How cold is too cold for a Newf?

[JLStorm]

Just out of curiosity, whats the coldest weather that you think a Newf would be comfortable in for about an hour? I dont mean living outside or being locked outside for long periods of time. But just simply going out and playing in the snow or hanging out outside.

Hot temperatures are always discussed, but Ive never heard of cold temperatures as an issue...surely there must be a comfortable minimum temp.?

 

[lola]

I wouldn't know.. It goes down to -30 C not including windchill around here in the winter, and Mack never wants to come in, he will stay out in any weather and prefers to be laying outside in the snow in the wintertime for hours on end. Our golden wont stay out longer than 20 minutes, but Mack LOVES the cold..

 

[noblenewf]

Same for my Gabe. Really the coldest it gets here in MI (recently anyway) is -15 F (not including windchill. Even when it's that cold Gabe wants to hang on the deck and let the snow fall on him. He only comes in when I put my foot down and make him. Otherwise I think he'd stay.

 

[Erika]

I wanna be a Newf in winter

 

[Peter Maniate]

Newfs are the only breed of dog that can go swimming all year round. Water sucks the heat out of your body at 25 times the rate that air at the same temperature would do. This means that there is no air temperature too cold for a Newfoundland.

It would seem that Newfs have evolved away from other breeds of dogs just like the polar bear has from other sub-species of bears.

Here is a column that I wrote comparing the Newfoundland dog to the polar bear:

http://www.hannibalkennels.on.ca/articles/breedlines/2003_12.htm

Here is another column entitled Never Too Cold for a Newf: http://www.hannibalkennels.on.ca/articles/breedlines/2006_07.htm

 

[ascudder]

My breeder is in Alaska, and I know that her dogs routinely stayed outside in -40 or colder. When I got Sushi as a pup in April it was still -15 and she loved to play outside. I guess we can revisit this question once it starts getting down to -60 in a few months!

One recommendation though...especially with their webbed feet is to have your Newf wear booties. That seems to keep them happier if they don't get ice balls.

 

[Yogi & Cordelia's Erin]

One recommendation though...especially with their webbed feet is to have your Newf wear booties. That seems to keep them happier if they don't get ice balls.

Doesn't it keep you happier too? ;-) No ice balls all over the house, or melting into wonderful puddles on the hardwood or carpet.

 

[NewfDad]

I have seen Kimber just lay out in the yard in 17F weather for an hour like she was sunning her self on a beach.
ART

 

[Lisa@Caeles Hills]

This is interesting, as I will be getting another Newf and now with 2 of them plan to kennel them outside when I am at work instead of leaving them in the house. (I have acreage on a private hill in a nice part of our city so not worried of anyone disturbing them) I am kind of worried though as these boys will be in the house with me at night and when I am home. I only keep my house about 62 degrees F in the winter so not hot, but is it still ok then to leave them out several hours during the day?

PS Peter, I loved your article on the Newf and Polar bear!

 

[ardeagold]

Ours LOVE the cold...the colder the better. We rarely get below 10F here, and even that's very short lived, but at that temperature they act like they're in heaven. They would live outside all winter, if I'd let them. I have to drag them inside.

 

[NessaM]

Last spring we had one tiny square of snow and ice left in a dark corner of the back courtyard and Nanook would lie on it (looking disgruntled and worried) every day, for as long as it lasted. "Cold? What cold?"

 

[Emma & Nigel's Mom]

So is there any water too cold to swim in for a Newf?

Peter that was a great article about the Polar Bear and Newf, I'll be sharing that with the family at dinner tonight!

 

[Murphy]

"Nana" does not like Murphy going out if the temperature is near freezing.. I cannot convince her that he is not cold. :beatdeadhorse:

 

[Brody the Newf]

I've always wondered the same thing but Brody seems fine with the NE winters. Brody's problem is that he wants his people outside with him and that ain't happening

 

[blstarke]

Tulsa does not like the temperature below 50 degrees

 

[SheilaT]

Angus doesn't like it below 50, either! Riley, however, would live on an ice floe if he could. Angus is a Florida bred dog and carries VERY little coat while Riley is from northern lines and looks like a wooly mammoth. Either that means something or Angus is just a big pansy.

 

[charityd]

My 2 love the cold, but they deal fairly well with the heat also. Sometimes I have to make them come in out of million degree weather.

 

[noblenewf]

Gabe's heat tolerance is ridiculously low! I mean it's pathetic...he pants inside the house if I have the AC set above 65. Spoiled Newf!!! He, too, LOVES the winter and would love us to be out there with him...basking in the snow!

 

[ardeagold]

Jess...put fans down on the floor...near the AC vent, and push up the temp. Mine have to suffer at 72F, and I'm NOT paying another nickel to the power company! LOL

 

[JLStorm]

Ok, well then I guess cold is not an issue.

Another question, if water is too cold for a Newf, will they have the sense to stay out of it, or will their love for water trump the need for body warmth?