Newfoundland Dog: The True Gentle (Swimming) Giant
By gfmas23, 24th Feb 2012 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutGuidesPetsDogs
The Newfoundland dog has a colorful history of heroism, and its sweet nature and large size makes it stand out among canines. From saving famous people to loving the elderly, the Newfoundland dog is truly a one-of-a-kind gentle giant.
The Amazing Newfoundland
If you would like a gentle giant as a canine companion, a Newfoundland dog would be perfect for you! Known for its massive size and sweet disposition, this lovable creature boasts a history of heroic acts and gentle kindness that has captured the hearts of and saved the lives of many.
The Newfoundland dog originated, well you've guessed it, in Newfoundland, Canada. Technically, it was bred in Labrador, but since that name was already taken by yet another awesome canine, the Labrador Retriever, it was named instead after the sea in which it was bred to work in.
Fishermen have found great use of this massive creature's strength not only in pulling nets full of fish but also pulling small boats to shore. Stories have been told of how a lone Newfoundland dog towed many shipwrecked sailors and passengers to safety, tirelessly swimming back and forth and bringing people to safe shores.
It is also said that in earlier times, a ship never sails without one or two Newfoundland dogs on board. There was even a story of how Napoleon Bonaparte, the famous French commander, was saved by a Newfoundland when he accidentally fell overboard while en route from Elba. This was quite ironic since the great commander was known to hate dogs, especially since his enemy, Lord Nelson kept a dog on his side during battle, which happened to be another Newfoundland!
Needless to say, water rescue is one of the Newfoundland's many fortes. Italy is particularly known for its Italian School for Rescue Dogs in which any dog breed meeting the weight requirement can be trained for water rescue. As expected, Newfoundland dogs are its most famous students, saving lives and jumping off boats and helicopters together with their handlers on an almost daily basis.
Its success in water rescue may be attributed to its physical features: massive body, big lungs, huge paws, thick fur, and drooping jowls. All these make for the perfect swimming dog capable of pulling heavy weight even in strong currents while still being able to breathe.
Although known to slobber because of his drooping jowls, the Newfoundland dog makes up for it with his almost incomparable patience and gentleness with people. Many Newfoundlands are in the business of being therapy dogs for the elderly and the sick and as "reading" companions to the children with reading problems.
Unfortunately, due to its large size, these dogs aren't known for their longevity, only living up to an average of 10 to 12 years. They are also prone to hip dysplasia because of their weight. Owning one would definitely be a big responsibility in terms of finances. Despite this, many still love owning Newfoundland dogs, which is not surprising considering the amount of joy this gentle, loving, and intelligent giant gives to their owners.
Do you have Newfoundlands for pets? Share your pet stories!
Comments
24th Feb 2012 (#)
Awwww, I want one. Oh my gosh, what a gorgeous dog. I would deal with the slobbering.LOL
Great information on the Newfoundland Dog. Thank you for sharing.:)
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24th Feb 2012 (#)
I want one too...!!! LOL
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24th Feb 2012 (#)
Beautiful dog, looks like the Newfoundland dog would take up the whole bed!
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24th Feb 2012 (#)
yeah... it gets very BIG!!! Usually their heads are twice as big as ours!!!
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24th Feb 2012 (#)
Great share, thank you.
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24th Feb 2012 (#)
Great dog and article:)
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