The Newfoundland is a working dog. Newfoundlands can be black, brown, black and white (Landseer), or the exceedingly rare gray. They were originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in Newfoundland on the east coast of Canada. They are known for their giant size, tremendous strength, calm dispositions, and loyalty. Newfoundland dogs excel at water rescue and lifesaving because of their muscular build, thick doublecoat, webbed feet, and innate swimming abilities.
The Newfoundland dog is legendary for its calm and docile nature and its strength. They are highly loyal and make ideal working dogs. It is for this reason that this breed is known as “the gentle giant”. International Kennel Clubs generally describe the breed as having a sweet temper. It typically has a deep bark, and is easy to train if started young. It is wonderfully good with children, but because of their size at a very young age, small children could get accidentally leaned on and knocked down.
An unnamed Newfoundland is credited for saving Napoleon Bonaparte in 1815. During his famous escape from exile on the island of Elba, rough seas knocked Napoleon overboard. A fisherman’s dog jumped into the sea, and kept Napoleon afloat until he could reach safety.
The breed was memorialized in “Nana,” the beloved dog guardian in Peter Pan. Other famous Newfoundlands include:
- Carlo: Emily Dickensen’s dog
- Faithful: First dog of President Ulysses S. Grant
- Brumus: Robert F Kennedy’s dog
- Gander: The Mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada who was killed in action at the Battle of Hong Kong when he carried a grenade away from wounded soldiers. For this he was awarded the PDSA Dickin Medal retroactively in 2000.
Maybe not quite as famous but every bit as lovable, The Mortgage Chicks’ Newfoundland Dog Cosmo is a 2 yr old champion bloodline Newfoundland Dog from Golden Rivers Kennels. He has webbed feet and a water-resistant coat and weighs 75kg placing him in the “Giant” weight range but some Newfoundland dogs have been known to weigh over 90 kg (200 lb) – and the largest on record weighed 120 kg (260 lbs) and measured over 6 feet (1.82 m) from nose to tail, ranking it among the biggest Molossers. Cosmo is a gentle giant who loves to go for walks and can be seen trotting along the MacKay park trail in Abbotsford on most mornings with the Mortgage Chick in tow. Although he is a gentle giant, he has been known to scare a few hikers who at first glance think they’ve come face to face with a bear!
