The origin of the Newfoundland breed, the standard of the exterior, character, description of health, advice on the care and training of the dog, interesting facts. Price when buying a puppy. Newfoundland (Newfoundland) - this is the name of this huge dog with a massive strong figure of a medium-sized bear. But strange to say, this huge dog, when met, does not cause any feeling of fear or apprehension in a person, he looks so friendly and peaceful. From him literally emanates an aura of benevolent strength and serene calmness. And this is not surprising, because in front of you is not a dangerous monster dog at all, but a swimmer-rescuer, a workaholic of the seas, completely devoid of aggression towards people, adored by adults and children.
The history of the origin of the Newfoundland breed
The history of the origin of the Newfoundlands has not yet been thoroughly studied. There are a number of hypotheses, each of which has strengths and weaknesses, and some of them seem too fantastic at all, bordering on legends.
So, according to one version, it is believed that the direct ancestors of the mysterious Newfoundlands are the huge bear-like dogs of the famous Viking Leif Erikson, whom fans of Scandinavian culture consider the discoverer of North America. But Erickson's dogs had white hair, while the Newfoundlands had it classically black. And this is the weakest point of the version.
Other variants of origin, proposed by researchers, are simply replete with variations of all kinds of crosses. So the Canadian guide to dog breeds offers the following options: wild black wolf (now extinct) and Asian mastiff; a large Viking dog and a wild northern wolf; a complete mixture of dogs of all breeds, introduced by Europeans in the XV-XVII centuries, from mastiffs to Portuguese water dogs.
The Americans, on the other hand, put forward their version and trace the Newfoundland pedigree from large mountain Pyrenean dogs, allegedly brought to the island of Newfoundland ("Newfoundland" - "newly found land") by Spanish or French sailors.
Soviet researcher, biologist and naturalist Igor Ivanovich Akimushkin proposed other options, removing the Newfoundlands from a variety of local "Viking dogs" and allowing their further interbreeding with Molossian dogs and black Scottish shepherds, which arrived on the island with the British in the 17th century.
So, as we can see, there are a great many options. And the point in the origin of the big black dogs of the island of Newfoundland will probably only be put by DNA research.
Be that as it may, and massive strong and courageous dogs, on the exterior very close to today's Newfoundlands, at the time of official recognition, have been used by local residents for several centuries, becoming the main aboriginal breed of this province. The main function of the aboriginal breed was to help local fishermen in their difficult job of catching cod that spawns in these waters. The dog swam and dived perfectly, was not afraid of storms or cold, was strong and enduring, helped to pull out lost nets and get objects dropped into the water, often rescued the fishermen themselves from the water.
The first Europeans to appreciate the working qualities of these large dogs were the British. It was they who began the already thoughtful selection of the future breed. Initially, aboriginal dogs of various colors took part in these works, but in the end the breeders relied on the uniformity of the color, choosing black and brown (more rare) coat colors.
In 1886, the first standard for a new breed was developed, and the first English Newfoundland Dog Breed Club was established in London. The breed inherited its name from its historical homeland - the Newfoundland Islands.
Gradually, the breed gained recognition in other European countries. And above all in Switzerland. The founder of the first European club was the Swiss cynologist professor Albert Harm. It is to him that the breed owes the appearance of brown purebred Newfoundland dogs.
At the beginning of the 20th century, black giant dogs, already in the status of a new species, returned to the North American continent, instantly winning the hearts of Canadians and Americans.
Nowadays, Newfoundlands are regular dogs of all championships; no serious exhibition on any continent of the world can do without them.
Purpose of the Newfoundland dog
Sometimes Newfoundland dogs are called divers (although a diver is a completely different breed, called a "Moscow diver"). And this is more than true, both in relation to their past and present. For centuries, these superb swimming and diving dogs have been used by fishermen for their hard work at sea. The hounds had to dive to the depths to save lost nets (and sometimes sailors who fell overboard), to get a variety of items from the cold northern sea. They helped to pull boats ashore, guarded the catch and tackle. These friends of man worked with might and main on land - dragging logs, beams, boards and other building materials.
Of course, these days, many of these skills are no longer needed. But Newfoundland dogs are still called divers and are often used in this capacity as rescue dogs on the waters. Moreover, pulling a person out of the water, the representatives of the breed have their own rescue technique, and towing a drowning person to the shore. The dog uses its fangs very carefully, and the drowning man is towed mainly on its back, carefully making sure that the person's head does not go under the water. There are cases when these big dogs swam up to 20 km, saving people.
In addition, diving dogs are now actively used as search and rescue dogs to search for lost tourists and climbers in the snowy mountains, as well as in programs for the rehabilitation of mentally ill, disabled and elderly people.
External standard and description of the Newfoundland breed
The Newfoundland is a large dog with a large head, massive muscular body and fine thick black or brown coat. Such a dog is distinguished by its unhurried majesty and calm, balanced behavior, sometimes in appearance it resembles a well-fed bear, and not a dog. Perhaps, he also causes such a bearish association because of the peculiarity of his slightly bearish look, curious, but "lazy."
The Newfoundland breed is a large breed, reaching a withers height of up to 71 centimeters, and a body weight of almost 70 kg. Females are somewhat smaller, height - up to 66 centimeters and weight - up to 55 kg.
- Head massive, with a wide, convex skull and a well-developed occipital protuberance. The muzzle is square, pronounced, wide and somewhat short. The stop is pronounced, but not abrupt. The bridge of the nose is straight and wide. The nose is large, well-defined, with large nostrils. The color of the nose depends on the color. In black dogs it is black, and in brown dogs it is brown. Lips, adjacent to the jaws, have flews. The color of the lips corresponds to the color. The jaws are strong, the number of teeth is standard. The teeth are large, white, with pronounced canines. Straight or scissor bite.
- Eyes rather small, wide and deep set, with close fitting eyelids. Eye color is brown or dark brown (in dogs with black fur).
- Ears small in size, triangular in shape, with rounded tips. The length of the ear reaches the inner edge of the eye of the same name.
- Neck very strong, muscular, medium to long in length. The neck provides a special "noble" posture to the animal. The nape is noticeably developed.
- Torso square type, massive, somewhat bearish, with a wide voluminous chest. The back of the Newfoundland is very strong and wide. The back line is straight. The croup is powerful, sloping.
- Tail strong and wide at the base (in the water the dog uses it as a rudder), medium set, well furred. The tail is never slung over the back or tucked between the hind legs.
- Limbs straight, parallel, well-developed bone and musculature. The toes are closed. There are interdigital membranes. The paw pads are dense. The nails are very strong, black in black dogs and slate gray in dogs of a different color.
- Wool has water-repellent properties, consists of straight (sometimes slightly wavy) and long guard hair and dense dense undercoat. In winter, the undercoat is much thicker. On the head, the cover is soft and relatively short, on the paws there are rich feathers, the tail is covered with long hair.
- Color Newfoundland. The most traditional coat color is deep black. There are dogs with brown and white and black colors. In a solid shade, white spots are allowed on the chest, toes and on the tip of the dog's tail. With the white and black version, the distribution of the spots must meet certain conditions. The brown color scheme allows variations in shades from deep bronze to dark chocolate.
The American breed standard also allows for a gray color of the dog, which is not yet recognized by the international standard.
Newfoundland character
Starting a conversation about the character of Newfoundland dogs, one can cite an excerpt from an old description of the breed: “How noble is his appearance and at the same time his temper is calm! Probably no other animal is capable of showing more real courage than this dog … Many people were saved by it from death in the abyss; she threw herself into the sea from the side of a sinking ship and carried the rope ashore, saving the whole crew with her actions."
Indeed, the nobility and calm-peaceful nature of this dog, combined with its strength, endurance and courage, make it just a wonderful companion for humans.
These large dogs are very intelligent, inquisitive and very quick thinking. And yet - they have their own opinion, which inevitably has to be reckoned with, given the rather large size of the "dog". By nature, these animals value the expediency and functionality of any action, without wasting them for trifles. Therefore, the commands given to them should be very specific and practically justified. Otherwise, a smart dog is able to simply ignore them and act in its own way.
The Newf dog is absolutely devoid of aggression. Therefore, furry giants are especially adored by children who are ready to endlessly play with these cute, balanced giants, calmly taking any childish pranks. The Newf dogs behave especially curiously when playing with children near water bodies. The smartest dog not only constantly monitors what is happening and is always ready to rush to help, but also blocks the passage to the depth of small children with his body, allowing them to enter the water only in shallow water.
One of the innate qualities of Newfoundlands is that they rush to the aid of a drowning person even without the command of the owner. This is their natural heroism. There are cases when Newfes saved people, swimming for many kilometers to the coast.
Courage, courage and nobility of dogs of this breed, combined with their stately exterior, their good breeding, dignity and devotion have won many hearts of animal lovers around the world.
Dog lovers only once, having connected their lives with the upbringing of such a large pet as Newf, become his loyal fans for life, not thinking about a dog of any other breed. They adore him for the nobility of a true gentleman, able to be unobtrusive, but loyal and truly loving and caring dog.
Newfoundland dogs health
The health of dogs is distinguished by its special strength and hardening. One of the main problems that exists in this breed is dysplasia of the elbow and hip joints, which annoys almost all dogs of large species. Knee dislocation is also a common problem, especially in older dogs. The average life span of Newf dogs reaches 8-10 years.
Newfoundland care tips
These large dogs need a spacious enclosure for keeping, sufficient physical activity and good walking. They should also be able (at least occasionally) to swim and frolic in the water. Water is a native element for them.
When it comes to grooming Newfoundland fur, there is nothing new here - standard brushing once or twice a week and bathing as needed or on the eve of an exhibition. Moreover, there are no problems with bathing at all.
The diet of the Newf should be plentiful and sufficiently high in calories (in accordance with the considerable weight of their body), fully meeting the animal's needs for minerals and vitamins. The calculation of the diet must be calculated depending on the sex, age, individual characteristics and physical condition of the dog.
Nuances of training Newfoundland dogs
Newfoundlands are highly trainable and easy to train. Due to their innate non-aggressiveness and mental development, the Newf are easily trained even by non-specialists.
Like all large dog breeds, training requires regular repetitions to consolidate the skills. They are especially fond of training associated with being in the water.
Interesting facts about Newfoundlands
The most common aboriginal Newfoundlands were black and white dogs. It was their English animal painter and sculptor Edwin Henry Landseer, popular in the Victorian era, who depicted on his famous canvases, calling one as: "Distinguished Member of the Humane Society (Newfoundland)." English means - "Outstanding member of the humane society (Newfoundland)". Thanks to the work of this artist, highly regarded by Queen Victoria, Newfoundland dogs have gained worldwide fame. Well, the dogs themselves, white and black, began to be called by the name of the artist - landseers. Since 1960, white and black dogs have been separated into a separate breed, still called Landseer.
The wonderful character, charm, self-esteem, kindness and loyalty of the giant dogs made the Newfoundlands the favorite dogs of many world famous personalities - Robert Burns, George Byron, Charles Dickens, Richard Wagner, Fenimore Cooper, Charles Darwin and many others. And Byron even dedicated a whole cycle of poetry to his beloved Newfoundland named Botswain.
Price when buying a Newfoundland puppy
The first Newfoundland dogs appeared in the Russian Empire at the beginning of the 20th century, but did not receive much popularity and mass distribution. Perhaps it was the world war that began soon after, and perhaps some other reasons.
With the passage of time, already during the Soviet Union in the 50s, an attempt was made not only to revive the Newfoundland breed, but also to withdraw from it our own - "Moscow diver", a breed more versatile and with improved working qualities. For a long time, the Krasnaya Zvezda army nursery was engaged in the selection of the "diver". As a result, the idea of creating a "diver" was abandoned, and with the collapse of the USSR, the breeders completely switched to breeding Newfoundlands. Nowadays it is a well-spread breed in Russia with an extensive network of kennels. It is not difficult to get a thoroughbred puppy of any gender and exterior. The average price is in the range of 35,000-50,000 rubles.
For more informative information about Newfoundlands, see this video:
