Newfoundland — what to ask a breeder

Pros & cons for the Newfoundland

What you get with the Newfoundland

Purpose stated in the standard: “Sledge dog for heavy loads, water dog”
The standard describes the breed as: “The Newfoundland’s expression reflects benevolence and softness”

What you are taking on

4 serious inherited conditions are documented, mainly in bones & joints and heart & circulation. The health guide tab has the test to ask for on each.
High grooming needs — the standard’s own description is “The outer coat is moderately long and straight with no curl.”

Drawn from sources, not opinion: FCI breed standard; Newfoundland Club of America — CHIC Certification. An empty column means we hold nothing for that side, not that there is nothing to say.

What the standard penalises

What a judge marks the Newfoundland down for, and what puts one out of the ring, in the registry’s own words. This describes the breed standard — it is not a checklist for the animal in front of you, and a pet with a disqualifying fault is an unshowable dog rather than an unhealthy one.

Disqualifying faults

Puts an animal out of the ring altogether.

Overshot or undershot bite, wry mouth.
Short and flat coat.
Markings of any other colour than white on a black or brown dog.
Any other colour than black or white and black or brown

FCI standard n°50

Newfoundland characteristics

The Newfoundland standard is published by the FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale), the international federation of pedigree-dog clubs, and it is what show judges apply. This section sums up what it says about coat and colour and size. It does not assess any one animal: use it to know what to ask the breeder.

Coat and colour

Coat

The Newfoundland has a water resistent double coat.

The outer coat is moderately long and straight with no curl.

A slight wave is permissible.

The undercoat is soft and dense, denser in winter than in summer, but always found to some extent on the croup and chest.

The hair on the head, muzzle and ears is short and fine.

The front and rear legs are feathered.

The tail is completely covered with long, dense hair, but does not form a flag.

Trimming and scissoring are not encouraged

Colour

Black, white and black and brown. • Black: The traditional colour is black.
The remaining parts are to be white and can show a minimum of ticking. • Brown: The brown colour goes from chocolate to bronze.
White and black dogs and brown dogs are to be shown in the same class as blacks

Preferred

The pattern of markings is black head with, preferably, a white blaze extending onto the muzzle, black saddle with even markings and black croup and upper tail

Permissible

The colour has to be even as much as possible, but a slight tinge of sunburn
White markings on chest, toes and/or tip of tail. • White and black: This variety is of historical significance for the breed
White markings on chest, toes and/or tip of tail

Shortened from FCI standard n°50 — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source.

Ask the breeder

Is this puppy's colour on the pedigree, and one the standard admits?
Does the parents' pedigree state their coat type and colour?

The colours and patterns the standard admits, and what it prefers, discourages or disqualifies in each. An accepted colour says nothing about health.

Size

What the breed standard says

Size: “The average height at the withers is : For adult males 71cm (28 inches), for adult bitches 66cm (26 inches). The average weight is approximately 68kg for males, approximately 54kg for bitches. Large size is desirable, but is not to be favoured over symmetry, general soundness, power of the structure and correct gait”; FCI distinguishes an ideal from what is permitted.

Quoted from FCI standard n°50. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.

FCI varieties

FCI divides the Newfoundland into these varieties, listed in the registry's own words. Depending on the breed they separate colour, coat, size or line — they are not a full list of colours, which no registry we hold publishes. Ask a breeder which variety their line is.

Ask the breeder

How big and heavy are the parents?

An adult's measurements, per the standard. It does not say how big this puppy will be. Quotations from the FCI are in English, as the standard publishes them; the headings are ours.

Entropion / ectropion

MonitorCommon in this breed

The breed's loose facial skin predisposes some dogs to eyelids that roll inward or outward; the UK Kennel Club's own conservation plan records loose eyelids as a point of concern at shows, and reports entropion in 11 of 189 Newfoundlands (just under 6%) in a 2014 UK breed survey and in 5.9% of 975 US Newfoundlands eye-examined in 2010-2017. In UK primary-care records for 2019, Newfoundlands had about 23 times the odds of crossbreeds of an eyelid conformation disorder.

What to ask for

No test; ask whether a vet has checked both parents' eyelids.

3 sources

About the Newfoundland

About

What is a Newfoundland?

Newfoundland history and origins

What the breed standard says

Pros & cons for the Newfoundland

What you get with the Newfoundland

What you are taking on

What the standard penalises

Disqualifying faults

Newfoundland characteristics

Coat and colour

Coat

Colour

Ask the breeder

Size

What the breed standard says

FCI varieties

Ask the breeder

Health guide

Health & screening guide for the Newfoundland

2 common conditions in this breed

Bones & joints

Hip and elbow dysplasia

Eyes

Entropion / ectropion

Bones & joints

Hip and elbow dysplasia

Eyes

Entropion / ectropion

3 conditions with no published frequency

Heart & circulation

Subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS)

Bones & joints

Shortened lifespan tied to giant body size

Kidneys & urinary

Cystinuria

Heart & circulation

Subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS)

How long the Newfoundland lives, in the records

Kidneys & urinary

Cystinuria

Bones & joints

Shortened lifespan tied to giant body size