Watercubs & Kivisilmän

working show-quality newfoundlands

Healthy mind, healthy body and a happy dog!

Working with a Newfoundland:

There are many different hobbies you can participate in with your Newfie: dogschool, obedience, agility, frisbee, draft and carting, hiking, conformation, waterwork, doggydancing etc…
 

How to find the right hobby?

As a rule of thumb, you should remember that any hobby you decide to participate in should be relaxing to both you and your dog. It should mesh well with your own personalities and bring something extra to your daily rhythms. There is no point in doing something that is stressful and which you don’t enjoy. If you don't like a hobby, switch immediately. We can guarantee that there is something better suited for you both amongst the many hobbies available.

You can have fun and participate in any hobby, and we encourage you to try as many different hobbies as possible so that you find the right one for you. But if you want to compete, remember that you are dealing with a Newfie. It is worth thinking about whether you can realistically train in that particular hobby to competition standards. The Newfie has been bred to be a massive, big boned, draft and waterdog. Its structure is not ideal for excessive jumping or quick, tight turns. As an example, the tight turns and high jumps in agility are too big of a strain on the Newfie’s structure. You can still participate in it and have fun, but you should do it in a facilitated form.

When working with a Newfoundland, remember that it is not a bordercollie or a german shepherd. A Newfie is very easy to train, but it requires a sense of humour and imagination from you. It is also important to remember that even though a Newfie does not react as fast as the dog next to it, the most important thing is that the dog always performs the task to the end.
 

How to train?

With a carrot or by force? There are many different training methods and it is important to identify what best suits you and your dog. We prefer to use softer training methods, which are based on motivation, not force. As a trainer you have to be strict, logical and know what you want, without being too demanding or forceful. A dog is unable to learn when it is under stress.
 

(c) Salmelin