Author Topic: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?  (Read 6860 times)

Offline galxe

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Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« on: November 20, 2006, 06:45:44 am »
So, Izzy is a barker. He barks when he's excited, when he's curious, when he wants your attention, when the mood strikes him, etc. So, when he started barking in the middle of the night the other night, we thought to ourselves "oh Boy! This should be fun!" But he just keeps barking, and barking, and starts growling.  So we let him out of the bedroom (not outside, just into the rest of the house) and we look out the windows, etc. Nothing. So we're all grumpy and go back to bed. This keeps up randomly close to every night.
Fat forward to two nights ago. 2 AM- Iz is barking and going nuts. We open the bedroom door and nothing is outside but the motion light has been tripped. Ah, so there was something. We're not as grumpy, we go back to bed.
So last night, I go to take Izzy for the last walk before we go to bed. Izzy loves walks, Btw. So we get about ten feet away from the front door and he stops. Won't move. Just stares at me. Finally, I get him to go a couple more feet and he pees. Then, when we get to the edge of the road (about 25 feet from the front door) He absolutely refuses to budge, throws all his weight against me, the whole nine yards. Which is so not like him. He didn't seem scared at all, just kept staring at me with those big eyes and wouldn't move. I walk up to him and look down. Poop. Way too big to be Esther poop. Way too small to be Izzy poop. COYOTE POOP! Quite fresh at that. So finally, dense mom put it all together and headed back home, which he went gladly.
So, the mystery midnight barking is solved! Poor Izzy couldn't know that the coyotes up here are very timid and very small, but he obviously felt the need to protects his family from them anyways. What a sweetie! While the midnight barkingis obnoxious, it sure is a lot more tolerable now!

bigdogs@5501

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #1 on: November 20, 2006, 06:56:17 am »
Way to go Izzy. I am impressed my 1/2 Newf is scared to death of coyotes- she freaks when the pack goes after them.

Offline newflvr

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2006, 07:55:10 am »
YAY for Izzy!!  Newfs ARE supposed to be good watchdogs...just not very good at doing much about it.  In other words, they are NOT guard dogs!!  I love it that he was protecting you from those mean, nasty coyotes!!

Chester always lets me know when someone is coming up the drive, and then wags his tail and wants to be loved! ::) ::)

Offline galxe

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2006, 08:04:29 am »
It's crazy how smart he is!He has already figured out who is up here normally, and which cars go with them. But, ay new car, and he's barkig. Someone he already knows comes to the door, no big. New person? Bark bark bark! My little lazy genius  :D

Offline BarkleysMum

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2006, 09:05:26 am »
Newfs amaze me...and Izzy is living right up to my continued amazement!
Sandy
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and always remembering Barkley - crossed the Bridge on May 19, 2006.

Offline longshadowfarms

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2006, 09:07:22 am »
What a good boy!  That is so awesome that he's protecting you already!  Carter has really started to surprise me with his aggressive stance when we're out walking and he doesn't like the look of something.  I doubt he'd actually do anything but he sure looks and sounds like he would.  He's never done more than jump on something and slobber but boy can he act!
Daphne

Offline mtaig12

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2006, 05:36:25 am »
It's interesting what dogs "know", and funny that they can't tell us! My husband and I have been taking turns over the last week being out of town, leaving the other with the two kids and two dogs. Sunday evening, DH was expected home, but apparently I forgot to tell Max (chow-Akita mix)! DH came in the garage door (which is typical), Max was upstairs with me. We both heard the door open, Max gave me a look like "Stay here!" and ran downstairs barking his fool head off. Of course I knew it was DH, and laughed at Max until he had gotten around the corner and could see it was "just" Daddy. But he had clearly gotten the message that I was the only grown up around, and he needed to be my watchdog!

Tracy

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Offline schelmischekitty

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2006, 05:43:57 am »
the other night hubby decides to surprise everyone and come home unannounced, the kids were asleep, and i was laying down in the bedroom watching a movie, and brandon decides to climb in through the window really quite like.  i didn't hear him, but the dogs got up and run out the room, which is typical if either of the cats even budges from the last spot the dogs saw them at.  then all i hear is a "shhhhh" and barking dogs going nuts.  apparently, the dogs just stood at the window not letting hubby in and when he said "shh" the dogs started barking, and my lovely diesel tried to bite his face off.  i thought it was funny,  but hubby sure didn't!
steffanie in atlanta

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Kirsti

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2006, 05:46:40 am »
Haahaa those storys are too cute!! I love when they try and be all protective, it makes me feel all safe... ;D

~K

Offline Fumble

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2006, 06:43:28 am »
I agree that newfs are great watch dogs just not good guard dogs! Before we got Fumble our breeder told us that when someone breaks into your house the newf will be the one saying, "Pet me, Pet Me!" or "How can i help you move that couch out!" Hehehehe
Fumble loves to bark at the most random things but its good that he does! He barks to get attention and when he has to pee, ect. But when he gets startled and thinks theres danger he has this HOWL that comes out! it cracks us up, just not in the middle of the night! :) WHat a good boy! I feel that anyone that would be trying to cause trouble must here that bark and run away scared! and if they got a glimps, god bless them! :)
"My newfoundlands live my life as passionately as i live theirs"
"I slip the hater of what i've become.  they slip the halter of what they've been, and we live together, passionately, changed"
-Both from "in the company of newfies"

WE REPRESENT THE LOLLIPOP GUILD!!!

Offline sarnewfie

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2006, 07:54:22 pm »
Newfs have wonderful sense, and, if owners are good at reading them, wich you obviously were, they tell us things.
a good dog handler reads their dogs well.
my newfs are fabulous watch dogs.
i encourage it only becouse hubby works 3rd shift. ;)
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Offline pitas

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2006, 08:58:21 pm »
Way to go Izzy!  What a smart pupper!  I am sure he was so proud when he finally got to show you what he was woofing at, that was really great.

I always say our 3 Newfies have their regular old bark and then their, "Hey pay attention this is important bark."  Once we were at the vet with 2 out of 3 of pups. A dog that was not very nice, was probably scared of being at the vet, was barking, growling, and started to lunge toward us.  Our biggest guy Klondike, who is the most laid back pup, stood up , puffed his chest out and put himself between us and the growling dog.  He let out one huge, Newfie WOOF, got the whole waiting room's attention.  The dog backed down and Klondike just laid back down at our feet. 

We can usually tell when our pups just want to be rousty bark for fun and the more serious bark.  Usually when people first put their sights on our pups, especially if all 3 are together, that is usually the attention grabber!  I think it is a riot when repairmen or somebody has to come to the door, we ask, are you afraid of dogs?  The reply is, "do they bite?" We always say, "no, not unless you do something stupid."  Of course we know they will most likely lick you to pieces but, we aren't going to tell complete strangers that.  We always leave the dogs free in the house so if somebody gets any nutty ideas, we will know by our pups reactions pretty quickly. 

We have lots of deer, horses,red fox and sometimes bear in our area.  Our yard is fenced in part and at night if our pups go out for lounging on the deck or their last out for the night, if they get a scent of something that has passed close to the house, they will have their hair up, sniffing, running and sometimes bark like wild.  We don't usually discourage any alert barking, we check it out and tell them good job, thanks for keeping an eye on us.  On occassion the horses from the next door farm get out and wander close to our yard.  Sometimes our pups can sense that from inside the house and sure enough if you look out the window, there are 2 horses grazing on our lawn.  Now our pups are used to the horses, they give out one big woof to let us know they are there and then they go about doing whatever else they were doing. 

I think you have to know your own pups, listen to their signals and figure out when it is important or when they are just being pups. 

Keep up the good work all you puppers!  Help keep your humans safe and alert.

Anita & the 3 Newfies from NJ

Offline galxe

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #12 on: November 22, 2006, 01:21:59 am »
This morning, Izzy decided to protect us from the garbage truck  ::) But, even then, he never growled like at the coyotes, just a bark bark bark. And he layed back down when we told him it was okay for them to be there. The big goof.

Admittedly, I'm not too fond of the coyote barking. But, this summer, when he barks to let us know that the bears are out, he'll definitely get a big hug for that.

As a side note- the other dog on Camp, Esther, is a small cocker spaniel mix. She's taken it upon herself to protect us all form the bear population, and has a very distinctive bear bark. The first day we brought Izzy to camp, she took off bear barking. We all thought she was nuts because she was inside the thouse, it was midday, and we hadn't seen a bear in weeks. Then we realized, ahhh, she was tyring to protect us from Izzy the Grizzly. When we let her out of the house, she came running out like she was going to get what for (if you don't stop her, she will physically chase the bears). Imagine her surprise when she found out he was another dog.  ;D

Offline sarnewfie

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Re: Who said Newfs aren't good watchdogs?
« Reply #13 on: November 23, 2006, 01:32:09 am »
My newfs have a "froggy" bark, what is that you ask?
they have a softer sound and a different woof, when they discover a frog in our yard, dont worry, these are not the poisonous ones. ;)
they have a play woof, they have an alert woof, they have a bunnywabbit and squirrel woof, and all different tones to woofs that have different meanings!
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