Breed library

Newfoundland

Breed overview

The Newfoundland is a large breed of working dog. They can be black, grey, brown, or black and white. However, in the Dominion of Newfoundland, before it became part of Canada, only black and Landseer (white-and-black) coloured dogs were considered to be proper members of the breed. They were originally bred and used as working dogs for fishermen in Newfoundland. They excel at water rescue and lifesaving, because of their muscular build, thick double coat, webbed paws, and swimming abilities.

Breed type: dog breed, working dogBreed reference breed kind.

Breed facts

Genomic analysis indicates that Newfoundlands are related to the Irish Water Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, and Curly-Coated Retriever.
The Newfoundland was originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in Newfoundland.
The Oxford English Dictionary attests "Newfoundland dog" to as early as 1766, when the breed is mentioned in the journal of Joseph Banks.
In the early 1880s, fishermen and explorers from Ireland and England travelled to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland, where they described two types of working dogs.
One was heavily built, large with a longish coat, and the other medium-sized in build - an active, smooth-coated water dog.

Size and appearance

Newfoundlands ('Newfs' or 'Newfies') have webbed paws and a double coat that consists of dense soft fur that keeps them warm, and a water-resistant, coarse, moderately long, outer coat. Males normally weigh 65 - 80 kg, and females 55 - 65 kg, placing them in the "Giant" weight range. Some Newfoundlands have been known to weigh over 90 kg. They may grow up to 22 - 30 in tall at the shoulder.

Body mass reference: 54 kgBreed reference body mass. female.
Body mass reference: 65 - 80 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 65 - 80 kg. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
Body mass reference: 68 kgBreed reference body mass. male.
Height reference: 66 cmBreed reference height. female.
Height reference: 71 cmBreed reference height. male.

Coat layers: double
Coat texture: straight
Height category: very_tall
Height category: tall
Weight category: giant

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

Attachment and attention seeking (C-BARQ mean): 1.85 / 4Owner-reported attachment and attention seeking factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Chasing (C-BARQ mean): 1.47 / 4Owner-reported chasing factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Dog-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.38 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Dog-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.37 / 4Owner-reported dog-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Energy (C-BARQ mean): 1.62 / 4Owner-reported energy factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Excitability (C-BARQ mean): 1.72 / 4Owner-reported excitability factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Familiar-dog aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.19 / 4Owner-reported familiar-dog aggression factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Non-social fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.58 / 4Owner-reported non-social fear factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Owner-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.06 / 4Owner-reported owner-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Separation-related problems (C-BARQ mean): 0.48 / 4Owner-reported separation-related problems factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Stranger-directed aggression (C-BARQ mean): 0.29 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed aggression factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Stranger-directed fear (C-BARQ mean): 0.25 / 4Owner-reported stranger-directed fear factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Touch sensitivity (C-BARQ mean): 0.38 / 4Owner-reported touch sensitivity factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.
Trainability (C-BARQ mean): 2.66 / 4Owner-reported trainability factor mean for US reference population Newfoundland.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

Coat layers: double
Coat texture: straight

Health and lifespan

A 2024 UK study found a life expectancy of 11 years for the breed compared to an average of 12.7 for purebreeds and 12 for crossbreeds.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

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Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

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Breed history

Genomic analysis indicates that Newfoundlands are related to the Irish Water Spaniel, Labrador Retriever, and Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland was originally bred and used as a working dog for fishermen in Newfoundland. The Oxford English Dictionary attests "Newfoundland dog" to as early as 1766, when the breed is mentioned in the journal of Joseph Banks.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
Newfoundland dog - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Newfoundland dog, revision 1376056312. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Newfoundland_dog&action=history
National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
File:Newfoundland dog Smoky.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 2.0. Newfoundland dog Smoky.jpg - Flickr user DanDee Shots. CC BY 2.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Newfoundland_dog_Smoky.jpg. License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0.
Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.
AKC national parent club directoryAmerican Kennel Club Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Factual reference only. Names and verified external links only. No source descriptions, logos or endorsement reused.