The Newfoundland-Poodle mix is an exceptional combination of dog

WHEN THINKING ABOUT WHETHER THIS MIX IS A RIGHT FIT FOR YOU: This is the BEST Newfoundland Mix! IMHO

I like giant dogs, but I learned with Axel, my Great Pyrenees mix, things became more difficult when he knew he was bigger and stronger than me, especially on the ice and if moose were involved. I wanted a large dog, but one with a better track record for "trainability" and human affinity than a Livestock Guardian Dog. Enter the Newfoundland: Giant. Gentle. Lots of fur. Lots of slobber. Wait!

I like poodles. I like how playful they are. I like how they move. I like how they engage with their people and their environment. I like that they are "soft" dogs with a sweet mildness behind all that energy. Plus, no excessive slobber. No, or very little, shedding. High trainability. Good size for the average family or active individual.

Newfypoos mature a little more quickly than an average doodle. They need exercise and mental stimulation throughout the day when they are pups, but, depending on their personality and how much poodle they have in them, they require less exercise than a labradoodle or a bernedoodle. They drool way less than a Newfoundland. I haven't had to put a bib on my dogs and I don't find slobber on the walls when they shake their heads. My dogs have tight mouths and tight eyes. Their size is really great too. The first week together, Amira looked up at me with clear and eager eyes that essentially said "train me." I couldn't believe it! A dream come true! A dog that wants to connect and be trained! I think you will find your Perfect Pup eager and happy to engage with you as well.

Trainability:

Amira's puppies are very trainable. Newfypoos, in general, train up quickly. If Perfect Pup principles are applied, they are mellow and manageable, for being puppies. They are athletic, but can handle lying around once they have a little exercise and mental stimulation. They are enthusiastic. They like to be around their people; like many (but not all) dog breeds. Some of the most fun we have is playing "search" for toys around the house and various treats that are hidden and recovered. They love to fetch and to tug, and to play in general. They love a good game of keep away and love to be chased. My neighbors must think me crazy to be out in the backyard at all times of the day and in all temperatures running around with my dogs. Relationship building is so fun with these guys.

Newfypoos make great working dogs as well. They are so eager to please and have incredible potential for tracking, nose work, and various dog sports. They can be "soft" dogs so it depends on the individual personality of the dog. Amira has a great nose, and Bianca's is even better. If I put the time in, I am sure that we could have made a great tracking team.

Poodles are bird dogs. Labradors came through Newfoundlands. By adding in a poodle to a Newfoundland, you get the great qualities of a lab but not all of the constant excessive shedding, and ultimately a healthier dog that matures out much faster than a lab. Another important job that I foresee for some Newfypoos is being exceptional therapy and service dogs. As they become more common, I think we will see this more and more. Not all dog personalities are fit for this kind of work, but there is a sweet and gentle nature to a Newfypoo that is conducive to service work even if that is not their official training. Just ask a Newfypoo owner; we LOVE our newfypoos!

Terminology:

F1: This is referring to a first generation cross, in this case, between a Newfoundland and a Poodle.

F2: Both parents are F1 crosses.

F1b: The Newfypoos that are from one parent that is half Newfoundland and half Poodle with the other parent either being full Standard Poodle or Newfoundland.

F2b: Both parents are F1s

Hair:

Newfypoos have a variety of coats, just like any mixed breed dog. It all depends on the genetics they receive from the greater gene pool. I will say, Newfypoos have a very thick soft coat, and mine are warm pretty much all the time. Amira's coat is really nice. I hardly vacuum dog hair for 8 months out of the year. Plus, her coat is self cleaning. When she does shed for the Summer, it is very manageable. If I brush her regularly it promotes healthy shedding so her coat can clear out before regenerating for the next winter season. We have encountered people who have met her and stated that she doesn't trigger their allergies like dogs normally do, so there is something different about the quality of her fur, even though she does shed. Most Newfypoos will need to be combed out regularly and have a regular bath and shave or trim. Their hair, usually, continuously grows.

Being groomed by a human is not a natural phenomenon for a dog, so we start the pups young with exposure to the grooming tools and the feeling of being groomed. It takes gentle care to develop a life-long trusting relationship so that they enjoy the grooming process and aren't stressed out by it like most dogs when they are groomed. We start trimming nails at just a few days old so that they are used to it. Sherman has an ideal coat for a doodle. He has soft smooth hair that continuously grows. It is a single coat that doesn't shed. It is a gorgeous coat. I am pretty sure lots of his puppies carry those nice genetics.

Color:

Poodles are interesting. They come in an incredible variety of colors. Amira's mom was half poodle and considered Silver Beige. Amira started out solid brown with white points on her feet and chest (a Newfoundland trait). The puppy coat began to fade within a couple months of having her, and then her guard hairs grew in a deep chocolate brown. However, as you can see from her pictures; her undercoat is a Silver Beige color. Sherman is considered a parti or landseer Newfypoo. Newfoundlands have a slightly more limited genetic variety as far as color. The come in Brown, Black, and Lilac. Lilac or Isabella is a silver coloring that comes from two recessive genes on the D locus. Amira carries this Dd on the D locus and that is why 5 out of their 15 puppies have been Silver, or Isabella. A Landseer is a Newfoundland that also has white markings. Sherman is considered a black dog, but is a brown carrier. Both Sherman and Amira have fading genes. This means that their pups will change color over the coming months and years as their color fades to a lighter tone. This is highly variable from puppy to puppy.

COLD WEATHER SNOW-DOGS?

My dogs LOVE the snow! They love hanging outside when the temperatures drop. 8 months of winter is dreamy for them. Newfydoodles do great in the cold temperatures of Anchorage, Alaska, as long as proper precautions are taken. Some need to wear booties in the snow, even though I was told by a veterinarian friend that dogs can't get frostbite; It helps prevent ice from forming and balling up, affecting their gait and making it uncomfortable to walk. Dogs sweat through their feet, so that warmth and moisture creates snow balls between the pads of dogs who have furry feet. I shave out the paw pads so they don't have so many pupcicles in their pads on the warmer, cold winter days. They are also pretty good at pulling out the ice balls themselves, especially when they have big feet with bigger spaces between the pads. Their fur will have varied tolerance to different snow temperatures. Very warm, fluffly snow will ball up and stick to any fluffy coated dog. Doodles have a lot of fluff, but, every coat is different. After they mature and no longer have their puppy coat, then you will see what length their hair needs to be to enjoy adventuring in the snow. There are various types of high-tech snow-gear available, even full body suits if they have a very fine coat that snow clumps grow in easily.

One important note: doodle fluff doesn't shed water like a dog with a dual coat. They get soaked easily. This being said, once a doodle with a traditional doodle coat gets wet (thawed out pupcicles) they can get chilled really easily. This can be really dangerous in the cold temps of Alaska. If you are looking for a dog to do a lot of touring in deep snow with your dog in the winters, or a dog to do a lot of water adventures with in the cold temps, you might consider a version like Amira; one that has a more Newfoundland coat, (or a full newfoundland.)

Sherman: F2b Newfypoo

Dad is an F1b Newfypoo, Mom is an F1b Newfypoo

Amira: F1b Newfypoo

Dad is a Newfoundland. Mom is an F1 Newfypoo

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