(updated with pics) We got a 140 lb dog saturday

[brokenangel]

I found this 5 yr old female Newfoundland on Craigslist saturday, a couple saved her from going to the pound but couldn't keep her. She is so loving and sweet, we call her a leaner because anyone she encounters she leans on them to show her love. She weighs about 140lbs from what we can tell, we are taking her to the vet later this week.

Anyone have a dog this big and if so do you give them something like Glucosamine for dogs? I can tell that she is kinda stiff in the legs after sleeping, hate for her to be in pain. What kind of dog food is good for larger breeds? and last but not least.... FLEAS. she doesnt have any but I would hate for her to pick them up then give them to our 4 inside cats, I will keep frontline on her but what about the yard. Someone told me to go buy a big box of cheap laundry soap and spread it on my yard, anyone ever try this?

Any insight on these questions or the breed would be apriciated, thank you.

[justusgals]

congrats on the new addition, i have owned great danes for years so i can help a bit. as i only have great dane info, not newfoundland info, look up a breed website or the breed rescue site for more specific breed info. that is where i get all my info and i find them a great resource.

as far as stiffness, a dog that size and that age will have it, i had a prescription for my older dog (no longer with us) but it wasnt very expensive at all, i think it was an anti-inflamatory and i think it was only about 20 a month.

i use the frontline drops (the kind that you put down the middle of the dogs back) and have never had a problem with fleas.

as far as food, here is where the breed website comes in, it isnt the brand so much as the protein and fat percent and age of the dogs, i know you have to keep a great danes protein at 20% or under (according to breed sites anyway) and because danes are subject to bloating, not sure if newfoundlands are, keep away from rawhide and soy.


I found this 5 yr old female Newfoundland on Craigslist saturday, a couple saved her from going to the pound but couldn't keep her. She is so loving and sweet, we call her a leaner because anyone she encounters she leans on them to show her love. She weighs about 140lbs from what we can tell, we are taking her to the vet later this week.

Anyone have a dog this big and if so do you give them something like Glucosamine for dogs? I can tell that she is kinda stiff in the legs after sleeping, hate for her to be in pain. What kind of dog food is good for larger breeds? and last but not least.... FLEAS. she doesnt have any but I would hate for her to pick them up then give them to our 4 inside cats, I will keep frontline on her but what about the yard. Someone told me to go buy a big box of cheap laundry soap and spread it on my yard, anyone ever try this?

Any insight on these questions or the breed would be apriciated, thank you.

[oceanbreeze]

Congrats!

I don't own a huge dog but used to walk a friend's 135pd black lab- big dogs can be total sweethearts. She was a leaner too!!

Your vet can tell you what is best for flea treatments.

When i babysat miss Gracie dog, she was eating the Purina Fit & trim... I'd also picked up a couple sample packs of Dad's for large breeds & she would gobble that stuff down in a heartbeat.

There are really good powdered joint suppliments you can ask your vet for them, we used to give it to our Pug ( i forget the name of the product) but it was expensive. It seemed to work better than the store brands though.

Good luck with your new doggie! is there any chance you might post a picture of the new addition to your family??

[cpaige]

Can't help you with your questions, but I wanted to say that I wish there were more people like you!! So many people always want to get puppies that the older dogs get pushed aside!! It is so wonderful to see that you took in a 5 year old mini moose!! LOL Congrats to you and your family, and I hope (and know) that she will bring you all tons of joy and happiness!!!! Good luck with her, and enjoy her!!!

[momof2inohio]

Aww congrats and good for you for giving this dog a new home:smile: I have 2 shelter dogs and they are wonderful! One of them is a doberman. We feed both of our dogs healthwise lamb and rice dog food. Our doberman had some digestive problems so our vet recommended this food and it has really helped. As far as the flea meds, we have used front line and k9 advantix. Both have worked great and our dogs have never had fleas. I wouldnt worry about treating your yard as long as you put the flea preventative on your dog. My doberman is starting to have some joint pain, he is going to the vet next week and I am going to see if the vet can put him on something.

[Merczilla]

We have Saint Bernards....at the moment there's 5 of them in the front yard. lol One is a stray I found Friday, but I believe I've tracked down the owner, so I think he may go home tonight when they get home from work. I've always liked Newfies too.

We use Nutro lamb and rice formulas. Seems to be less hard on the tummies. I avoid any'all foods that have corn in them. I have a jar of MSM from Animal Health in Eugene, Oregon that can be sprinkled on the food. It's came with one of the dogs when I got her. It's got pictures of horses on it, so is most likely in the horse section, though it does have directions for dogs and cats on it.

Our old gal who is almost 11 (had a vet tell me that he'd never seen a Saint make it to 13, when I brought a 12 year old in for a check), is getting really stiff in the rear end. Saints are "famous" for that. They are also notorious for hip problems.

We don't have fleas up here, so can't help with that.

[petsrule]

I have a saint Bernard mom and pups and they are sweet yes you can give them glucosmine and a lot of different treats have it to I have to buy these brreders choice joint treats for my cat spunky who I took in as a stray who has arthritis and they help him a lot and when he is in a lot of pain he can have a baby aspirin every 3 days but he's only about 15 lbs so probably more for yor dog ask your vet

[paisleypark20]

There is a product out for dogs and cats called Glycoflex. My dogs was on it for years and it DOES work for joint/arthritis problems. As long as you keep them on a routine you will notice a difference. I have sworn by this stuff for years. It is pricey....about $60.00 for a 90 day supply on 1-800 petmeds site but WELL worth the expense. FYI...my dog started having problems at around age 6 (vet said this is normal for his breed) he has always been on Glycoflex 2.

[wealthybarney]

Congrats! What a special, loving addition. Perfect for your son. S.

[meems]

LOL @ the "leaner" description, I have one of those!

Newfies have such a wonderful temperament, congratualtions & bless you!

[brokenangel]

Thanks to everyone with the suggestions, I am definatly asking the vet these same questions.

Abby is wonderful, we still havent heard her bark, I think that can be a good thing. Took her to the dog park, there weren't any dogs there so we didn't get to see her interact. She and my hubby were running around chasing each other. Couple of kids I tell ya. lol

Wealthy, my son isn't much of a animal person. He feeds, waters and lets them out but thats about it. My oldest daughter has a new friend though, maybe its because they are the same weight and all.... lol. Abby needs leash trained though, she is tooo strong for me and my daughter to walk her. She doesnt run when off of it but with the leash laws and all....

I will post a pic of her and my 4 kitties later tonight or tomorrow... cats have finally warmed up to her. Abby loves them, whines at them because she wants to play with them and they run from her. I think she knows her size so she is extremely careful in the house.

[snafu4me]

we do too :giggle2: a great dane that recently adopted us, we call her our dog pony :hysterical:

LOL @ the "leaner" description, I have one of those!

[SEsterly13]

Congratulations! I have much respect for you not only because you adopted an "old" dog but because you got an enormous one! As the owner of a St. Bernard/German Shepard mix that *only* weighs 115 pounds, I can understand issues surrounding the dog's size and strength. Getting a Halti helped teach my big dog how to walk on a leash, and he is now easier to walk than my 35 pound Pitbull (who is so sweet and SO strong!) The only thing I'll add to what the other wonderful posters mentioned is that it is really important to stay on top of the preventative meds that keep heartworms and such away. My vet told me that for a dog this size, medication(s) to treat the dog can break the bank! Oh, and someone also mentioned bloat. I don't know if certain dogs are more suseptible to bloat, but my large dog eats 4 cups of food per day. He used to gobble it up as quickly as possible, so we were told to feed him twice per day to avoid bloat (which can kill a dog).

Best of luck to you, and again, congratulations! Please post pics when you get a chance! :smile:

[cbbi]

Congrats on the new newf! Tons of info from fellow newfie lovers can be found on newf.net Our 2 year old newfoundland is named Bridger. The kids sleep on him in the living room like he is a giant throw pillow and he loves them like he is their caretaker. Since we live in the south we have to keep our newf indoors - it's like having a horse in the house (and so worth it!). We totally agree with all that has been recommended here - food low in protein (we use Blue at 17% protein), a halti or gentle leader for walking (puts you in control of the big dog). Be sure the kids don't try to ride, sit or push down on the back end of the newf - hip problems are the #1 concern. Also newfs are incredibly smart dogs and they are working dogs. They will learn tricks very quickly. My 10 year old daughter is training ours to be a therapy dog. Comb out the coat every evening to avoid matting (we find the Mars Coat King is amazing for taking care of the undercoat). How awesome you are for taking in a big dog. Thank you.

[SEsterly13]

Oh my goodness! She looks so sweet! I just want to hug her! Thank you for posting pictures!

[PeachySteph]

OMG A NEWFOUNDLAND DOG?! I looooooove those and you cannot find them ANYWHERE around here. :sad: (i was born in newfoundland btw).
They are the sweetest dogs you'll ever meet! You are in for a treat!
There are many dog treats out there with suppliments for joints, as far as dog food goes... I'm not 100% sure. I'd go with large breed until you can get advice from a vet.
:BigHand: congrats on finding such an amazing animal! They're like giant teddy bears!


I found this 5 yr old female Newfoundland on Craigslist saturday, a couple saved her from going to the pound but couldn't keep her. She is so loving and sweet, we call her a leaner because anyone she encounters she leans on them to show her love. She weighs about 140lbs from what we can tell, we are taking her to the vet later this week.

Anyone have a dog this big and if so do you give them something like Glucosamine for dogs? I can tell that she is kinda stiff in the legs after sleeping, hate for her to be in pain. What kind of dog food is good for larger breeds? and last but not least.... FLEAS. she doesnt have any but I would hate for her to pick them up then give them to our 4 inside cats, I will keep frontline on her but what about the yard. Someone told me to go buy a big box of cheap laundry soap and spread it on my yard, anyone ever try this?

Any insight on these questions or the breed would be apriciated, thank you.

[TBEventer2002]

Congrats on the new newf! Tons of info from fellow newfie lovers can be found on newf.net Our 2 year old newfoundland is named Bridger. The kids sleep on him in the living room like he is a giant throw pillow and he loves them like he is their caretaker. Since we live in the south we have to keep our newf indoors - it's like having a horse in the house (and so worth it!). We totally agree with all that has been recommended here - food low in protein (we use Blue at 17% protein), a halti or gentle leader for walking (puts you in control of the big dog). Be sure the kids don't try to ride, sit or push down on the back end of the newf - hip problems are the #1 concern. Also newfs are incredibly smart dogs and they are working dogs. They will learn tricks very quickly. My 10 year old daughter is training ours to be a therapy dog. Comb out the coat every evening to avoid matting (we find the Mars Coat King is amazing for taking care of the undercoat). How awesome you are for taking in a big dog. Thank you.

Just wanted to quote this to bring it to attention. What fabulous advice!!! :BigHand:

The few Newfies we have come through our office have all had either a knee surgery or an elbow surgery before the age of 6. It is so crucial to keep their weight in control! If you can, stop by your vet's office on a regular basis (every 6-8 weeks or so) and just plunk your girl on the scale to keep an eye on her weight. You don't want it to get out of control before you notice a problem!

Your vet will be the ultimate reference on how to care properly for your new girl. Good luck, and have fun! :wavehi:

[PennyRewards]

Oh, I love Newfies! Congrats!

[maggiew]

Congrats! She is lovely!!

[paisleypark20]

Oh my goodness!! What a beautiful dog!!

[seige7]

Newfies have to be some of my all time favorite dogs. Honie Bear was my first one. She passed away at 14 (long life for a Newfie). Yours appears to be a Landseer Newfoundland.

Here are a few things I can tell you: I agree that you should feed a premium dog food, one without any form of corn. Dogs, like humans, don't digest corn well. It makes them poop more, which, with a big dog, you don't want...hahahha.

Also, Newfs are subject to bloat. It has something to do with being barrel chested, so you need to do some research on bloat for dogs so that you know how long before/after exercising you should feed your new pet. Bloat can kill your animal as it some how twists the stomach. Check the internet for more info.

As far as stiffness, my vet recomends glucosamine (sp)/condroyton (sp) (sorry, spelling isn't my thing). In fact, she told me that I should buy it from Costco because it has the same ingredients as what she sells, but for much less. (Great vet who tells you how to save $$$) She also said that I should split it up and give half in the morning and half at night in her food. Start with the minimum dosage then add more if needed. Weight also contributes to their hip problems. Some people like to keep Newfies heavy because they look so much like teddy bears, but you have to exercise them and keep them at a healthy weight (which your vet should be able to suggest) to stay off the deterioration of their hips for as long as possible.

Honie Bear was only 5 when I had to have her knee replaced. It was more a genetic (birth?) defect. It cost me over $2,500!!!! I HIGHLY suggest that you get pet health insurance for your "baby". It will save you so much later!

Brush her everyday. You really need to get to the undercoat (the baby fine hair under the coat you usually see) to keep it from tangling or matting. When it comes to their feet, check them everyday for anything that might get stuck between the toes, both under the paw and on top. You'd be surprised at what gets caught in there that ends up hurting them when they walk.

When you bathe her, remember that it takes almost of full day for them to completely dry. You'll want to wait for a sunny morning (because how long it takes for them to dry) or use a blow dryer and brush to lift the coat and dry the undercoat first. That's the part that takes the longest to dry. If you just dry the overcoat, your poor dog will still be wet when she goes to sleep. Not comfortable.

Hmmm, that's all I can think of for now. They are some of the best dogs ever. The can be very protective, but use their bodies to block any intruder from getting to their family more so than trying to attack the intruder.

I miss my Honie Bear everyday. I hope to be as lucky as you someday and find another Newfie to (not take her place, as that will never happen) join my family.

Enjoy,
CJ :)

[oceanbreeze]

she's gorgeous!!

[olla86]

I found this 5 yr old female Newfoundland on Craigslist saturday, a couple saved her from going to the pound but couldn't keep her. She is so loving and sweet, we call her a leaner because anyone she encounters she leans on them to show her love. She weighs about 140lbs from what we can tell, we are taking her to the vet later this week.

Anyone have a dog this big and if so do you give them something like Glucosamine for dogs? I can tell that she is kinda stiff in the legs after sleeping, hate for her to be in pain. What kind of dog food is good for larger breeds? and last but not least.... FLEAS. she doesnt have any but I would hate for her to pick them up then give them to our 4 inside cats, I will keep frontline on her but what about the yard. Someone told me to go buy a big box of cheap laundry soap and spread it on my yard, anyone ever try this?



Any insight on these questions or the breed would be apriciated, thank you.

We have a big dog but we doesn't gave him any medicine or something like that, only balanced meal:shrug7: