I fell for a dog who happens to be a Newf.

[Gentian]

I manage an animal sanctuary, and we recently took in a pack of wonderful dogs. (We don't normally 'do' dogs, but we make exceptions when circumstances allow.)

I have two dogs of my own, and we've been adamant that since our last fostering experience, two is IT. The third foster dog we added disrupted the whole house, tried to eat our cats once the honeymoon period ended, and generally made us miserable despite the fact that individually, he was great.

Well, one of the new arrivals is a 1.5 year old Landseer. My husband's dream dog is a Newf, but we decided long ago that our house is too small, that we aren't committed enough to grooming, the drool would be too much, and that the short life spans would be too heartbreaking. Of course, all that flew out the window when I spent some time with this dog. Stupidly, I called him to tell him about it. He said,"We don't need another dog," but then drove 30 minutes out of his way to meet him. Normally not one to be comfortable around new dogs, he was hesitant when I told him to just go in the pen and I'd be there in a few minutes. When I found them, he was on the floor with this 140-pound puppy in his lap.

I'm bringing him home this weekend for a trial run with my dogs. I honestly wish he were anything but a Newf. We have a dog I've called my 'mini-Newf' whose grooming is a constant issue for me. Of course, I keep telling myself that since this dog is used to being professionally groomed, it'll be easier. (Mine came to me as a matted-to-the-skin adult who is terrified of clippers and brushes. Grooming takes an hour and is stressful for both of us. I actually removed my name from a Leonberger (MY dream dog) waitlist after a particularly bad grooming session.) But...I'm starting to think I'm losing my mind to throw all the good reasons not to have one out the window just because I fell for this dog.

Yesterday, I went to leash one of the other dogs and he got excited and jumped up on me. I was not prepared for the height and weight and fell backwards like a character in a Marmaduke cartoon, and I started thinking, "OMG, this dog really still is a puppy. What am I thinking?!"

I'm trying to talk myself out of this. He's perfect, though. Funny, calm(ish), thoughtful, clownish...a thinker with a sense of humor. I can deal with the puppy stuff. It's this part of me that keeps thinking "I'll have to deal with hair and drool, and then he'll have ortho issues in five years and be dead in seven." It's heartbreak waiting to happen.

So...Give it to me straight.  The high maintenance coat, the endless supply of hand towels all over house, the inevitable early demise? Is it worth it?

[dog lover]

  Poor you

It's tough when you are thinking about adding another dog.

I can only speak about what i know lol , that being said i have a retriever , a 20 month old Leonberger bitch who believe it or not , does not take much grooming at all apart from a day before a show lol & in 5 weeks i collect my Leonberger boy .............. maybe advice from me is not a good idea.

If it's what you want and you know you & your partner have love to give then give it a go as long as he gets on with your other animals , i would say you will be fine..... you can buy him a bib ( they are so cute with bibs on ) lol and little but regular brushing should do the trick.... oh and a good hoover 

The joy i get from my dogs & the love & laughs i would say is 100% worth every minute 

[Gracie Belle]

YES!!!!  and I don't even have  Newf.  Hi and I'm Misty.  I hope all goes well for your family.  You have definitely come to the right place for support and information.  Good luck and I can't wait to hear the update.

[Ali]

It's kind of like having your first baby. You don't really know what to expect, but what you assume is that you will be up to your elbows in dirty diapers, crying and screaming, spitting up, sleepless nights, etc. You PANIC and try to change your mind, because really, who can handle all that?? Then, the baby (puppy) comes, and you can't imagine your life without him. All your previous concerns are insignificant, because you find out that there's nothing you'd rather do with your time than care for your new little (giant) guy. Love puts it all into perspective. Good luck!

[jesday]

Oh my gosh, it is soooo worth it. We have two Newf 10 month olds. The drooling isn't so much a problem, it's the slobber from drinking and eating. If you're ready with a towel after a good long drink, it's not too bad. Hair, yes places where you never imagined. If you clean your house filters once or twice a year, you may want to bump that up to 4 or 5. I have outfitted our home with vacuums in easy to reach places. Their fur has also provided comfy nests for all kinds of birds and chipmonks. I saw one scurrying out of garage with a mouthfull.

I'll give them a brush every one to three days as time allows. Most of the time it's just a once over to smooth things out, especially the crusty mane and chest from drinking slobber. They still have a good deal of puppy fur on their rear ends that I am working on, but I'm guessing your guy is done with puppy fur. I've never had a breed so patient and trusting while you work on a particularly snarled patch. Then give you kisses to say 'Thanks mom, I needed that.' They've been professionally groomed 4 times and the groomer can't believe how wonderful they are.

I have loved every dog dearly that we have owned, but there is something special about these pups. The joy, antics, and love they give only enriches our lives. 7 to 10 years of happiness for both parties is 7 to 10 years of extra love. As you already know, you fell for your guy instantly. There is just something about the breed.

Okay, the size and weight takes a little getting used to with an exuberant pup. My husband thought it was funny to get me a football helmet for my birthday. Sophie gave me a pretty good black eye jumping up to say hello. They are very smart, and with a little training this can be solved. I only had to use my voice in a stern way, "Sophie off!" right before she had the opportunity to jump and she hasn't done it since.

I'm afraid there is no turning back for you now. The Newfy potion has been sprinkled upon you. Relax and enjoy the ride  

[KiraNGunnersmom]

LOL, at the helmet and El.  Blackeye not so funny!
I dont have a newf, but I do have an akita and a  mastiff pup and at the moment a 2 year old choclate lab(he's our cousin ) running amuck in my house.  It has been non-stop laughs with all 3 here.  My hubby even asked if I would consider another dog.  So, on the issue of owning 3 dogs, I say if your other pups accept him then go for it!! 
The grooming, limits on how long you may have him(as heartbreaking as it may be)....such small things when compared to the love they give us everyday that they are in your life and the feeling of accomplishment when they master a trick and look to you for approval and you knowing how good of a life they because they are with you or when I am having a crappy day, my guys know it and give me  a lick on the hand or sometimes plant a huge rump in my lap and it always brings a smile to my face and I realize, life really is good with my pups!
I know one things about Newfs, they are gorgeous!!!

[GoldenPyrs]

Poor El, owwwww...wince .  Well, dog-induced-injurywise, I've had many more injuries from Daisy, my Golden mix, than I have from my Pyrs.  Daisy is the sweetest, most devoted buddy & I love her dearly, but she's been much more energetic (and a bit spazzy, but I didn't say that  ) and I've gotten hurt a few times in the fallout.  Not to say that giant breeds can't be energetic & all too, but mine have generally been more laid back than a sporting breed.  Just a thought.

Life expectency?  There's no easy way around this, and I'm not good at all with loss.  Still, if you look at my siggy, you'll see that it hasn't stopped us, and Cara our first Pyr lived to be 12.  Each time we've lost one of our girls, I thought that I couldn't go through it again, but here I am with 3 big sweeties.  Ali is right, love really does put it into perspective.  Also, in my case, after losing Halley so young, adopting from rescue was not only a good way to add to our family, but it was a fitting tribute to her.  So since your new boy is coming from a rescue situation, you can feel especially good about giving him a loving home.    

Oh & welcome to BPO!  I'm glad that you found us & I look forward to hearing more about your new pup!  

[lookingfornewf]

As long as you have a good sense of humor and don't mind leaving the house with drool on you I think Newfs are the greatest. Having a small house isn't really an issue. I think my Jack Russel needs more room than my Newf does. Having a bigger bed or couch helps when they want to snuggle or sit on your lap. My Newf is 9 months old and does get into about any mischief you can think of since he can reach everything. Half the time when I yell at him he just rolls over to get his belly rubbed. Not much ever upsets him. He is a wonderfully sweet dog. He does shed, but the brushing isn't really a big deal, he seems to like it.
It kind of sounds like he found you and it was meant to be. That's how I end up with most of my pets. Good luck.

[Gentian]

Thanks, everyone! I appreciate the input. Not only is my house small, but my couch is, too. We're in the market for a new one, so I'll think big. I can't fit any more animals on my bed unless the husband gets his own room, though.

Fur isn't really an issue. We have three cats and two dogs plus parrots, and have had as many as five cats and three dogs, so I vacuum twice a day anyway. It's keeping him from matting that worries me. Our setter/retriever mix (my 'mini-Newf') seems to mat if the wind blows his way. I'm forever clipping mats from behind his ears and his undercarriage, even with weekly brushing. Since he's gotten older, I've started shaving him. It's just easier to fight him once every few weeks than every few days. Our other dog is a Catahoula. I'm not sure I've ever brushed her for more than a minute or so. She just doesn't need it. I remember the sense of relief I had when I realized that. *lol* I may be a tiny bit traumatized by our older dog's grooming phobias.

So right now, the Newf is shaved, and his groomer actually shaved his tail so closely that it started a wound that got infected and his tail had to be amputated. He has 1/2 a tail left, and the sutures come out this week. We're hoping he doesn't open the wound up again. As he grows out, won't he mat more easily than a natural coat would? Is it common to shave them for the summer? I guess we have to decide if that's something we would risk again after this tail amputation.

I found out today that he's humper.  He jumped on one of our volunteers and I had to pull him off. It may have been one of the most amusing things I've ever seen, but now I'm imagining him doing that to guests in my home. It brought back memories of our family Rottweiler meeting my first boyfriend when I was sixteen. 

I also found out that he won't fit in my car unless I put the top down. I'll either have to shop for XL Doggles, or steal my husband's car for the day on Friday to bring him home.  I have a picture (the one I sent to my husband the day I met the dog) ...I'll figure out how to post it. It's from my phone and I just got done herding some cows around..and it appears that my face is falling off or something...so it's not one of my better pics, but he's pretty cute in it.

[Gentian]

Yes, he's neutered, but I'm not sure how recently that happened. I assume at six months, but I know sometimes large breeds are left intact a little longer. It seems more like a puppy dominance thing to me, and I hope that doesn't mean he's going to run all over my older dog, but right now, he's led around by four little terriers. 

[lins_saving_grace]

I don't have room for a big guy like a newf...but i would love to get one.  I think most dogs can be high maintenance in their own ways.  Grace...she likes her tum tum rubbed at 2am and her ears scratched and her butt patted at the same time.  she prefers to be held like a baby and not a lap dog. she needs a splash of milk and something nummie on her kibble at 6 am and 5:15 pm.  her walks must include at least 2 poopies and a romp through the school playground.  she likes to pick up and take home miscellaneous garbage from the street and to tear it open on the bed.  she prefers eating kleenex over TP. talk about high maintenance.

[Gentian]

I feel the cold feet coming on. 

I was in bed yesterday (home sick from work) with Junie and Henry (2 yo Catahoula girl and 12ish yr furry mix), and everything was so peaceful. I started to tell Junie about her potential little brother, and suddenly I started remembering what it's like to live with a large breed older male puppy. My peaceful nap times might be over for awhile.

I'm worried about the introductions, too. The easiest place is in our back yard, but Junie's become a bit territorial about her yard. I could do it across the street at my parents', but any rough housing could be dangerous there. If I bring my two to the sanctuary, the other dogs barking might have everyone on edge. I can pretty much predict my dogs' reactions, but this guy is an unknown. He's lived with terriers his whole life and they rule over him, but who knows how he'll be with an older male dog. Junie will have him under her paw in no time. She's the princess, and she won't give up her spot. What if this 140-pound monster puppy goes after Henry, though? Henry won't start a fight, but he's too stuborn to back down from one. Ugh, I hate this part of new dogs. How likely is it that a 1.5 old Newf will come in ready to rumble?

[Gentian]

Oh, one more question...

Puppy food still? I know they grow slowly. My dogs eat Canidae, the all stages one. Is this okay for such a big boy? And how much is average? He doesn't seem to eat much at the sanctuary. I  put down 8 cups for him and his terrier friends, and at the end of the day, there's still some left.

[marypyrs]

You might want to do one thing. I know it might sound strange, but give it some thought. Take your Newfie in for a good bath before bringing him home. (And I do agree with the first introduction being done away from your house.) It neutralizes the scent and makes introductions easier. I've been doing this for quite some time when bringing fosters into my home.

Introduce the new food to him slowly. Mix small amounts with what he's been eating and gradually increase it over a few weeks to avoid tummy upsets. You'll want to feed him away from your guys in the beginning anyway.

Are you excited? I sure would be. He's beautiful! No more "cold feet" for you. He'll take care of that. 

[Newly Newfed]

Hi and welcome to BPO!  What a beautiful Newf your boy is!  I'm Stephanie, mom to Sierra the Newf.  They do have an knack for just stealing your heart before you even know what happened...

My girl is 15 months old (already?!!) and I have been feeding her Canidae All Life Stages for about a year now.  it seems to be working great for her nutritionally.