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Training a
Newfoundland can be very rewarding because this
large, calm dog is very intelligent and loyal.
However, a few things about the breed should be
considered, as you raise your young pet.
Newfoundlands can be very sensitive, especially to
the harsh tone of a voice, so training should be
done in a very calm way. You may want to get your
Newfoundland puppy into a “puppy kindergarten” so
that it gets off on the right foot. Just make sure
the sessions are aimed at very young dogs and not
adults.
The Newfoundland puppy probably will not have the
attention span necessary for classes aimed at adult
dogs. Because of their size and strength,
training an adult Newfoundland can be quite
challenging. Having your new pet in an obedience
class, with other puppies around, may make a great
deal of difference in the results. Your dog will
probably love having other young dogs around. With
this in mind, you and your new pet should benefit
from receiving the basics very early.
Newfoundlands usually
do not need to be taught to jump up on people. Their
size and calm manner generally keep this from
happening, so you may not have to worry about this
large dog knocking someone over by jumping. In fact,
some owners are amazed at how careful and gentle the
Newfoundland is around children and smaller
individuals. The dog often seems to adjust to its
surroundings as well as any breed.
Remember that the Newfoundland is a working dog and
will be at its best when asked to take on a
challenge that will please you. Some owners even put
the Newfoundland to “work” by rigging their grown
Newfoundland to a small cart that can pull young
children around. Your pet will actually enjoy being
involved. Another way that some Newfoundland owners
get their pet involved is by having them carry a
reasonable-sized pack on camping trips.
Your Newfoundland will take on this task easily,
though some warn that belongings can get wet when
the dog finds a nice pond or lake in which to jump.
They do love water, so be careful to keep your pet
on a leash when around water. Many owners have found
that some of the “training” for their Newfoundland
simply involves getting them involved in family
activities. This breed is very sociable, fitting
nicely into your lifestyle.
Newfoundland owners and Newfoundland clubs often
organize activity designed to show the skills that
are natural to the breed. Keep in mind that the
atmosphere at many of these meets is not as
competitive as with many other breeds, because the
exercises are meant to highlight the natural ability
of the dog. For example, in water tests, the
exercise is meant to show teamwork between the dog
and its owner or handler.
The Newfoundland Club of America has even
established water test standards for measuring the
teamwork and performance with this wonderful breed.
In some areas, the “draft” test is quite popular.
With this, the Newfoundland is asked to demonstrate
its natural abilities in pulling a wheeled cart or
some similar task. Again, this is meant to highlight
the dog’s natural ability since it has been a
working dog for many, many years. You may want to
talk to a professional trainer in this area if you
are interested in such exercises.
As for housebreaking any new pet, there are a lot of
theories and ideas. Many dogs of this breed actually
work quite well. There are a few ideas that you may
want to try with your Newfoundland. In any case, it
is always best to show your dog the one place that
is considered the “toilet” so it will use this
whenever possible. You should always keep a close
watch on the pet’s water intake and make sure that
meals are given at the same time. In every area of
training the Newfoundland, it is very important to
be calm and consistent.
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