Newfoundland · Working
A Newfoundland is a giant, gentle water dog from the island of Newfoundland. Most are sweet-natured, patient, devoted to water, and strong enough to pull an adult off balance. City life works when you train lead manners early, plan for drool and hair, and keep the dog cool and lean.
First, the point
Public breed histories describe a working dog that helped fishermen with nets, carts, and water work. The modern pet kept the strength, the swimming ability, and the gentle temperament that kennel clubs list as a breed hallmark.
Training usually goes well; Newfies are cooperative and food-motivated. The common problems are pulling, leaning, counter raids, and greeting people with enthusiasm at a giant size.
From the first month, build two habits. First: lead stays loose, the walk continues. Second: guests arrive, the dog sits or goes to its place and gets the attention there.
Breed history
Where a breed comes from does not fix one puppy, but it explains the Newfie: huge, strong, devoted to water, famously sweet-natured — and heavy, hairy, and drooly in a small flat.
Newfoundland island → fishermen’s dog
Public breed histories link the breed to the island of Newfoundland, where large dogs worked alongside fishermen: hauling nets and carts, carrying loads, and helping in the water. Webbed feet and a water-resistant coat suit that work.
That history explains the modern dog’s love of water and its strength. It also explains why a Newfoundland that has never learned loose-lead walking can drag a person toward the nearest pond.
Water rescue lore → kennel clubs → family giant
Public breed lore is full of water rescues, and the breed is still used in water-rescue training in several countries. Kennel-club standards emphasise a gentle, sweet temperament as a defining feature.
Gentle is not the same as easy. A Newfoundland is a giant breed with a giant appetite, a heavy coat, and a lot of drool. The temperament is the reward for managing all of that.
What the breed was bred for
In plain trainer language: the type was selected for strength, swimming ability, and a calm, cooperative nature. That is why a Newfoundland with training and a swimming outlet is a gentle companion — and why an untrained adolescent is a very large problem on a lead.
Train early, while the puppy is small. Loose-lead walking, a polite greeting, and a solid place cue are much easier to teach at ten kilos than at sixty.
Public references: FCI 50, AKC Newfoundland, RKC.
Life together
In a city the Newfoundland’s working past shows up as pulling toward water, leaning on people, and a lot of hair and drool. Most adults are calm and friendly. The work is manners at size and keeping the dog cool and comfortable.
Most adult Newfoundlands prefer a steady walk to running. In warm weather, go early and keep it short; heavy dogs overheat faster than owners expect.
See loose leash walking and water after exercise.
Many Newfies love water. Choose safe places with an easy way out, keep young dogs’ sessions short, and dry the coat well afterwards.
See long-line recall so the dog comes out when asked.
A friendly giant can knock over a child or an older adult by accident. Teach a sit for greetings and supervise play with children.
An adult Newfoundland can reach most kitchen counters. Keep food out of reach, teach a place during cooking, and keep a towel handy for the drool.
Many Newfoundlands look for the coolest floor in the house. Give a large bed in a quiet place and let the dog rest after activity.
See place and enforced naps for growing puppies.
Care and health themes
General awareness only. I am not a veterinarian. Early signals are changes in appetite, breathing, coat, movement, or energy. For red flags, leave this page and open when to call the vet.
The coat is oily, dense, and sheds heavily, especially seasonally. Brush to the skin several times a week and dry the dog thoroughly after swimming so the undercoat does not stay damp.
Keep summer exercise short and in cool hours, with shade and water. Heavy panting that will not settle, weakness, or collapse is an emergency.
Giant puppies grow for a long time. Keep them lean and avoid forced long walks, stairs drills, or jumping while growing. Ask your vet about feeding a giant-breed puppy.
Ask the breeder which health screenings the national breed club recommends and see both parents’ results. A breed page cannot diagnose your dog; your veterinarian can.
Wipe the mouth area and check ears after swimming. Persistent smell, redness, or head shaking is a vet visit.
I do not publish toxin amounts. If the dog ate something dangerous from a counter or bin, call a veterinarian or a poison-control line; the footer lists public numbers.
Lines and types
Some breeders take part in water-rescue and draft tests, others focus on show and family homes. Colours include black, brown, grey, and the black-and-white Landseer. Size, coat care, and gentleness are shared.
Fits an owner who enjoys water activities and has space for a giant dog.
Fits a family ready for a large, gentle dog and the daily cleaning that comes with it.
Socialization windows
AVSAB-aligned in spirit: short, clean exposures at a distance the puppy can still eat, with hygiene while vaccines finish. See the puppy socialization schedule.
Introduce: loose-lead basics, a sit for greetings, gentle handling, short car trips, a towel routine.
Do not overload: jumping up rewarded, stairs and jumping drills, long walks.
Introduce: shallow, safe water introductions, calm dog meetings, a place cue during meals.
Do not overload: deep or fast water, forced swimming, letting the puppy pull to every person.
Introduce: continued lead practice, counter rules, moderate exercise in cool weather.
Do not overload: heavy draft work before maturity, summer exercise in heat, free access to the kitchen.
Introduce: swimming, draft or water work with your vet’s approval, longer settles indoors.
Do not overload: skipping coat care after swims, letting greeting manners slip.
Introduce: refreshed greeting, lead, and recall routines.
Do not overload: assuming size alone will keep the dog calm, extra weight from treats.
Before you buy
A Newfoundland fits families who want a sweet, gentle giant and can handle drool, hair, a large food bill and a dog that loves water.
Good match
Mismatch risk
If you are torn between breeds
Newfoundlands are often compared with Saint Bernards for size and with Labradors for their love of water and friendly nature.
Newfoundland Working dog of Newfoundland fishermen: hauling nets and carts and water rescue.
Saint Bernard Alpine rescue dog from the Great St Bernard Pass hospice.
Newfoundland Strong swimmer with webbed feet and a water-resistant coat.
Labrador Retriever Also loves water; lighter and more athletic.
Newfoundland Giant; adults are heavy and need space.
Labrador Retriever Medium-large and much easier to manage.
Newfoundland Drools a lot, especially after drinking or eating.
Saint Bernard Also drools heavily.
Newfoundland Calm and steady; enjoys swimming and walks rather than running.
Both compares Saints are similarly calm; Labs need much more exercise.
Ownership without surprises
Exact costs depend on your area and choices. These are the main costs to plan for with a giant breed — not quotes.
Giant dogs eat a lot. Feed a large-breed puppy diet during growth and keep the adult lean.
Giant-breed medication doses and procedures cost more. Ask the breeder which screenings the national breed club recommends.
Brushes, a high-velocity dryer and regular professional grooming for most owners.
A large car and a strong crate or ramp.
Non-slip floors, a large bed, drool towels and easy-clean surfaces.
Early classes to teach manners before the dog is too big to steer.
With a Newfoundland, food, vet care and grooming add up faster than with smaller breeds.
Before day one at home
A Newfoundland puppy grows very fast. Teach manners while you can still lift it — jumping, pulling and leaning are hard to fix in a giant adult.
Reward a slack lead from day one. Follow puppy leash training.
Reward four paws on the floor during greetings. See jumping up.
Go out after sleep, food and play. Follow potty training.
Avoid stairs, jumping and long walks. Follow walk length by age.
Brush, check ears and touch paws with rewards. See puppy handling.
A large crate or pen and gradual alone time. See first absences.
If the dog is already yours
Newfoundlands are gentle, sensitive and eager to please. Soft voices, food rewards and short sessions work best; harsh corrections make them shut down.
The priorities are loose-lead walking, polite greetings, calm handling and a solid settle. A giant dog without manners can knock people over without meaning to.
Water work, carting and calm tracking games are great outlets for this working breed when the dog is mature.
Load balance
Newfoundlands enjoy swimming and walks but overheat easily. Exercise in the cool parts of the day and keep puppies away from hard, repetitive exercise.
Walks, swimming, carting and calm training games are good choices. Long runs and rough play with unknown dogs are not needed.
A Newfoundland that gets steady exercise and good manners is a calm, happy family dog.
Greetings with a gentle giant
Start with family members, then calm visitors, before trying it out in public.
Practise greetings on lead so you can guide the dog gently.
Mark and reward the dog for standing or sitting with all paws on the floor.
Ask visitors to pet only when the dog is calm and step back if it leans or jumps.
A few seconds of petting, then call the dog back to you for a reward.
Repeat with different people in different places until it becomes a habit.
One scene close-up
Leaning is usually friendly — the dog wants contact. But a heavy dog leaning on a child or an older person can knock them over.
Ask visitors to stand still and only pet the dog when all four paws are on the floor and it is standing or sitting on its own. Reward the dog for staying beside you.
If greetings become very excited or the dog is hard to control, keep it on lead and ask a trainer for help early.
Typical household scenes
A breed page is only a starting point; the fix depends on health, environment, and the dog in front of you. Each row opens a step-by-step guide.
A very strong dog that drags its owner.
Friendly greetings at a giant size.
Easily reaches food on worktops and tables.
Recall loses to swimming.
Gentle, but heavy and clumsy when excited.
Wriggles during brushing and drying.
Struggles on warm days or after effort.
Lameness, coughing, or lethargy — a vet question first.
Practical view
“With a Newfoundland, I work with a gentle giant before the size arrives. We teach loose leash, no-jump greetings and calm handling early, give water work a safe place and keep exercise sensible — because a soft, strong dog needs manners while it can still be steered.”
Sessions cover real scenes: leash manners at full size, greeting kids and guests, drool and coat care, water entry rules, and rest in warm weather. I am a trainer, not a veterinarian. No invented reviews.
Describe age, living setup, and where the dog breaks first — leaning and jumping, pulling, drooling at the table, or settling after swimming. Opens WhatsApp to Andrew.
Short answers
If you love friendly water dogs but need a smaller or tidier breed, consider these options.
A friendly, food-loving retriever that needs daily exercise, training and a job for its nose and mouth.
A gentle, tri-coloured Swiss farm dog that is usually great with families and needs leash manners, coat care and moderate exercise.
A gentle Alpine giant famous for hospice rescue work that needs leash manners taught early, heat care and room for a big dog.
Medium-sized water dog with a low-shedding coat, more energetic and less drool.
Other guides from the same group in the breed library. Same group does not mean same dog: read the fit and the failure modes, not only the outline.
An athletic, curly-coated fisherman’s dog from Portugal that needs daily exercise, training and regular grooming.
A confident, powerful German guardian that needs early socialization, visitor routines and consistent training.
A friendly, white Siberian herding and sled dog that needs daily exercise, regular grooming and help with barking.
A fast, friendly Siberian sled dog that needs lots of daily exercise, secure fencing and help with pulling and howling.
The original German schnauzer — alert, clever and medium-sized — that needs training, exercise and regular grooming.
A large, dignified Japanese breed that needs calm visitor routines, careful introductions to other dogs and an experienced owner.
Describe your Newfoundland’s age and the scene that repeats most: leaning and jumping, pulling, drooling at the table, or settling after swimming. We check safety first, then pick the first skill.
Written by Andrew Darov, professional dog trainer. Not veterinary advice and not a diagnosis.
Not a kennel club. No invented reviews. No vaccine schedules or toxin doses. Photo credits in
/images/breeds/newfoundland-guide/credits.md.
