Thinking about getting a Newfie in the near future

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Broseph080

New member
Hello, I am a college student and have always been fascinated about owning a Newfie ever since i was about 5 years old. Ive always researched the ins and outs, and the pros and cons. But now my dream is creeping towards a reality. I know they can be time consuming but i have a roommate who is more than willing to help out. I live in Kansas and was wondering if you have any insider tips I should know about? and what is to hot for a Newfie? 70 degrees F?
 
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wrknnwf

Active member
If you are near the Kansas City area, our Regional Newf Club (Heart of America Newfoundland Club - HANC and Heart of America Newfoundland Rescue - HANR) is based here. We would love to have you come to some of our events and see the dogs for yourself and how they do.

Our first event for the year is the Snake Saturday parade in North Kansas City on Mar. 12th where we will participate in the parade and have a meeting afterwards at a club member's home. Everyone is welcome to attend. On May 15th we will hold our club's annual picnic near Lake Jocomo in Missouri. It's a great place to meet other Newf owners and their dogs. Please come!

We are also planning some informal dog walks this spring, but don't have dates set yet. Send me a PM if you're interested in any of these events and I'll send you our preliminary calendar or just keep you updated as more events are scheduled. We have club members at all levels of Newf ownership, from pet owners to working dog enthusiasts and up.

As for tips, my only one for now is...remember that we live in a puppy mill state. Be very careful of who you get your dog from. Also, consider rescuing a Newf. While we don't get many rescues, they are often the best way to go for a new owner.
 
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Brandie&Maggie

Brandie&Maggie

New member
Welcome!

Everything Jane said.

My biggest concerns for you getting a newf as a college student are the time and honestly the cost involved. Vet bills and food bills are very very expensive. You'll want to budget for pet insurance as well. I know I could not have managed that in college or even for a few years after. Even with pet insurance our first newf cost over $150/mo to feed and at least $1k a year in vet bills. Can you afford to get the dog groomed ($100 a month or so)? Or invest in the tools to do it yourself?

Also, newfs like to be with people. As a student I would not have been home enough, even with a roommate, to manage any dog. Especially a newf that can be clingy. And I was not the type to go out a lot.

Finally, if you don't know where you are going to be after college, that can be tricky. You'd probably be moving? And renting a house or apartment somewhere. It's hard to find places to allow dogs. Especially big slobbery hairy dogs. I'd hate for you to have to give up a dog because you can't find a place to live with it.

Newfs are awesome and amazing dogs. And worth the wait. I would definitely encourage you to get involved with local stuff, contact some breeders and rescues, and continue to do your research. I'm not trying to discourage you, but owing any dog as a student is tough. I can't imagine doing it with a newf. I'm glad we waiting until we bought a house and had steady jobs. :)

Stick around. You'll learn a lot. And whatever you decide, good luck!!!
 
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Darwinsnewfie@1855

New member
Brandi and Maggie gave great advice. I just got my first Newf 4 months ago and even tho it was not my first dog, I still was not fully aware of the responsibility. However, I am fortunate enough to be a stay at home mom with a great husband who provides all of the financial support needed to raise a puppy. Here's my example, Ella's insurance cost 77.00 a month, her food cost 100.00 a month, the vitamins required by her breeder are 60.00 a month, my last grooming bill was 100.00 and that does not cover treats, toys, crates, collars, leashes, vaccines and not to mention the cost of replacing anything that gets destroyed in the wonderful phase of puppyhood. Honestly, it's not just the money, you will probably learn about opportunity cost in college. The amount of time it's takes to properly care for one of these dogs is equal to having a full time job. Your social life and the amount of time you have to study will suffer. On the flip side, it's extremely rewarding and Ella has greatly improved my life. The more time I put in taking care of and training her, the better it gets. I don't want to totally discourage you from owning a Newf. I just wanted to share my own experience of how I underestimated the glorious opportunity to own and raise a Newf puppy.
 
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wrknnwf

Active member
I agree with the above posters, but everyone's mileage varies.

I do my own grooming, food costs me $35.00 per month for one adult dog (Taste of the Wild 15lb bag (pups do require much more)) and I currently haven't had major vet bills with this dog. And I don't have insurance for him, but do have a credit card for overwhelming emergencies.

But it's certainly worth looking into costs in your area. Costs around here are usually cheaper. You definitely need all the puppy shots and food will be expensive for about a year. Another good reason to consider a rescue dog.

But if you long for a pup, your best bet is to start a savings account for the dog or keep a credit card just for any dog emergency expense or get insurance on him. The rest is doable, I think. You just change your priorities and put the dog at the top. If you're committed to him, you can do it.

Edited to add: I totally regret not having a Newf when I was young, but then I am/was highly committed to all the dogs I've had. It's work, yes, but you can't imagine the reward.
 
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Broseph080

New member
Thank you for all the input! I have created a budget for expenses and i have 40 a month for food, 20 a month (average) for vaccines, 20 a month for extras, 25 a month for vitamins, 40 a month for insurance, and 10 a month for grooming. I would groom my own dog each and every day. I am also not to worried about time because i usually only have 1 really long day. and i usually have a couple hour breaks in-between most classes. Thoughts?
 
Jeannie

Jeannie

Super Moderator
I am a groomer and believe me $10 a month will get your dog groomed once a year. You can do it yourself. It is best to comb daily. Now what you need: brush, greyhound comb that is course/med, 18 blade double wide Mars Coat King with extra blades, Scissors for trimming, thinning shears for grooming, small shears to get the hairs out of the paws. A K9 III high velocity dryer to not only dry your dog but to use in between baths to blow dirt and dead coat out. A grooming table because you don't want to sit on the floor every day to groom.

You have budgeted $155 for the care of your newf. What happens if the dog gets sick and you have a $500 or more vet bill that your insurance won't cover? Say your insurance does not cover a torn ACL. That surgery alone is $3-4000. The recovery time is 3 months where you will have extra time caring for your dog. Not saying these things will happen but it is good to expect the unexpected.

My Chase has allergies. One medication she gets is $1.60 per pill and she get 3 daily. That is $144 a month....

A dog is a BIG commitment. You need to remember to spend lots of time with your dog. Time that will take away from studies, dating and other free time a collage student has. I know when I was in college I could not have kept a dog.

If you are truly committed and are willing to go that extra mile for your dog then do it.
 
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Angela

Angela

Super Moderator
In addition to all the thoughts above I think the initial cost of the dog needs to be considered as they range from $2,000 to $2,500 from a reputable breeder and please beware of "breeders" who advertise different prices for different colours, eg grey and white, brown and white, and also watch out for "breeders" who sell for cheaper prices.
 
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Darwinsnewfie@1855

New member
Angela brings up a good point. Something else to expect is to be on a waiting list for a quality Newf from the right breeder. My mom is on a waiting list and was told it would be almost a year. She was even required to install a fence around her property before bringing home the puppy. This is not uncommon for breeders to require fencing. Some breeders might be reluctant to sell you a dog if they think you can't afford the expenses. From my recent experience, 2500.00 is the going rate. However, going on a wait list might be good in your situation. It would give you some time to save up, attend some dog shows and get familiar with the Newf community. Did you look into joining any of the Newf clubs? I applied to New Pen Del and hope my membership gets accepted. I have so much to learn as a newbie Newf owner. I am hoping to get involved with volunteer work and learn more about the breed. I wish you the best of luck. I find it really impressive that you are so passionate about getting a Newf. At your age all I wanted to do was hang out with my friends and chase boys. So, it's good to hear that you have better interests than I did when I was in college. Keep us posted on your search. There are some very experienced Newf owners and breeders on this site who can offer you great advice.
 
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shellyk

shellyk

New member
My daughter wanted a dog while in University also. All her friends did too. She's two years out now and she has two dogs and a cat. She loves them but what she mentions most is how they tie her down - she can't just go away last minute for the weekend unless they go with her. Flying home for the holidays involves more expenses. Finding a dog sitter or kennel is an added expense to all travel! Doing this with a puppy is even harder. Doing it with a 100+ pound dog...

I am totally not trying to talk you out of it but I have had many emails from my daughter about wanting to go somewhere but not being able to find a pet sitter... tying yourself down while at University...
 
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Broseph080

New member
Yeah I understand and have taken account of all those good points you guys address. But I feel like I'm in a good situation because I go to my hometown university. I know i wouldn't have a problem finding a sitter for me. I know of one breeder who'd watch my newfie at any point and time. Im also looking forward to the time that I'll spend with him, a lot of time actually. thats the kind of thing i look for in a dog.
 
shellyk

shellyk

New member
I forgot one more thing that I told someone who recently was asking about getting a Newf...they happened to be in my home and saw 300+ pounds of my 3 black dogs in the kitchen. I told him the joke about dog hair being a condiment in our house but then told the guy that in all seriousness that if he couldn't handle finding a dog hair in his butter dish then he didn't want a Newf. He and his girlfriend ended up getting a German Sheppard.

It hope that you find a Newf because it sounds like you will give that puppy a good home.
 
Finny

Finny

New member
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shellyk said:
I forgot one more thing that I told someone who recently was asking about getting a Newf...they happened to be in my home and saw 300+ pounds of my 3 black dogs in the kitchen. I told him the joke about dog hair being a condiment in our house but then told the guy that in all seriousness that if he couldn't handle finding a dog hair in his butter dish then he didn't want a Newf. He and his girlfriend ended up getting a German Sheppard.
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Ha. I hope he liked his hair condiment. GSD's unquestionably shed more than newfs. Far far more.

Still, they both shed enough to nicely decorate any butter dish. The bigger issue is newfs and GSD's are so very different in their needs and temperament. Hopefully in the end he ended up with the one that was actually a good fit.
 
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shellyk

shellyk

New member
Finny said:
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Ha. I hope he liked his hair condiment. GSD's unquestionably shed more than newfs. Far far more.

Still, they both shed enough to nicely decorate any butter dish. The bigger issue is newfs and GSD's are so very different in their needs and temperament. Hopefully in the end he ended up with the one that was actually a good fit.
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I think he wanted a dog that he could take running and hunting so maybe a GSD better suited him.
 
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