Are all newfies fully submersible or is it just mine?

[nostaw]

It started this summer and has slowly gotten worse.  We live by the river Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales and our walks always include the river. This summer when it has been too hot to walk we've gone to our favourite swimming hole and played in the water, both Bell and Hovis enjoy retrieving and swimming. Bell has always seemed upset if she has not found the stick she went to retrieve and, when she has been unable to find the stick, came into the shallows to retrieve a stone off the bottom which she presented to me as an acceptable substitute for the lost stick.

As time has gone by she has slowly gone deeper and deeper to the point where just the top of her back was visible, she would be underwater for 10 to 20 seconds looking for stones or sometimes just looking about, it has got to the point where she does it seemingly for fun and no longer needs to lose a stick but will look about under water as a matter of course.

Last Week Bell finally disappeared from sight much to both Hovis' and my surprise. The river was partially in flood and running quite fast, we were out on our normal morning walk. Both dogs as usual were in and out of the water as we walked along the bank when Bell headed for the centre of the River which is about 3 feet deep and 40 foot wide at this point. One minute she was swimming against the flow, the next, it was head down under water and she completely disappeared from view. Hovis who was nearby went straight across to investigate and was obviously upset that she had lost her best friend. About 5 seconds later Bell surfaced and was immediately jumped on by Hovis as if to say, "where have you been?" It was nothing to the sudden shock I felt when Bell disappeared from sight like that!!

It now seems to be part of Bells routine that every now and again it's "dive, dive, dive" lets see what happening below. The river is full of trout and salmon so I am wondering, is Bell fishing or is her sense of humour such that she enjoys scaring me to death now and again! Anyones thoughts on this behaviour would be appreciated.

Andy, Bell & Hovis

[Scootergirl]

I'm afraid I can't have any input on this story, but I now love saying "river Ribble" over and over in my head! river ribble... river ribble... river Ribble...

Sorry, the stress has finally driven me insane...

river Ribble...

[Senghe]

Hi Andy - a fellow Brit here from the other side of the Pennines! I have a Tibetan Mastiff which is a bit like a drier version of a newfie (he doesn't do puddles, never mind rivers). I think quite a few newfs are fully submersible. I've known a couple like that and it's not exclusive to newfies. I used to have a golden retriever x collie that took great pleasure in 'scuba diving' for stones. She'd be under the water for up to 30 seconds and all you'd see is a line of bubbles!

[Rachel]

LOL  That is so cute! I hope she catches a fish for you!  I probably would have freaked out to see her disappear under the water...   I don't have a newfy but Sophie will stick her whole head under the water but I guess its not really diving.

[jabear]

How cute is she?  Bear has submersed himself to get a stick in the past, but doesn't do it on a regualr basis. Most things that he gets are floating on the water and like your furbaby, he will get frustrated if he can't find it. I think he thinks he is too handsome to get soaking wet though which is why he doesn't really go under. 

[Nicole]

HA! Jeanne! River Ribble...heheh ehe! you're right, it is fun.

Anyway...I had a friend with a Golden Retriever that would do the same thing. And always for rocks. She would always go under for 20 seconds or so and come back with rocks. So, I guess its not just Newfs that are fully submersible.

[Black Newfs]

Very cute! 
Newfs can close off their nose while underwater, much like a Moose does!  It's great that yours will swim like that.....an underwater retrieve is part of one of the Water Dog tests, so you're ahead of the game!

[newflvr]

Cowboy drinks from the bottom of the big dog fountain.  The fountain is deep and puts his entire head in to his eyes.  You can only imagine the water dripping off his face when he comes up!!!  It's a bit like a submarine emerging from beneath the sea!!

[greek4]

Rocco is only a newf mix but he dunks his head every once in while when he drinks.  this is usually followed by him putting his head in my lap.  He doesn't like pools or lakes though.

[Newf Lover]

Drake doesn't like to go underwater.  He barely likes to jump off of a dock into the water, I think he get's scared.  He prefers to swim laps and stay on top.  The funny water thing he does is my wife will go for a 1 mile swim and Drake gets really upset when she gets really far out.  He tries to stay with her, but I have to go out and "save" him or at least distract him with a ball so he will come back in.  I don't think it would be a good idea for a Newf to swim for a 1 mile nonstop, regardless of the fact that they are at home in the water.