Newfoundland (dog)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Photo] Newfoundland dog (smaller version). Copyright ??2003 by Daniel P. B. Smith.

The Newfoundland is a large, usually black, breed of dog originally used as a working dog in Newfoundland. They are known for their sweet dispositions. They are very loyal to their families and possess natural water rescue tendencies.

Appearance
Newfoundlands ("Newfies" or "Newfs") have webbed feet and a water-resistant coat. Males weigh 60???70 kg (130???150 lb), and females 45???55 kg (100???120 lb), placing them in the "giant" weight range.

Most Newfies are black. AKC standard colors of the Newfoundland are black, brown, and landseer (black head and white and black body). Brown, white and Grey newfoundlands are not recognized as a breed color, and are rare, but do exist. The Landseer is named after the artist Sir Edwin Landseer, who featured them in many of his paintings. Some kennel clubs consider the Landseer to be a separate breed; others consider it simply a Newfoundland color variation.

History
The origin of the breed is in Newfoundland on the East coast of Canada. In the early 1880s fishermen from many parts of Europe traveled to the cod banks of Newfoundland where there were two types of working dog: one more heavily built, large with a longish coat, whereas the other was lighter in build, an active, smooth-coated water dog. The heavier one was the Newfoundland and the other was the Labrador Retriever or the St. Johns breed of Newfoundland. The dogs were used in similar ways to pull fishnets and heavy equipment.

During the Discovery Channel's second day of coverage of the AKC Eukanuba National Championship on December, 03, 2006, anchor Bob Goen reported that Newfoundlands exhibit a very strong propensity to rescue people from water. Goen stated that a legend existed that 1 Newfoundland alone once aided the rescue of 63 shipwrecked sailors.

Health
There are several health problems associated with Newfoundlands. Newfoundlands are prone to Hip dysplasia (a malformed ball and socket in the hip joint), Elbow dysplasia, sub-aortic stenosis (a heart condition) and cystinuria (a hereditary defect that forms calculi stones in the bladder).

Quotes
"The man they had got now was a jolly, light-hearted, thick-headed sort of a chap, with about as much sensitiveness in him as there might be in a Newfoundland puppy. You might look daggers at him for an hour and he would not notice it, and it would not trouble him if he did." Jerome K. Jerome Three Men in a Boat

"Near this spot are deposited the remains of one who possessed Beauty without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, and all the Virtues of Man, without his Vices. This Praise, which would be unmeaning Flattery if inscribed over human ashes, is but a just tribute to the Memory of Boatswain, a Dog." George Gordon, Lord Byron about his newfoundland.

"Newfoundland dogs are good to save children from drowning, but you must have a pond of water handy and a child, or else there will be no profit in boarding a Newfoundland." Josh Billings

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_%28dog%29

The text in this page is based on the copyrighted Wikipedia article shown in above URL. It is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.