Newfies, because they are so big, are prone to hips and heart issues. We test our dogs and have them OFA certified before they are bred to do all we can to produce healthy puppies.

We also do an embark DNA test, which tests a saliva sample for 190+ genetic health conditions.

Despite all this, our puppies are still living, breathing beings. And we are not God. We do what we can, but we cannot control everything. If the worst happens, we will do all we can to offer you our support.

Newfies are also deep chested, which can make them a candidate for GDV. Talk to your vet to learn more. None of our dogs have had any problems, and I hope they never do. That would be a horrible experience.

Newfies are heavy shedders. So if you don't enjoy brushing, exit this page as fast as you can and start looking at short haired breeds :) I enjoy brushing our dogs, and they enjoy being brushed.

If your dog is going to be mostly outside, like ours are, you can get away with brushing every other day in spring while they are shedding, and then once a month or so to avoid tangles the rest of the year. Please note, there is quite a difference in coat texture. Kelsey has very soft hair, and it tangles easily. especially on her hind legs, and she hates when I brush it. The rest of our dogs have coats that are more sleek, and don't tangle as easily.

If your dog is inside, and you want to avoid having clumps of hair under the couch, I would recommend daily brushing in spring, and then weekly brushing throughout the rest of the year.

Newfs are generally known as laid back, calm dogs. And they definitely are, some more than others. But as puppies, they still have energy, and they need to run it off someway. If you take your puppy on a short daily walk, you will probably have a much calmer, more enjoyable puppy the rest of the day.

It is important, however, for a newfie puppy to not get too much exercise in the first year while their hips are still in the puppy stage. Short walks and 5 minute playtimes are better than one long session that would completely tire your little one out.

Avoid steps as much as possible!

 We feed our dogs Fromm Gold large breed dog food and would highly recommend it. We buy ours from a local company that delivers it to our door, so nice! It is also available from Amazon and Chewy.com. 

We do not ration our dogs' food. I fill up their bowls in the morning and late afternoon. If the bowls are always empty, I know someone is going through a growth spurt and I add another bowl :) Our dogs are outside most of the time, so especially when the weather is nice, they get plenty of exercise. The "having food out all the time feeding protocol" might not be a good idea if your dog is a couch potato :) But it works great if you feed them a high quality food and they get plenty of exercise. Our dogs are all at a healthy weight.

The puppies, on the other hand, have more of a schedule. I don't have food or water in their space. They sleep and play in a corner of our garage. I let them out 3 times a day for food/ water/ playtime. They have bowel movements shortly after they eat, and this way I can keep an eye on them, make sure they go on the litter tray, and then clean up before they roll around in it. :p Our children love helping with feeding time, and it's a good bonding/ socializing experience for the puppies.

We send all of our puppies home with a small bag of puppy food to get you started.