The Newfoundland is a Massivebreed of dog, with full grown males weighing up to one hundred and fifty pounds. Despite their size and classification as a “giant” breed, most Newfies make excellent companions and their sweet disposition makes them an ideal pet for families with kids as long as the proper training and socialization are implemented from an early age.

Today there are two main lines of Newfoundland dogs, differentiated by the color of their thick shaggy coat. The traditional Newfoundlander is jet black in color from head to toe. Landseer Newfoundland (named after a famous painter who loved the dogs) is the other line which features a black head and a black and white body, sometimes with brown but not often. There are three other colors of Newfie that are not classified as a breed or recognized by show organizations. They are Brown Newfies, White Newfies, and Grey Newfies. These colors will usually cover nearly the entire body and are very, very rare.

The Newfie has a long and winding history which can be traced back centuries and has been influenced by many breeds in the past. It is believed that he Newfoundland Dog is actually a result of controlled breeding taking place over centuries. Historians believe they’ve credibly traced the origins of the Newfoundland back to a breed of ancient dog that was popular among Native American and Viking tribes living in the Newfoundland region in the 1400′s. As new settling villages began to prosper along the coast of the Newfoundland and Labrador regions the Viking dogs were bred with the Black Labrador Retrievers which often accompanied the fishermen and were used as work dogs. It is believed that this is where the Newfie’s black fur, webbed feet, water resistant coat, and natural swimming capability came from.

As the population of Newfoundland grew and new settlers from around the world came to Newfoundland the Tibetan Mastiff was introduced to the area. It is believed that at some point the Newfoundland was bred with the Tibetan Mastiff, which is where the modern day breed obtained its currentBigsize.

This new Largebreed wasMassivenets from the water. This work experience helped the breed quickly needed to be dragged ashore.

Many folks outside of the dog world often assume that the Newfoundland descended from the Saint Bernard because of their very similar appearance and personality traits. In fact the reverse is believed to be true. A distemper outbreak in the 1700′s almost wiped out the entire Saint Bernard population of Switzerland. Because of the Newfoundland’s hearty nature andsuperior resistance to such illnesses they were imported to Switzerland where they were bred with the surviving Saint Bernard population. It is believed that this is where the modern day Saint Bernard obtained itsBigsize, similar features to the Newfoundland, and rescue dog characteristics.

Today the Newfoundland is rarely used as a work dog, thanks to advancements in engineering that have made machinery for heavy lifting easily available to fisherman.

The modern day Newfoundland is a robust and hearty breed with an ideal temperament for families with small children. Their sweet nature and unwavering loyalty make them an ideal companion to any good home.