Breed comparison
Newfoundland vs Saint Bernard
The sweet-natured water rescuer versus the stubborn alpine legend — both drool-soaked gentle giants, split by biddability and swimming.
These two giant rescue breeds get compared because they occupy the same niche: enormous, furry, drooly family dogs with storied working pasts. The choice usually comes down to two things — the Newfoundland's softer, more eager-to-please temperament versus the Saint Bernard's more independent streak, and whether your life includes water, which the Newf considers its birthright.
Side-by-Side
| Newfoundland | Saint Bernard | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Working | Working |
| Size | Giant | Giant |
| Height | 26-28 in | 26-30 in |
| Weight | 100-150 lbs | 120-180 lbs |
| Lifespan | 9-10 years | 8-10 years |
| Coat | Heavy water-resistant double coat | Dense double coat, short or long-haired varieties |
| Exercise | 60+ min/day | 60+ min/day |
| Puppy price | $1,500-$3,000 | $1,500-$3,000 |
| AKC popularity | #46 | #63 |
| Energy level | ||
| Trainability | ||
| Shedding | ||
| Grooming needs | ||
| Barking | ||
| Good with kids | ||
| Good with other dogs | ||
| Good with cats | ||
| Apartment friendly | ||
| First-time owners |
The Differences That Matter
Temperament & biddability
Newfoundlands are famously sweet and soft-tempered — the 'nanny dog' reputation is real, and they wilt under harsh words while working happily for gentle praise. Saint Bernards share the gentleness but carry a thicker stubborn streak; a Saint that has decided not to move is an engineering problem, and training requires more patience and better treats. Novice giant-breed owners generally find the Newf easier to shape.
Water drive
This is the Newfoundland's defining trait: webbed feet, a water-resistant coat, and an instinctive urge to swim and even 'rescue' swimming family members by dragging them shoreward. Lake and coastal households get a built-in activity partner. Saint Bernards can enjoy water but have no special drive for it — they were bred for snow, and many are indifferent swimmers. If your weekends involve water, the Newf isn't just better, it's purpose-built.
Grooming workload
Both are heavy-coated, heavy-shedding giants, but the Newfoundland's dense, oily double coat is the bigger commitment — thorough brushing several times weekly to prevent matting, plus a coat that holds water, mud, and odor. Saint Bernards come in rough and smooth coats; the smooth variety is meaningfully less work than any Newf. Budget for professional grooming with either, and accept that hair is now a condiment.
Drool & mess
It's a tie at the top of the drool league — both breeds sling slobber on walls, clothes, and ceilings, and both shake their heads at exactly the wrong moments. The Newfoundland adds a signature move: dunking its entire face in the water bowl and redistributing the contents across the kitchen. Neither breed belongs with a fastidious housekeeper; drool towels by every door are standard equipment.
Heat tolerance
Both overheat easily, but the Newfoundland's black, dense coat makes it especially vulnerable — summer exercise moves to dawn and dusk, and air conditioning is a welfare requirement in hot climates, not a luxury. Saints are similarly built for cold and suffer in heat. Households in the southern US should think hard before choosing either, and never shave the coat, which destroys its insulation both ways.
Health & lifespan
Both are 8-10 year breeds with giant-dog problems: hips, elbows, and bloat for each. The Newfoundland's signature added risk is subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS), a serious heart defect the breed community screens for — insist on cardiac clearances from any Newf breeder. Saints add entropion/ectropion eyelid issues and bone cancer risk. Either way, buy from parents with hip, elbow, and cardiac testing and keep an emergency vet fund.
Get the Newfoundland if...
Choose the Newfoundland if you want the gentlest, most biddable giant available — especially with kids or water in your life — and you can commit to serious multi-hour-per-week grooming and strict summer heat management. Skip it if you live somewhere hot without reliable AC or if coat maintenance will realistically slide; a matted, overheated Newf is a suffering animal.
Get the Saint Bernard if...
Choose the Saint Bernard if you love the same gentle-giant package but want a slightly less grooming-intensive dog (especially the smooth coat) and can live with more stubbornness in training. Skip it if you need reliable off-leash obedience or quick compliance — a Saint moves at Saint speed, and no amount of training fully changes that.
The bottom line
For most families this comes down to small differences between two very similar, very good dogs: the Newfoundland is softer-tempered, more trainable, and the obvious pick for water-loving households, while the Saint Bernard offers the same devoted calm with a bit less coat work and a bit more mule. Neither fits hot climates, tidy houses, or small budgets — but for a family with space, moderate weather, and tolerance for slobber, either is one of the best child-companion giants in dogdom.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these breeds really as good with kids as their reputation says?+
Largely yes — both breeds are renowned for patience and gentleness with children, and the Newfoundland's 'nanny dog' lore is grounded in genuinely watchful, tolerant temperament. The caveats are physical: both can knock small kids down by accident, and both need supervision like any giant dog. Well-bred examples of either are among the safest large family dogs you can choose.
How much grooming do they actually need?+
More than almost any other giant breed. Plan on thorough brushing 2-4 times a week (daily during seasonal coat blows), regular ear cleaning, and professional grooming every couple of months. The Newfoundland is the heavier commitment; a smooth-coated Saint Bernard is the lightest option in this matchup. Skipping grooming isn't cosmetic neglect with these coats — mats cause skin infections and trap heat.
Can they live in warm climates?+
It's possible but genuinely hard on the dog. Both breeds are cold-weather designs that overheat quickly; warm-climate ownership means air conditioning, early-morning exercise, shade, and real vigilance about heatstroke, whose signs every owner should memorize. If your summers regularly hit the 90s and the dog would spend time outdoors, choose a different breed — heat is the number-one environmental welfare issue for both.