Big Paws Only Dog Forums

If you've ever wanted to help Rescue, but didn't feel you could, now's your chance and it's FREE! See Instructions at the end of this post.

The Animal Rescue site and Petfinder are holding a $100,000 Shelter Challenge to award grants to various shelters and rescue organizations. Awards for a $25,000 Grand prize , $10,000 runner up, $1000 State prize and $1000 weekly prize are offered.

You may vote once per day until Dec. 14th. If each forum member votes for a different Newfoundland Rescue each day, it will increase their chances dramatically. Sign up for their daily reminder if you're like me and have senior moments! LOL

Only Rescues that are listed on Petfinder are included in the contest. So far, these are the Newfoundland Rescue organizations that I have been able to find using the search term "Newfoundland" (see below), but there may be others so check also for other Regional clubs or independent Rescues. Spread your love and generosity around! Remember, it's FREE and there is NO REGISTRATION! Vote from work and home!

Newfoundland Rescues:

Heart of America Newfoundland Rescue - MO

South Central Newfoundland Club Rescue - IN

Newfoundland Club of America Rescue - WI

Rocky Mountain Newfoundland Rescue - CO

With your help, these rescues could win at the state level, if not the grand prize or runner up. With today's economy, more and more Newfs are likely to be surrendered to rescue. We need your help now!

INSTRUCTIONS:

You can click to help animals at http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com, and then vote
for your favorite participating shelter. Clicking and voting are free, with no registration required. You can vote once every day during the Challenge,
which starts on September 29th and ends on December 14th at midnight. Visit http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com to learn more. It's free, and only takes a moment of your time. Thank you!
1. Click on (the big purple button) 'Click Here to Give' and be brought to next page (#2 below).
2. Click on "Vote Now" (at the top of the page or the large Shelter Challenge info box at the bottom) which takes you to the search page.
3. In the search box put in the shelter name and the state. Click Search.
4. Click on the Vote button once the name appears after the search.
5. Click the 'Confirm your Vote' after typing whatever animal you see (in lower case letters).
6. This last page will tell you your vote has been counted.

You'll also be helping to feed a rescue pet by clicking on the first page! What a great gift to give for the holidays!

Thanks for your help!
______________ ____
Jane, Hugo, Piper...
and Yogi, waiting patiently just beyond.

Call the USDA and see if he is licensed through them. If so, they have juristiction and should be inspecting his premises. Make a complaint and they should follow up.

If not, get in touch with the closest Regional breed clubs for each breed.
You can find the Newf clubs on the NCA site. I'm sure the other breed clubs have websites too.

Its not a question about doing everything wrong. Its a matter of learning as much as you can and then making informed decisions.
We weren't born with knowledge, we acquire it so don't beat yourself up.

I'm not saying you or anyone is wrong, I'm simply saying it's not the norm so you need to question and observe and make adjustments for your individual case.

Have confidence in yourself. Some things you simply cannot prevent but you can try to control them.

I think anyone who takes the time to ask a question is a real hero! It takes guts to say, "I'm not sure" or "This doesn't look right". Especially in a public forum where you are exposed to criticism.

Believe me, if we didn't care, we wouldn't respond to anyone's questions with our own experience or knowledge.

BUT don't take everything you read or hear as gospel. Do consider every point made. If it fits or sounds logical, try to verify it with another credible source like your breeder or vet. You will get many differing opinions so you have to make the ultimate decision. Not all breeder, vets or owners are experts so remember, you don't have to follow anyone's advice but do listen.

If you ask a question of enough people, you will begin to see a concensus, a general similarity in answers. Those answers are the ones that we most likely believe and that's probably OK. I would tend to be swayed by the majority myself but I also remind myself that 25 or 30 years ago, we all "knew" that saccarin, the sugar substitute, was perfectly safe and that vitamin E had absolutely no value as an additive.
Well guess what! Things changed. Now we are told that saccarin is a carcinogen and vitamin E is good for us.

We originally thought that elevated feeding dishes would prevent bloat. Now we are told they cause bloat. Both theories come from reliable sources, scientists. You can see how it's easy to become confused and feel like you are doing everything wrong.

All you can do is search for the truth in as many places as possible, stay open minded, be prepared to adapt and radically change your ideas and make decisions based on what makes sense to you.

There's a term for this...they call it "life".

Even if he is a large puppy, overfeeding him will only cause problems in the long run. A normal Newf pup gains aproximately 10 lbs +/- per month up to a year. So that makes your pup nearly double the norm. That's not necessarily something to be happy about as it places a lot of stress on his joints which are not completely formed yet. 

You definitely want a slow growth rate with Newfs due the the joint problems that can occur. Newfs are also believed to have a very low metabolism compared to other large and giant breed dogs.

If he is not hungry, don't force more on him.  I guarantee you that he won't starve. It's not in a dog's nature to starve unless he is very sick, in which case you need to vet him. He will eat when he's hungry again. Look what has happened to this country of obese baby boomers who were told to "clean their plates" as children. It catches up with you eventually. You are better off slightly underfeeding than slightly overfeeding a Newf.

Were the instructions from the breeder specific about adjusting his intake at various stages or just telling you what he was taking in at the time you picked him up? Has the breeder seen him in the flesh recently?

By as late as seven months, all of my dogs decided they weren't THAT hungry so I cut their intake back. My adults eat 1 to 1.5 cups per meal twice a day and I continually adjust the amount to suit each one's activity level and age. Each has grown up to be what he or she was genetically programmed to be and are comparable to their parents. My biggest boy (at 150 lbs) and 30 inches eats the least - 1 cup per meal. Puppies do need more nutrition but not as much as you might guess.

I provide the basic necessary nutrients without extra calories. And I factor in treats. One small Milkbone for example is 30 calories. Snausages and other moist treats are jam packed with calories and very little nutritional value. You want to be able to give your dogs treats but they must be factored into the calorie and nutrient equation.

All most all dogs will relish home cooked meals over commercially packaged kibble if given a choice. They are opportunists by nature and hey, if you're offering, they realize it's a special deal for a limited time. It is NOT a sign that your dog needs to eat more!

Try offering me a couple of Krispy Kreme donuts and I can prove my point! LOL I'm not one to turn down what I consider a special treat! Do I need Krispy Kreme's? Lets not go there.

Well, I'm no spring chicken. LOL I've had many purebred dogs over my lifetime. Each was unique is his or her own way and learning as much as I could about each breed was helpful.

Currently, I show two of my Newfs in conformation and obedience and co-instuct basic obedience classes. I'm also heavily involved in our regional Newf club where we do a lot of public education. Our obedience classes deal with everyday situations as well as obedience commands. In our puppy class we devote a large amount of time to problem behaviors and the stages of young dog development.

Anyway, I am always happy to lend my opinion or share personal experiences. I don't consider myself an expert because I still learn new things every day myself and I've gone through the same types of experiences that every dog owner goes through and realized that I don't always have the answer. The nice thing is that I have so many people to call on when I'm not sure. Still, I'm happy to help if I can.

Feel free to message me anytime but be aware that I don't check in real often. During the winter season, I'm not so busy but come late Feb, early March, the dogs and I are on the go.

I'm sorry to hear that you lost your Willow. Sibes are such wonderful dogs and every bit as devoted to their owners as Newfs are. Just a different energy level. <grin>

Great news that you had a good day, today! Don't be discouraged if the next isn't so good. Just keep trying, it only gets better over time.

Well at 60lbs, her weight sounds fine. Being a girl, she very easily could be under the 80lbs. The rule of thumb is that they gain about 10 lb per month the first year. But it's just a guess and it vaires from month to month. And around 7 to 8 months, they are going through the "puppy uglies" where they are gangly, thin, and goofy looking. Between 9 months to a year, they start to fill out and look like real Newfs. 

Still, I would consider cutting her back on the amount of food. Feed her twice a day instead of three times. If you are uncomfortable with 4 cups per day, start with 2.5 cups per meal and gradually drop it back. 

Get her weighed just before you start and then weigh her in another month. If she is gaining any weight , then you're OK but if she starts to lose weight, add a small amount back in. Puppies do expend a lot of energy so you have to meet those needs but not to the point of over feeding. Remember that she is genetically programmed to reach a certain size and weight assuming that she get the nutrients she needs. And you want her to grow slowly anyway to protect her joints.

I think that this will help her "output" but as I said, it doesn't cure her housebreaking problems.  You still need to work on that. Supervise, supervise, supervise. Don't fret too much about the nightly problems. I think with less food they may go away.

As for anxiety, it's a possibility. Only a person who specializes in this behavior problem can tell you. It's difficult in this kind of forum to assess with any certainty. 

If their is a certified behaviorist in your area, consider making an appointment. I think that it would only take one session to determine if this is part of her problem with soiling. Try keeping a journal of her behaviors for a couple of weeks. Just jot down when she does have a problem of some kind like soiling or chewing and see if a pattern develops. Is it only when you're gone, is it in a certain area, what time of day, etc. You probably already know most of this but sometimes it helps to keep notes. And if you do see a professional, you will have something specific to show him or her.

I don't think this is anything that you can't deal with. I know it's a real headache and discouraging but believe me, I've been there and it's do-able. The key is to keep your cool and keep a close eye on her.

One of the things I did initially to help my girl is to stick to a VERY rigid schedule in the beginning. She ate at  the same time, went out at the same time (unless she asked to go earlier), went for walks at the same time, etc. and, my routine of coming and going, etc was very rigid too. That meant, no special outings or shopping trips for me for a while. I came and went at the same time every day. Dogs do thrive on routine. You won't have to keep it up forever.

Also, if anxiety is part of her problem, then it's very, very important that you don't make a big deal about leaving or coming home. No fussy goodbyes or hellos. When I come home, my dogs are basically ignored for the first 10 minutes, even if they have soiled their crate or the house or are wildly excited to see me, and then they get some calm attention. If you come home and act distraught (if she's had an accident) then that only adds to her stress. Or if you are too happy, then she will be more anxious when you leave again. While it's nice to have "someone" who is happy to see you, it just adds to the anxiety/stress level. You will have plenty of other opportunities to play and be joyous with her. So, when coming or going, just be very non-chalant. When I leave, I go quietly with out any long goodbyes. I try to not give too much or any attention for about 15 minutes or so before I leave. I do say "bye, bye, be good" and walk out the door. It's the dogs' clue that I am leaving and will be gone for a while. They settle right down and get comfy again knowing that this is part of the routine. Actually, this is a good routine to have even if your dog isn't anxious. It makes everything much less stressful for the dog and you.

Anyhow, good luck and keep trying. Don't give up. She needs your understanding and support and I know you love and want to help her.

6 cups a day is a whole lot more than most Newfs need. Even puppies. If she is older than 6 or 7 months, she should be on two meals a day. 4 cups/day would be plenty and maybe too much. My adults eat 1 to 1/5 cups per meal, twice a day.

She is probably getting so much food that she can't help but poop all the time. Cutting her back will help control the amount that comes out but you will still have to go back to house training.

Also, some dogs don't tolerate Canidae very well so consider switching her to something else. If her poop smells or is soft,  she probably isn't tolerating it well.

Feel her ribs. If you can't feel them, she is too fat and is getting too much food. How much does she weigh? At 8 months she should be around 80 lbs. maybe less for a bitch. Much more than that MAY mean she is too fat and getting too much food.

Some Newfs are difficult to house train. Most are not but some are. I have one that wasn't house trained for over a year due to anxiety problems. She would poop in her crate and smear it too. She was a stress pooper. Any stress or big excitement made her poop. So we worked on those issues to get her more relaxed.

I have a boy who was 9 months old before he could be trusted to be loose at night. He picked up housetraining quickly but if not confined at night, he would poop in the living room. I took on a foster girl at that time and he quit soiling at night. Probably too embarrassed. LOL

Just be patient and stick with your plan. Don't get angry with her or she may start eating it. The girl I spoke of above also had that problem but dealing with her anxiety cured it.