Choosing a Puppy

You have decided the Newfoundland is the dog for you - how to set about choosing the right one.

The temperament of a Newfoundland is of such high importance that it gets a mention in the Breed Standard. The original ‘Nana’ from J.M.Barrie’s Peter Pan stories was the nursery guardian of the Darling’s children, so even as far back as 1903 the Newfoundland had a reputation of extreme gentleness with their young charges along with an instinct to protect them. So first and foremost temperament must be of the highest priority in choosing your puppy.

Most breeds have their own particular health problems. Newfoundlands are particularly prone to heart disease and hip problems. These cannot be diagnosed at a very early age. Therefore health checks of both parents for these diseases are vitally important, since many problems have a genetic origin. Bear in mind that puppy farmers and dealers DO NOT generally test their breeding stock and it is a matter of fact that many dogs and bitches are being used for breeding by non club members because they DO NOT obey the codes of ethics put in place by all three newfoundland clubs. We would recommend you DO NOT buy a puppy from anyone who is not a reputable member of one of the clubs listed.

Hip Scoring - What does it mean?

A score is given to a dog’s hip by a panel of veterinary experts after studying an X-ray of its hips. The X-ray is usually taken under a general anaesthetic by the owner’s own vet and then sent to the British Veterinary Association (BVA) for scoring.

Each hip is given a score from 0-53; zero being the best, 53 the worst. So a dog could have a total score anywhere between 0-106. A dog could be given, for example, a score of 5/6 that would give it a total score of 11. The 5 is the score for the left hip and the 6 represents the score for the right hip. The lower the score the better, although anything above a total score of zero is still a degree of hip dysplacia.

A certificate is sent to the owner with the score of both hips recorded on it.

Heart Testing - What does it mean?

The main genetic heart conditions are Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis (SAS) and Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM).

There are three ways of heart testing:

The first is by a vet listening to the dog using a stethoscope for any irregularities which is called an Ausculation.

The second, which is also a Northern Newfoundland club recommendation for dogs and bitches used for breeding, is for the dog’s heart to be examined by ausculation by two veterinary surgeons on two separate occasions. Both veterinary surgeons must have either a Certificate in Veterinary Cardiology (Cert VC), a Certificate in Small Animal Cardiology (Cert SAC) or a Diploma in Veterinary Cardiology (DVC). A grade is given on each occasion, only dogs awarded a grade of zero on both should be used for breeding, two certificates will be produced and the breeder should be happy to show you these.

The third way is, Colour Flow Echo-Doppler examination (echocardiography). This is the most reliable method of diagnosis for heart defects. The anatomy of the inside of the heart is visualised using an ultra-sound scanner and the efficiency of the contraction and speed of the blood flow within the heart can be measured. This can be done with the dog resting quietly on its side on top of a special table. This must be performed by a Veterinary Surgeon with a Diploma in Veterinary Cardiology (DVC).

Providing the valve measurements and speed of blood flow lie within set parameters and there are no defects apparent they are given a classification of normal. Again a certificate of this examination is produced and the breeder should be happy to show you this.

Good breeders will have (or may have copies of) all the relevant certificates for the hips and hearts of the sire and dam of the litter and will be only too happy to show you them.

So you are armed with your first questions to ask the breeder.

Dog or a Bitch?

If you already have a male dog at home you may not want to introduce a bitch to him or vice-versa, there are plus and minus points for either sexes.

If you have decided on one particular breeder and only they will do, then you may have no choice in the sex of the puppy, as there is no guarantee in the amount of dogs or bitches in any litter. If the breeder has a long waiting list this could reduce your choice too, the same could be true for colour.

Do you want to work your dog?

There is either draughtwork (pulling a cart) or waterwork (swimming to retrieve objects and people), you may prefer to have a puppy from parents that have proved themselves in these disciplines.

Do you want to show your dog?

No breeder will guarantee you a future show champion, but it is only fair to let breeders know that you intend to show your puppy. With their expert eye for their own lines at that tender age they will guide you in the right direction.

Your puppy has to be registered with the Kennel Club if you are going to show it. This is a responsibility of the breeder who will register the litter with the Kennel Club after the birth and then supply the new owner with the puppy’s registration papers either on collection or within three months. The Kennel Club registration document means that the puppy has been given a unique name and number that is held on record by the Kennel Club. Tthe breeder’s name will be on the document as the owner. You can apply to have this changed to your own, provided it is signed by the breeder and sent off to the K.C. with the relevant fee.

So your puppy is registered a pedigree, which to you means you're allowed to take part in various events up and down the country. More importantly as a pedigree the breeder has gone some way to satisfy the K.C’s code of ethics.

The Northern Newfoundland Club goes further in its good breeding practices with more in depth guidelines for member breeders to follow. An example of this is, that along with the registration document they also have to provide a five-generation pedigree for the puppy, a diet sheet and details of any veterinary treatment given to the puppy.

Visit as many breeders as you can, whether they have a litter due or not, do your homework and remember that a good relationship with your breeder can be a lifesaver, when woken at one in the morning by your precious bundle who has just swallowed something ghastly from your garden.