of a lot of work.

Continue: Gentle Giants?

Do You Really Want A Newfie?

They're Huge

They Drool

They're Messy

They're Expensive

A Lot Of Work!

Gentle Giants?

Health Concerns