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THE LEGEND OF THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG There is a land where the waves explode upon the reef in a boiling foam, there the legend was born. As the story i s told, God turned one day to contemplate all of his creations and saw on that Newfoundland Isle, flailed by storm a small nation of fishermen, whose rough, weather-beaten people fought courageously against the impervious elements of nature as the freezing cold winter and the unforgiving coastline took its toll, and the sea often asked the sacrifice of human life. Nevertheless, they remained deep-rooted, these men of Newfoundland with the stubbornness as great as their courage. God saw, and in his infinite compassion, thought how he might alleviate their suffering. He searched among the creatures of his creations but found none that would serve. It was then he decided to create one anew. He took the body of a bear, whose bone structure lent well to such arduous labours and whose thick fur would resist the bitter Newfoundland cold. Then he thought to sweeten this silhouette with the lithe, flexuous lines and movements of the seal, with all it’s prowess to swim and speedily slip between the waves. Now turning to the sea, he saw the playful dolphins happily following the ships, their sweet, joy-filled eyes revealing their serene temperament, and more; they so love man that they often rescue them, saving them from the sea. Yes, they too would be part of this creature. When he had done the moulding and casting, there suddenly appeared in his creative arms, a superb animal with glistening black fur; powerful and sweet in the same moment. This new being, however, had t o have an allegiance and faithfulness, tried and true, to be able to live beside man and be ever ready to offer his life for his master. It was at that moment that the Lord opened and placed in his chest, the heart of a dog, and the miracle was complete. From that day onward, those men of the sea had beside them, their courageous companion ever strong, ever faithful the, Newfoundland Dog. (Reprinted in translation from the book Il Cane Di Terra Nova by Emmy Bruno, editor Mursia-Milano) GROOMING The Newfoundland has a double coat consisting of a top layer of long coarse hair and a soft, dense, shorter undercoat. The undercoat is oily, which repels water and helps to keep the extreme cold and heat away from the dog's skin. We do NOT recommend shaving a Newfoundland in the summer. You run the risk of sun burn and the dog is at a greater risk for a sun stroke. They need their coat for protection. The Newfoundland "blows" their coat usually in the springtime. You may find it coming out in clumps. At this stag it will take some time and patience to get the coat combed out. After you succeed in accomplishing this job, a good weekly brushing should keep the coat looking nicely. A good reference book for more information on the Newfoundland is A Kennel Club Book - Newfoundland. Another good book for grooming a Newf is Newfoundlands Today written by Hedd & Del Richards. |
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 BLOAT is a true emergency and requires veterinary assistants immediately. It usually occurs in dogs between 4 and 7 years of age, of which 2/3 are males. This condition occurs when the stomach swells up from gas, fluid or both. Bloat symptoms are easy to recognize. The stomach becomes hard and the dog looks very uncomfortable and in distress. He may gag and try to vomit with no success. |
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As with all large breed dogs, hip dysplasia can be a problem with the Newfoundlands. This is a hereditary condition which is a disease of the hip socket, but the head of the femur also becomes altered taking on a squarish or flattened shape. With hip dysplasia, the head of the femur does not fill the socket and is slightly flattened.
There are 3 OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals) ratings assigned to dogs whose hips are considered to be within normal range for hip status. 1. Excellent 2. Good 3. Fair Visit the OFA website at www.offa.org to learn more about this condition. You can also check to see if a dog has been certified and what other certification has been done on a particular dog. Other ratings that can be done are elbows, thyroid, heart, patella, eyes and cystinuria. |
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