How to Care for a Newfoundland

Newfoundlands are gentle and make great playmates for children. They can be fairly inactive and do not require a great deal of exercise. However, they are strong swimmers and thrive in the water. If you live near water, take them swimming as often as possible.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Dental Kits (for Dogs)
• Dog Beds
• Dog Bones
• Dog Brushes
• Dog Conditioner
• Dog Dishes
• Dog Flea/tick Control Medication
• Dog Food
• Dog Grooming Sprays
• Dog Leashes
• Dog Toys
• Dry Shampoo For Dogs
• Nail Clippers For Dogs

1. Vaccinate your Newfoundland when you first get him, if he is due for vaccinations - check with the breeder. Then get booster vaccinations as recommended by your veterinarian to maintain the dog's immunity to diseases. Consult your veterinarian about flea-control products and worming.

2. Feed your Newfoundland high-grade dog food. The first ingredient should be meat. Crude protein should be about 22 to 26 percent; crude fat no less than 20 percent. Fiber content needs to be 4 percent or less.

3. Brush your Newfoundland's topcoat and undercoat at least once a week - more often during the shedding seasons - with a wide-tooth comb to get down to the skin. They shed their undercoats twice a year, with lighter shedding year-round.

4. Bathe your Newfoundland about once every three months - more frequent bathing may take the oily sheen from his coat, which protects it from weather extremes. Instead, dry shampoo your dog (dry shampoo is a powder used on the coat and then brushed out).

5. Check and trim your Newfoundland's nails about once a week - less often if your pet does a lot of walking on pavement or cement. Because Newfoundlands are large and put so much weight on their feet, their nails need to be kept short. The tips of the nails should be just above the ground when the dog is standing.

6. Take your puppy to obedience training early on. These dogs are very obedient, but it is important to start when they're young and therefore easier to handle. Remember to speak with a soft yet firm voice when training your Newfoundland. They are sensitive animals and do not respond well to harsh tones.

7. Walk your Newfoundland daily, and give him a chance to swim on occasion if you can. Though Newfoundlands can be a lethargic breed, they love the water. They also require plenty of shade and are sensitive to warm weather.

8. Learn the health problems that are associated with Newfoundlands. Newfoundlands are prone to hip dysplasia (a malformed ball and socket in the hip joint), elbow dysplasia, sub-aortic stenosis (a heart condition) and cystinuria (a hereditary defect that forms calculi stones in the bladder).

9. Be prepared to watch your male Newfoundlands grow to between 27 and 29 inches and weigh up to 150 pounds. Females will grow to between 25 and 27 inches and will weigh between 100 and 120 pounds.

10. Expect your Newfoundland to live about 10 years.

Tips & Warnings

• Contact the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals to learn more about hip dysplasia.
• Newfoundlands can adjust to any climate; those who live in warmer climates simply don't grow the undercoat that other Newfoundlands have.
• Newfoundlands can be prone to drooling.
• The most common reason for Newfoundlands to end up in pet rescue organizations is their large size and demanding upkeep. The second most common reason is lack of training - when a dog of this size isn't trained well as a puppy, its boorish manners can be a bit overwhelming.

Who Can Help Sponsored

on 11/22/2005 Our Newfoundland and Bernese Mt.
Dogs have never had fleas. The only reason we have come up with is that they swim very often (at least 3 to 5 times) a week. We have never used any other method and our dogs are 3 and 5 years old.No hot spots either.