newf bonding

[Chad]

I am curious are newfs an everyone dog or do they pick a master? I have heard people say they love whoever is giving them the most attention. Aristotle
my 4 month newf puppy is definitely a one person dog, don't get me wrong he loves attention from family,kids,strangers,dogs. etc etc. However he is my shadow and doesnt leave my side when I am at home, surprisingly he doesnt suffer from seperation anxiety and is the most intuitive dog I have ever met. (can you say smart?) lol If anyone has any stories I would love to hear them.

 

[BoundlessNewfs]

Our newfie girls love everyone, but Maggie is definitely a "daddy's girl" and Lucy loves her mom! I think newfs are friendly with just about everyone, but they have their "special" family member, too.

 

[ardeagold]

Mira is definitely more bonded to DH than she is to me. However, he's the one home all day with her, so it makes perfect sense. We'll see how it goes with Molly, but I'd expect the same result.

 

[Codes]

While Logan is friendly with everyone he meets, he is definetely MY boy. It took him a long time to bond with me though. I'd heard everyone talk about Velcro Newfs and I was wondering why I didn't have one. He was quite aloof and independent as a pup and then about a year ago he decided lovin' and snuggles were A-OK and he bonded with me right away. I think part of the reason we didn't bond immediately was because I was so cloaked in grief after losing one of my Saints the day Logan was born. Perhaps he sensed that. Now we are extremely close and I love him dearly and can't imagine life without him. He is one cool dude!

There is one thing I'm curious about. He is very social and never met a stranger. However, when we're on one of our long walks and he spots a stranger, he's instantly on alert. He can spot them about a half mile away and he keeps them in sight the entire time. His whole body posture changes and his head is up and alert and focused on them. While he is extremely friendly, I do have to wonder if he would protect me should someone decide to harm me. My bet is yes, he would.

Daria bonded to me instantly. She's definetely a Mama's girl. So much so that she only wants to go potty for me and often refuses to go when my daughter takes her out. I've asked my daughter to work with her more often and take her out to potty so Daria will respect her and listen well.

Both my Newfs are extremely intelligent and very secure and comfortable with themselves and quite confident. Logan always knew he was all that and a bag of chips but he doesn't flaunt it. He has a quiet confidence about him. Daria is just happy, happy, happy and doesn't let anything bother her. Can't imagine life without either of these lil black bandits

 

[ina/puusty]

Just loving the 'all that AND a bag of chips' comment (large print mine . HB isn't giving the exact same body messages..but she is quietly 'large and in charge'..and thinking..always..that wonderful 'focused gaze..or headtilt'. I also enjoy the 'measured response'..as she will consider some situations..and be 'on it'..for others. Where for most..that lack of instant response..could be a problem..here..it allows more choice/control.. between us. It is a 'ballet'..rather than a 'march'.

ina n HB

 

[Chad]

Cool, I love all the stories. I am not sure if Aristotle would protect me if it came down to it or help them carry the stereo to there car, perhaps he would do both! LMAO

 

[Mary Kay & Guy Germaine]

As for the protection part, I think you'd be pleasantly surprised should the situation present itself. Right now it looks like Ozzie is going to be Mommy's boy. He really gets excited when he sees her. I keep telling her I need to get ME a Newf too!!

 

[MNnewf]

Sophie was kind of aloof and independent until she was about 10 months old...then she became a big snuggle bug. She's very friendly and loves everyone, but she's a Daddy's girl for the most part. If someone broke into our house or something, I'm almost sure that Sophie would be ON GUARD. I don't think she'd let him out of the entry if we didn't ok it or know the person. I think that most robbers would think twice before messing with a dog that big!

(Hailey, our other dog, is a whole 'nother story. She'd greet them at the door, show them where the treats are, then show them around the house making certain to point out the especially nice stuff!!!! LOL)

 

[EILEEN YELLE]

Sugie is definitely a mama's boy! I am the one that spends the most time with him especially when it comes to grooming and health details. Playtime is more or less what dada does with him.

As far as protection, tho, I think you would be pleasantly surprise! Sugie is a big mush when it comes to children and people in general. One time there was this stranger that was walking towards us during our walk that he did not like for some reason. The man just stared at Sugie and didn't say anything and kept on walking. Sugar Bear definitely didn't get a good sense about him and barked with a slight growl at him. It was really amazing as he never did that before.

Sugar Bear's Mom

 

[kzdz]

Morgan is a momma's girl to the core. She will get excited when a visitor arrives, but after a few minutes and some sniffing, she will still lay down by me. When we visit someplace new, she generally sticks right by me and hates to let me out of her sight. She would also refuse to go outside for her potty breaks if I wasn't the person opening the door. If I wasn't home, she would go outside for DH, but if I was anywhere in the house at potty time, she'd come find me even if DH was standing right by the door and calling her name.

Quark, on the other hand, is Mr. Host. He does his best to make sure ALL the attention is on him, and I quickly become irrelevant. A friend brought her lab over one time and Quark immediately took the lab through the entire house, stopping at each doorway. I don't know exactly what they were discussing, but it was quite amusing to watch.

With human guests, he'll crawl in their laps on the couch (which he only does occasionally with me) and follow them around the house. We had 2 people staying here for a night last week. One slept in the guest room and the other stayed on a couch in the living room. The dogs did sleep in my bedroom - Morgan in her usual spot right next to my side of the bed and Quark sprawled out to cover as much space as possible in the middle of the floor. I assumed they were both there all night, but my friend in the living room told me that a couple times during the night she heard Quark traipse down the stairs and then saw him peek his head around the corner. When he saw she was still there, he traipsed back up the stairs to my room. I take it as a sign my boy is starting to calm down a little. Past visitors have been jerked from their slumber by Quark taking a flying leap onto their bed in the morning or just by a cold tongue covering their entire face.

Kelli

 

[ina/puusty]

Fun to read these 'ways of arranging their people'..in each story. I love to imagine the various situations you have each covered. Thanks much, ina n HB

 

[Chad]

WoW, I am have enjoyed reading these stories if anyone else has some additional stories feel free to post them. I dont think Aristotle would ever be aggressive but it is some what reassuring to know he would defend me or our home if he perceived danger.

 

[kmmand]

Bison, I think, used to be my dog, but after a month on the river, he has bonded to my husband. It makes me sad, but I plan to steal him back when they come home in November . My protection story happened this weekend in S. Dakota. I was sitting near the camp, holding Bison's leash, and he was laying at my feet. There were two tourists sitting near me and we were chatting together a bit. An old drunk fellow came stumbling along and hollered something at one of the L&C guys, who ended up giving the old fellow a dollar. Then the guy came up to the two tourists and hollered "What's your damn name" at them. They had a bit of an exchange, polite on the tourist's part and not so much on the drunk man's part. The drunk man turned toward me. I was fully prepared for him, but Bison, who was laying between me and the man, sat up and looked at him. The fellow swerved away in a different direction. Bison made no noise, but simply sat up. I think he was just letting the guy know that he was not wanted. What a good fuzz faced boy!

Kathy

 

[ina/puusty]

Right on Bison!

ina n HB

 

[dovewit]

ah, now THAT'S the kind of protection I want! kind, strong, definite, but in no hurry to prove his worth! until necessary!

diaen & kai

 

[Liz]

Troy bounces back and forth with Bob and me. It seems to make a difference as to who's spending the most time with him. If Bob goes home at lunch more often one week, then he's the favorite, if I do, it's me. Bob is definitely his favorite to play with (he'll play alot rougher than I will), but love time is spent pretty much equally.

 

[kzdz]

The only "protection" moment was a couple years ago when DH came in the house late at night decked out in all his camo gear (including mosquito netting and hat). I was on the computer in his office and Morgan was laying in the doorway. Every step he took closer on the stairway, Morgan would bark once. But once he took off his "mask" she was fine.

Morgan also apparently thought one of my Mom's horses was getting too frisky and close to Quark when he was little, so she jumped up and nipped the horse on the nose. My next ride on that horse, I got tossed off - Thanks Morgan.

Quark, on the other hand, I just can't see protecting me (or Morgan) from anything. He's a big pile of floppy wuss. Anything he deems threatening, he either hides behind me, or runs to his crate.

Kelli

 

[roisinbutler]

Ozzy is definitely MY BOY. He loves his dad dearly and infact most everyone he meets. If he DOESN"T then I know something is wrong with that person, its only happened twice and I followed his lead. He is such a velcro newf, by my side every waking minute, that means he tries to squeeze into our teeny bathroom with me, which is quite comical.
As for protection, I have no doubt in my mind Ozzy would protect his family with his life. Once a poor pizza delivery guy came to our house by mistake. It was past 11pm, and we had just gone to bed when Ozzy sprang up hair rising and growling and bolted to the back door. He started barking and howling and spitting and I think the windows shook. I flipped on the porch light and in the path was a terrified Dominoes guy, feet frozen to the ground. I said wrong house and he dove back to his car. Poor guy! Once at the park he went rigid and his hair rose and out of the woods emerged a single man with no dog, pretty unusual for a rainy wednesday morning at the dog park( which is actually acres and acres of conservation land most used to walk dogs and ride horses). Ozzy started to growl and so we walked back to the car park, Ozzy turned back every 10 feet or so to check on this man, still very watchful and hair up. By the time I had him loaded in the truck, the man appeared in the parking lot, Ozzy started to growl and bark and hit his muzzle on the window a few times. I drove off and he didn't settle down until we were a mile or so away. HE has never acted like this again, is NEVER aggressive, so I think this guy was definitely shady.

 

[Chad]

Good boy Ozzy Pie! LMAO keep posting everyone these are great stories.

 

[dbradley]

Mama's girl all the way! As for protection, she would tear apart anyone who tried to hurt us. I know it.

As others have said, situation that make her worried for us come few and far between. ONce as a pup we were walking the street around the lake at night and all of a sudden she wouldn't move, just stood at attention and looked across the lake. I finally realized after about 2 or 3 minutes that there was a man acting strangely on the other side. ONce I told her i saw him she moved on but kept looking over at him.

Another time at an on leash dog park i was talking to a man that I see regularly who walks three huskies. I had my daughter and my little cousin with me. Moya started barking and growling at the three dogs...i think she felt that so many together was threatening.

The only other time was this summer and I wrote about it here. She ran across my street before Iknew what was happening, barking and growling. A man who was definitely shady stopped my neighbor's 20 year old son who was mowing the lawn at the time and was askig how to get somewhere. She ran to my neighbor's son, who she has never met, stood next to him all atention on the shady character and barked and growled until the man walked away. She was clearly protecting my neighbor's son. As she ran to him I yelled across that she was friendly (thinking he would be scar3d of the 100 pound growling dog coming at him) and she let him hold her collar during the whole thing. Now that is something I think, protecting someone she has never met.