Working group · Giant · from Canada
Newfoundland
Also called: Newfie, Newf
The Newfoundland is the original nanny dog — Nana from Peter Pan was a Newfie — a sweet-tempered, 130 lb lifeguard bred to haul fishing nets and pull drowning sailors from the North Atlantic. Their patience with children is the stuff of legend, and their default setting is a calm, watchful benevolence. In exchange you accept heroic amounts of fur, drool, and mud tracked by webbed feet.
Height
26-28 in
Weight
100-150 lbs
Lifespan
9-10 years
Coat
Heavy water-resistant double coat
Exercise
60+ min/day
Puppy price
$1,500-$3,000
AKC popularity
#46
Best for
Families — ideally near water — who want the archetypal gentle giant nanny dog and can commit to serious grooming, drool, and giant-breed vet bills.
Trait scores
Scored 1–5 from breed-club and kennel-club standards. Individual dogs vary; a lazy Malinois exists somewhere.
Living with a Newfoundland
Summarized from public owner discussions — breed subreddits, owner forums, and long-term owner write-ups.
What owners like
- +The gold standard for gentleness with kids — Newfies are famously patient, careful, and instinctively protective of small children
- +Natural water-rescue instincts: webbed feet, a swimmer's build, and many will genuinely 'rescue' swimming family members whether asked or not
- +Excellent with other dogs and usually fine with cats; low prey drive and high tolerance across the board
- +Calm, quiet house presence — they rarely bark and mostly want to lie somewhere central and supervise
Common complaints
- −The coat is a part-time job: thick double coat that mats behind ears and legs, blows out seasonally, and traps mud, water, and debris
- −Drool is constant and airborne — Newfie owners talk about 'slingers' on the ceiling the way Mastiff owners do
- −Heart disease (SAS) is a serious breed problem — only buy from breeders who do cardiac clearances by a cardiologist
- −Heat is their enemy; that arctic-water coat makes summer walks short and air conditioning mandatory in warm climates
- −Everything giant-breed applies: 9-10 year lifespans, big food bills, and orthopedic issues if bred or raised carelessly
Conditions the breed is prone to
Not a diagnosis list — these are the problems that show up often enough that responsible breeders screen for them. Ask to see the test results.
The Newfoundland against its usual rivals
What people ask about the Newfoundland
Are Newfoundlands really 'nanny dogs'?+
As much as any breed has ever earned the title. Newfies are extraordinarily patient with children, tolerating grabbed fur and toddler chaos with saintly calm, and many position themselves between kids and perceived danger — including 'rescuing' swimming children who didn't want rescuing. Standard caveats apply: they're huge, so accidental knock-downs happen, and no dog replaces supervision.
How much grooming does a Newfoundland need?+
Plan on thorough brushing 2-3 times a week minimum, more during seasonal coat blows, plus regular attention to mats behind the ears and in the pants. Many owners use a professional groomer every 6-8 weeks, which at this size costs $100+ per visit. Never shave them — the double coat insulates against heat as well as cold.
Do Newfoundlands need to swim?+
They don't need water, but denying a Newfie swimming is like denying a Border Collie a ball — most are magnetically drawn to it, and it's the perfect low-impact exercise for their joints. Lakes, safe rivers, or even a stock tank in the yard make them profoundly happy. Fair warning: many will also 'swim' in their water bowl and any mud available.
What health problems should I watch for in Newfoundlands?+
The big one is subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS), a heart defect the breed is predisposed to — insist on cardiac clearances from a veterinary cardiologist on both parents. Hips, elbows, and cystinuria (a urinary stone condition with a DNA test) round out the standard screening list. Well-bred Newfies live 9-10 good years; poorly bred ones often don't.