Many who may be unfamiliar with this breed, may be scared by their sheer size, but fear not! These dogs are actually some of the gentlest and most sweet-natured dogs you can get! If you don’t believe us, just watch Peter Pan. The dog in this film is a Newfoundland and is essentially the children’s nanny, affectionately referred to as ‘NaNa’. This reference is no coincidence, as these dogs are one of the best breeds to have with children. They will never bite or act out and are actually just big old softies! They are also extremely protective over their families however, if you enjoy having a clean and tidy house, this may not be the breed for you. They will often dribble, and their heavy coats are known to hold dirt and mud, which will eventually end up all over your home! One advantage to this breed is that they don’t require huge amounts of exercise, a brisk daily walk will do as they much prefer being lazy and sleeping on the sofa!

The Newfoundland originates from, yeah you guessed it, Newfoundland! Although much of their coming-about is unknown, it’s mainly thought that they are distantly related to a Mastiff-type dog. The earliest records we have of this dog is in the late 18th century when an Englishman named Joseph Banks acquired several of them. In 1775, George Cartwright then officially named them. The breed was relatively unknown and nearly extinct by the 1780s, mainly due to Canadian families being taxed for owning dogs. It wasn’t until the late 1880’s that the governor of Newfoundland made these dogs the breed of his choice, where they then began to soar in popularity! They were mainly used as working dogs and often dragged nets for fishermen and heaved wood from forests, due to their huge sizes and strong bodies. Nowadays, they make great lifeguard and rescue dogs and are able to retrieve all manner of things from the water, including ‘hoomans’!