Origin
The Newfoundland may be a very large dog, but they are gentle giants renowned for their docile and kind natures. Always eager and willing to please, these dogs are a great choice for people with families because the Newfoundland appears to have a real affinity with children liking nothing more than to play interactive games with them.
They boast wonderfully thick, dense coats which take a bit of work when it comes to keeping them looking good. They also boast having webbed feet and are powerful swimmers. Newfoundlands need a lot of space and are not the ideal choice for people who live in apartments, but they are a great choice for people who boast large and secure back gardens and who spend lots of time at home.
Legend has it that the Newfoundland is descended from the Black Bear which roams this region of Canada. However, it is now almost certain that these large and impressive dogs are not native to Newfoundland, but were developed over time by crossing many other large breeds including the St Bernard and English Mastiff with native Newfoundland breeds known as St John's Dogs. It is also thought the breed was developed by Portuguese fishermen during the 16th century.
Originally, there were two sizes namely the Greater Newfoundland and the Lesser Newfoundland which were also known as St John's Dogs and they were used to pull nets for local fishermen. The Greater Newfoundland being stronger and larger was also used to pull carts and other equipment.
As time passed a dog very similar to the Newfoundland we know today started appearing on the scene and by the 1800's the breed's fame for being able to pull heavy loads and work alongside fishermen reached many people living in European countries. The dogs were soon taken to Europe where breeders started to produce exceptionally good examples of the Newfoundland.
In 1886, The Newfoundland Club was established here in the UK and remains the oldest club in Britain. A breed standard was set soon after which has basically not be changed to this day. Today, the Newfoundland has become a popular choice with many people the world over whether as a companion dog or family pet thanks to their wonderfully kind natures and the fact they are real gentle giants around kids. However, anyone wishing to share their home with a Newfoundland needs to know that thanks to their large size, it costs quite a lot more to care and feed them than it does other breeds.
