9 Questions Every Newfoundland Owner Has Been Asked

Let’s face it, it’s not every day the general public has seen a Newfoundland dog. And odds are if they have seen one, they passed it off as a bear, St. Bernard, or some other giant ball of floof. 

Ask any Newfoundland owner their pet peeve question and I can almost guarantee that one of them will be on this list. 

So please, if you see a Newfie and their owner out and about, don’t ask them any of these questions. If you do, you might get a sassy owner, with some sassy answers. 

1. Is that a bear?

Absolutely, 100% you are correct in assuming I have a bear at the end of my leash. I mean, what else could it be other than the rarest of rare long tail bear. 

You can even get a shirt that says “Rarest of Rare Long Tail Bear” in our shop! 

2. You’re telling me that is still a puppy?!

This one really bothers me because I was a giant as a kid. Shoot, I’m still a giant at 6’2. 

As a kid, everyone thought that because I was bigger and taller than all the other kids, that meant I was older and therefore knew more things. Teachers were constantly treating me differently than all the other kids in my class. So this one hits closer to home for me than most other people. 

Just because my dog is three times the size of your dog doesn’t mean it’s full grown. A six-month-old Newfie puppy is can easily be the same size as a full-grown lab. And just because the puppy is big doesn’t mean it is any less of a puppy. 

3. How Much Does it Shed?

The short answer is a lot. It is possible that by the end of shedding season (yes, there are seasons where Newfies shed their fur) you could have a large black garbage bag full of hair. 

Newfies shed so much that people even send their fur off to be spun into yarn. But please, if you do that, make sure the fur doesn’t smell.. I’ve smelled some really bad shedded fur in my life. 

4. How much does it weigh?

This is actually a really good question. Newfs are giants, but most of what you see is all their floof. 

The ideal weight for a male Newfoundland is in the 130-150 pound range. Females are going to be a little bit smaller in the 110-130 pound range.

Make sure you frequent the weight lifting section in your gym if you plan on getting a Newfie. 

5. Where did you get it?

This is another question that really irks me for some reason. It might be because I grew up with Mom as a breeder. Of course, you get dogs from breeders, it’s not like they fall from the sky when a thunderstorm passes through. 

Of course, you can get Newfies at other places like Newf Rescue, the pound, and pet stores (only if you choose to support the puppy mills). But a breeder is always the first thing that comes to my mind. 

6. Is that a St. Bernard?

Have you seen the movie, Beethoven? You know, the one with a dog in it? If you have, shame on you. My Newfoundland looks nothing like a St. Bernard. If you haven’t seen Beethoven, then I can forgive you a teensy bit, but no, this isn’t a St. Bernard. 

I do, however, frequently use St. Bernards as an example when people ask me how big a Newfoundland will get. 

7. How much does it eat?

Short answer, a lot. 

You can easily go through a 55-pound bag of dog food in a month. 

8. Can you ride that dog? Can my child ride that dog?

No -_-

You cannot ride a Newfoundland. Your child cannot ride a Newfoundland. 

9. How big will it be full-grown?

Newfies get quite large when they’re full grown. The average male can be around 28 inches high at the shoulders and the average female can be around 26 inches high at the shoulders.

What are some questions people ask you as a Newfoundland owner?

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