Dog Show Saturday, The Newfoundland Dog

I am a person who likes the heat, green grass, warm weather,........summer.  I'm in a countdown until the first day of spring right now and having a hard time getting into this winter stuff, as usual.  

Since I'm trying to find the positive in these cold months, I figured I'd research a dog that enjoys the winter. Today I'm going to explore a breed of dog that is NOT into summer but actually prefers the cold stuff; the Newfoundland. My information and pictures comes from the internet, especially the AKC site and Dogtime.com, as well as the Newfies I've had the opportunity to meet.

The Newfie, as this dog is also known, comes in black, brown, black and white, and grey, according to AKC.  They are very LARGE dogs and shed alot!  Plus, if you have a Newfie, be prepared for drool!  These guys are, however, known to be real sweethearts; so much so that their temperament is considered a key characteristic.

Believe it or not, Newfies as a breed originate in Newfoundland, Canada.  Their development is a pretty unclear; including breeds such as the Great Pyrenees, the Tibetan Mastiff, the Husky, the Black Wolf (extinct), or others.  They did come from Newfoundland but almost died out there due to a situation with taxing working dogs in the 1700s. They were heavily bred in England and many of the dogs currently around trace back to those roots.

These gentle giants were bred to be working dogs.  They have extremely thick, water repellent coats, as well as large webbed feet, to help keep them warm in cold water and excel in their work as fisherman's assistant. Newfies are very strong swimmers and have been known to rescue those who are in danger of drowning. These guys are also used to pull carts, etc., because of their strength and size.

As useful as their other features are, their best feature seems to be their goodness.  Newfies are natural nannies.  One such dog is Nana in the story of Peter Pan.  

Other famous Newfoundland dogs are President Buchanan's Lara and the Newfies of Sir Edwin Landseer.    

Newfies are excellent for families with kids.  They do need daily exercise and want to be a part of the family but they are pretty laid back.  These guys require lots of grooming. And keeping a clean house might be a trick with all the drool and the dirt that tends to stick to their coats.  However, they are very trainable and willing to please.

I don't see many of them for other stuff, but cool coats sure do them wonders.  Heat is not easy on these guys and extra measures are needed to keep them comfortable.