I Feel Like I Need to Have Business Cards Made for Nala!

[Subverto]

Having done research on the breed prior to getting Nala, I thought I knew what I was getting into. I was wrong. Everywhere we go we get stopped by everyone we pass, and they ask the same 4 questions:

1. What kind of dog is that? (or occasionally "OMG is that a Chow/Labrodoodle puppy!?")
2. How old is she?
3. How big will she get?
4. Do they shed?

I literally answer those 4 questions atleast 20 times a day (many more on weekends if we hang out at the park). So I suggested to my girlfriend that we make business cards for her that say:

This is Nala. She is a Newfoundland puppy. She is about 4 months old. Fully grown she will likely weigh between 100lbs and 120lbs. She will also shed more than you can imagine a dog could possibly shed, and drool just as much. Have a nice day

And as always, here's a picture of my little baby.

 

[Cascadians]

*scream* *screech* *gasp* "That's a big dog!" "Bear!" "OMG!"
"What kind of dog is that?"
"Eeeeeek, drool!"

Still intend to make a wearable sandwich board type sign.

Lately I just pretend to be deaf and tune out everything and everybody so we can get to our destination. Orka ignores everything and just beelines for destination. Only way we can survive the onslaught.

Good luck. ( and my Newf isn't even a gigantic one, only 138 pounds )

Nala is adorable!

 

[victoria1140]

do they eat a lot, they must eat more than my gsd's--ah no actually

you must have a big house---- I wish

is it a st bernard --- no its a newf

ah a newf those are the mountain dogs-- no water

get used to it , its worse when you have a landseer as someone asked me where I got my designer crossbreed from.

you have to learn to roll with it , sometimes grrr!!! and other times laugh about it.

 

[ElvisTheNewf]

We always get "Does he sleep with you?!?" as well.

Get used to it - it's only going to get worse. I always stop and chat because I love to talk anyway, but I especially love to chat about Elvis!

One thing that I do think is rude is when people ask how much he cost. I'd never go up to people and ask that about anything, so at first I was always too shocked to answer. Now I'm used to it and say "Not nearly as much as it does to feed him!" and it usually makes people realize that a purchase price isn't what they should focus on.

One lady was relentless and really wanted to know price specifics. It was getting pretty personal and intense and I still wouldn't answer her directly. Finally she goes "Well, where did he come from, anyway?" and my husband snaps "His MOM!"

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

No, she is not a Great Pyrenees, a "Burmese", a Saint Bernard, an Akita (yes, this was asked of me once), or a bear. It is a Newfoundland dog.

No, they do not eat a lot.

No, our house is small.

No, I do not let my son ride her.

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

Also:

No, she does not "walk me".

 

[NinaA]

Also, my favorite -

Do you know how big your dog is?

DUH

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

Also also:

No, she will not eat your little dog.

 

[DAWNMERIE]

I had a good one once....little boy to his mom, mom....look it's a lion! Last week was different too, How much does Jersey charge you for a permit for that bear?

Need to get a shirt....my dog doesn't bite, I DO!

 

[Brandie&Maggie]

Hehe. I've thought this before too. It only gets worse, so get used to it! While sometimes I get annoying questions, I usually don't mind stopping and talking to people about my girl. However, I do repeat the same things on almost all of our walks...

No, its not a bear (or great pyrenees, bernese mountain, dog, pony, fluffy/fat lab). It's a newfoundland dog.
She's a girl. We think she's 7 years old...Yes, she's a rescue dog.
She weighs 120 pounds.
No, she won't eat your dog/kid/wife. She will eat your sandwich.
Yes, she sheds. I have a really good vacuum.
Yes, she drools.
No, she does not eat as much as a horse.
No, you can't ride her - we don't have a saddle.
Yes, she gets hot in the summer. Yes, she loves the snow.

 

[Jeannie]

Your friend who has a dog like mine but theirs is white is not a dog like mine.

At one time we actually had cards made answering all the questions posted above.

On another note my husband was walking our 3 one time and a driver was watching the dogs instead of where he was going and caused an accident by turning left in front of another car.

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

She's a girl.

THIS. I think because of the size and the fact that she's black (maybe it's a subconscious "masculine" color thing?), people ALWAYS assume Mila's a male. Now I have to make a conscious effort to buy "girly" colored leashes and collars, even though I really would prefer other, less gender-specific colors.

No, she is a female.

 

[Subverto]

THIS. I think because of the size and the fact that she's black (maybe it's a subconscious "masculine" color thing?), people ALWAYS assume Mila's a male. Now I have to make a conscious effort to buy "girly" colored leashes and collars, even though I really would prefer other, less gender-specific colors.

No, she is a female.

Nala is brown and has a pink collar, yet people always assume she is a boy (though in their defense you can't really see her collar because it's almost entirely covered up by her fur :lol.

Also, upon learning that she is a Newf, people usually say "Really? A brown one? I thought they were only black. Is she a mix of something?"

I'm always very tempted to say something like "All girl Newfs are brown, all boy Newfs are black. That's how you tell them apart from a distance. You must have only seen boy Newfs before". Or, "Only the poisonous Newfs are brown".

 

[lacey9875]

Wait until someone argues with you that your dog cannot possibly be a Newfoundland, she/he is too small, doesn't look like one, the one they know is THIS TALLand weighs 200 pounds. One time I had a lady tell me, "your dog looks like those dogs on tv, she's gorgeous." and I swear I had to stop myself from hugging her!
And I totally knew she didn't-I had just given her a horrendus trim job.


And I buy only girly-girl leashes, collars and bibs, Maggie has an extensive collection of bows, and they still ask me "what kind of dog is he?". :banghead:

 

[YorkvilleNewfie]

Wait until someone argues with you that your dog cannot possibly be a Newfoundland, she/he is too small, doesn't look like one, the one they know is THIS TALLand weighs 200 pounds. One time I had a lady tell me, "your dog looks like those dogs on tv, she's gorgeous." and I swear I had to stop myself from hugging her!
And I totally knew she didn't-I had just given her a horrendus trim job.


And I buy only girly-girl leashes, collars and bibs, Maggie has an extensive collections of bows, and she still ask me "what kind of dog is he?". :banghead:

No one's argued that with me (yet. I'm sure it will happen eventually), but I'm so flipping sick of people telling me all about their neighbor's/cousin's/boss's Newf that's "MUCH bigger than yours. He/she weighed 200/250/300/350 pounds." *facepalm*

I do get tons of "guesstimates" on her weight though, usually ranging anywhere from 175-225 pounds (which is probably why I get so many of the "stories" from above). Then, when I say, "Nope. 135, which is slightly large for a female, but just fine for her build.", they don't believe me. Which I find odd. Why on earth would I lie about how much my dog weighs? :crazy:

 

[estacey]

You could carry a portable scale with you so that when they insist that you do not know her weight the proof could be right in hand.:uglyhammer:

 

[Alicia]

Just wait till you get a second Newf and go walking places with 2 of them! (That's right....odds are you will want another.) Nala is adorable!

 

[Milliejb]

I make it a conscious effort not to take Millie with me unless I am in the mood to talk to well,.... everyone! HAHA! I know most of them mean well, but they all say the same thing. As if I never heard, "she looks like a bear" before?? Really dude, be a bit more original! Please!
And noone guess weight even remotley right! Millie is 130lbs. but yet they guess to be about 175lb!! I hope they don't guess their wife's weight! or better yet, MINE!

 

[OodlesOfNoodles]

Wait until someone argues with you that your dog cannot possibly be a Newfoundland, she/he is too small, doesn't look like one, the one they know is THIS TALLand weighs 200 pounds.

Haha this. I can't tell you how many people have been convinced he's either a lab-mix or a poodle (yes, a poodle...in their defence, he had some great head floof going on at the time and when I saw him next to a young poodle in our training class, I could kind of see the similarity. But only in the fluffy head hair). One woman walked away convinced I was lying to her about him not being part lab or golden retriever...she seemed legitimately mad about it.

I also want to walk away from the DOZENS of people who have said, upon being told he's a purebread 8 month old Newf and not a mix, 'oh, I guess he's going to be a small one then' - he's 85lbs and 25" tall - how big do you want him to be right now?? Apparently intelligence doesn't kick in and remind people that to get to their full size, they have to be smaller first. *Head shake*

 

[Jager's Mom]

LOL....

We definitely don't get anyplace fast with Newfies! My hubby wants to carry a sign with all of the answers. Even though it can get to be "a bit much" at times... I always love to talk about my Bear (and may he rest in peace, Jager). I really enjoy my boy...and I love that others are interested in him.

And for the last time.... He is NOT a black PYR! LOL