The Newfoundland dog breed has a little bit of a mysterious origin.  They come from the island of Newfoundland, Canada, where they were primarily bred by fishermen to assist with their work at sea, utilizing their exceptional swimming abilities to perform water rescues and haul fishing nets due to their large size, thick double coat, and webbed feet; the breed’s exact ancestry is unknown, but likely involved a mix of native dogs (like the extinct American Black Wolf) and large working dogs brought by European settlers, particularly the Vikings, who may have introduced “big black bear dogs” to the area. ¹

There is a legend that Napolean himself was saved by a Newfoundland when he fell overboard in in 1815 during his escape from Elba. ²

If you think about it, these dogs were bred to be great listeners, easy going on ships, watchful for the well being of the ships crew, ok with small quarters, and they are not afraid of a hard days work. How does this translate into a family pet. ³

 Newfies are easy to train (they are 100% people pleasers).

 Newfies are great with people (socialization is important but they are known as the “Nanny” dog)

Even though they are large and their thick double coats make them great for the cold weather and being outdoors, they are also considered good apartment dogs because they are ok with a moderate amount of exercise. ³

They love to play with their humans, both adult and kid alike and can be trained to pull sleds and carts (as they did on ships).

They are still used as water rescue dogs to this day. In fact, England for a time required two Newfoundland’s on staff at all lifeguard stations.

A little side note, most people associate Newfoundlands with color black, the breed can also be brown, gray, or black and white. The “Landseer” color pattern (black and white) is particularly notable, named after the English artist Sir Edwin Landseer who often depicted this variety in his paintings.⁴

These Gentle Giants are a wonderful addition to any family and especially those with kiddos.  They have been ranked as the number one family dog. 

Here at NorthStar Newfoundlands we hope to share our love of these dogs with you and your family.

1. Newfoundland Club of America, I. (no date) That Dog on the Postage Stamp: Courage, Docility, and Faithfulness are Characteristics of the Newfoundland, A history of the development of the Newfoundland Breed. Available at: https://www.thenewfoundland.org/morris.html (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
2. Reeves, S. (2023) 8 fun facts about Newfoundland Dogs, TrustedHousesitters. Available at: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/blog/pets/newfoundland-dogs/?psafe_param=1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=GoogleAds_Direct_Search_Brand%2BNon-Brand_US_Acquisitions&utm_content=Dynamic&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA1p28BhCBARIsADP9HrMZ0NNjKyooC7Y79xJeZ0oZpkinpBMKH-TB86g4e4fOgu2XAEgE2iYaAmf2EALw_wcB (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
3. Coile, C. (2024) Newfoundland, Encyclopædia Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/animal/Newfoundland-dog (Accessed: 15 January 2025).
4. Newfoundland dog (2024) Wikipedia. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newfoundland_dog#:~:text=An%20unnamed%20Newfoundland%20is%20credited,wreck%20of%20the%20brig%20Despatch. (Accessed: 15 January 2025).