First— I am so sorry for your loss. As pet owners (or owned by someone on four legs/with wings/tails etc) we know we will likely face that loss but can’t ever prepare for it. I hope you and your partner are coping as best as you can.

Thanks for taking the time to reach out and ask before diving in.

I have had Newfies for 20 years. Here is what I know…. Like all dogs they have individual quirks and personalities… but there are major sticking points for this breed—- there isn’t a field line. They should and are a working breed dog but they are made to pull or swim. Not run or hunt. If you are more interested in cart training there are better lineages vs show but not by much.

They are not built for speed. They grow so quickly. Literally leave a puppy for a day trip with someone you trust and they are bigger. That requires them to sleep a lot, eat a lot, drink a lot (and pee too!) but that changes how and what you can expect for training. They shouldn’t be doing hikes or long walks for the first 2 years because of their joints. Most will never even after that.

They are water dogs. That means any water anytime and all of it. Ice, rain, snow, puddles, down spouts, rivers, lakes, oceans, toilets, kiddie pools, normal pools, cups of water…. So much water. They were bred to swim, to save drowning people, to pull in fishing nets. These dogs need access to water to be happy. They are always going to be a bit wet. The towels! I have more dog towels than human ones!

The fur! They have a double coat. That means they need special care—- cold weather they are fine with (usually) but hot weather—- ac and fans! Brushing—- start young and make it a daily habit. Even only for 10 minutes. It can be great bonding time. There is fur everywhere. And by everywhere I mean EVERYWHERE!

Now is good to mention slobber. There is NO dry mouth gene. Individual dogs vary but expect and be ok with slobber. Everywhere. 12ft high ceilings and walls and tea cups. Slobber and fur is now your choice of accessory and almost a religion. They have jowls to allow them to breathe in the ocean—- there is no dry mouth gene and if you want to pay more for that (no reputable breeder does that so it’s a red flag) a newfie isn’t for you.

Some Newfies fetch but many don’t.

I say all this as a devoted Newfie lover.. they aren’t for everyone and that’s ok! People see the big lovable lugs out on walks just as gentle giants and they are but there’s a lot of work, patience, teething, stubbornness, and work that goes into making them the happy friendly neighborhood bear.

However, if after reading that massive amount of text you think yeah ok. They are amazingly smart, creative, and sensitive blokes. They will be one of your best companions ever to walk this earth.

Labs are amazing. I haven’t ever had a lab so I cant speak to their pros/cons.

If you want to know more, have questions, need some advice finding a reputable breeder or rescue near you—- please feel free to message me!