- Black, white and black and brown. • Black: The traditional colour is black.
- Permissible: The colour has to be even as much as possible, but a slight tinge of sunburn
- Permissible: White markings on chest, toes and/or tip of tail. • White and black: This variety is of historical significance for the breed
- 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
- The remaining parts are to be white and can show a minimum of ticking. • Brown: The brown colour goes from chocolate to bronze.
- Permissible: White markings on chest, toes and/or tip of tail
- White and black dogs and brown dogs are to be shown in the same class as blacks
About the Newfoundland
Origin: Canada
- Typical life span
- 9-10 years
- Size
- Large — from its typical weight
- Weight
- Male
- 59-68 kg
- Female
- 45-54 kg
- Height
- Male
- 71-76 cm
- Female
- 66-71 cm
- FCI status
- Recognised by FCI
- FCI groupFCI divides this breed into varieties, and our sources don’t record which one a breeder works. Ask them which variety their line is.
- Pinscher and Schnauzer - Molossoid and Swiss Mountain and Cattledogs
- Origin
- Canada
- Also called
- Terranova
- Known hereditary risks
- 5 documented conditions, with the test for each
About
What is a Newfoundland?
Massive, powerful working dog known for exceptional water rescue abilities and gentle temperament. Often called the 'gentle giant,' this breed features a thick, water-resistant double coat, webbed feet, and natural swimming ability.
Newfoundland history and origins
Developed by fishermen on the island of Newfoundland for water rescue, hauling nets, and cart pulling. Descended from indigenous water dogs and European breeds brought by fishermen, recognized by major kennel clubs in the 19th century.
Newfoundland appearance and size
Males typically weigh 59-68 kg and stand 71-76 cm at the shoulder; females 45-54 kg and 66-71 cm.
What the breed standard says
- Bred for
- Sledge dog for heavy loads, water dog
- Behaviour and temperament
“The Newfoundland’s expression reflects benevolence and softness. Dignified, joyful and creative, he is known for his sterling gentleness and serenity”
Quoted from FCI standard n°50. It describes the breed the registry recognises, not any individual animal.
Breed reference from The Dog API.
Characteristics
- Size
- Large
- Exercise needsRead from what the breed was bred to do, in the registry’s own words: “Sledge dog for heavy loads, water dog” That is a working purpose, not a measured exercise requirement — an individual dog’s needs depend on its age, health and household.
- 4 of 5
- Easy to train
- —
- Amount of shedding
- 4 of 5
- Grooming needs
- 4 of 5
- Good with children
- —
- Cost to keep
- —
- Tolerates being alone
- —
- Intelligence
- —
- Health of breed
- 5 conditions documented
Pros & cons
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 rather than written as an opinion — cited health research, the registry’s own standard, and peer-reviewed longevity. FCI breed standard; Newfoundland Club of America — CHIC Certification. One breeder’s animals can differ from any of it, and an empty column means we hold nothing for that side rather than that there is nothing to say.
Characteristics
FCI standard · Newfoundland
Coat and colour
As the FCI standard sets it out. Every line below is the standard’s own wording, tagged preferred and permissible.
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
- Preferred
- Permissible
- Undesirable
- Disqualifying
Preferred, permissible, undesirable and disqualifying are FCI’s own words about the breed. They describe what the standard asks for — not an assessment of any individual dog, and not ours.
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.
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.
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 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.
- BLACK
- WHITE AND BLACK
- BROWN
Breed-level information from The Dog API. It describes the Newfoundland in general; any individual animal can differ.
Health guide
Health & screening guide for the Newfoundland
Known hereditary risks for the Newfoundland breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
5 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Heart & circulation
Subvalvular aortic stenosis (SAS)
Serious
A narrowing below the aortic valve that restricts blood flow out of the heart; it ranges from harmless to a cause of sudden death, and can develop after a dog has already tested clear once at a younger age.
What to ask for
Cardiac evaluation (congenital, advanced or basic) by a board-certified cardiologist, on both parents
Eyes
Entropion / ectropion
Monitor
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 it as a specific point of concern, at just under 6% of dogs assessed.
What to ask for
No test; ask whether a vet has checked both parents' eyelids.
Bones & joints
Hip and elbow dysplasia
Serious
Malformation of the hip and/or elbow joints causing pain, lameness and early arthritis.
What to ask for
OFA hip evaluation (or PennHIP) and OFA elbow evaluation, on both parents, under the Newfoundland Club of America's CHIC programme
Shortened lifespan tied to giant body size
SeriousInherent to the breed
Newfoundland is one of the giant breeds in a 2026 study of UK veterinary records in which giant breeds as a group had a median age at death under nine years, well below smaller breeds, alongside elevated joint and heart disease.
What to ask for
No document changes this. Ask how the breeder manages growth rate in puppyhood and what age dogs in their own lines have actually lived to.
Kidneys & urinary
Cystinuria
Serious
An inherited defect in the kidneys' handling of the amino acid cystine, which forms crystals and stones that can block the urinary tract — caused by a well-characterised mutation specific to this breed's own form of the condition.
What to ask for
DNA-based cystinuria (SLC3A1 gene) test from an approved laboratory, on both parents
How long the Newfoundland lives, in the records
Median survival 11,0 years
95% confidence interval 10,9–11,6 years, from 633 recorded deaths among 1556 dogs
Mortality hazard 1.2 (1.11, 1.3) relative to crossbred dogs, whose median is 12,0 years.
Measured in the United Kingdom from 584.734 dogs. Median survival is not a prediction for an individual dog.
McMillan, K.M., Bielby, J., Williams, C.L., Upjohn, M.M., Casey, R.A. & Christley, R.M. (2024) Longevity of companion dog breeds: those at risk from early death. Scientific Reports 14, 531.
Gallery
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Puppies
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