I fell for a dog who happens to be a Newf.

[Gentian]

Thanks! At least I won't have to switch foods.

I think I will bring mine to the sanctuary to meet him. It's neutral ground for everyone, so if I can put all the other dogs away on the other side of the property, I can introduce them in a more controlled way, in the kitchen!

I finally had a chance to be with him one on one today, without his little terrier friends. I just adore him. I had to look at his tail, and he laid there patiently while I poked at it. The bad news is that it's pretty raw and he's trying to open it up again. I'm going to make him wear the e-collar tonight, poor guy. I talked to him about potential new names (I don't like the one he came with) and he seems indifferent to all of them, including his own.  I asked him if he wanted to be my dog, and he put his head in my lap and sighed. I hope that means yes.

Indoors, where I was examining him, he's even more enormous than I thought he'd be. I am doubting my sanity, but it's not the first time. 

[Gentian]

I can totally see how that would happen. When I go home now, my own dogs (50-60 pounds) look tiny. It's all in your perspective, I guess.

I'm looking into obedience. My own have been through two-three courses, though you'd never know it at home  , so I guess we should make this guy do it, too. When I tell him to sit, first he thinks about it for a few seconds, then it takes him another ten seconds to get his parts aligned to do it. Nothing is quick, except his tongue.  We'll be the slow kids in class, I guess.

[Gentian]

He's home! 

And so far, so good. We took our two to meet at the sanctuary. My older boy (Henry) barely sniffed him, and my Catahoula girl (Junie) met him, quickly told him she was boss, and that was that.

Everyone came home, the new kid and Junie played a little, napped a lot, and now they're up and looking for trouble. Pics soon...

We need a name!

[marypyrs]

Welcome Home 'Little One'!!!!! You're a luck boy. You'll tell your new Momma & Family what your real name is by your antics, no doubt. And I can't wait to hear the stories of how you told them.    

Looking SO much forward to pictures.  

[pyr4me]

Yeah! So glad he's home!! Are there some names that you are considering?

[Gentian]

Yeah! So glad he's home!! Are there some names that you are considering?

His name now is Bosco.

We're considering Jasper, Samson (after a dog I loved before), George, Jack, Enzo, Jason...a few others I can't remember. My husband would like it to sound good with Juniper (Junie), but it really doesn't matter. I like people names, but again, that's not a requirement. Nothing stereotypicall y "big hairy dog." The Newf that lived next to us died last year, and he was Max, so we'll avoid that.

He's already shadowing me around the house. I feel like I have a dog parade behind me every time I have to pee.   

[marypyrs]

He's beautiful!

[Gentian]

Thanks! He is pretty great, isn't he?  I adore him so much already. We've had a few issues...He's a counter surfer, which is hilarious to see, like a bear ransacking our kitchen, but of course, it can't go on. He also puts him paw on my shoulder to get my attention, but he's so strong that I have huge bruises from his nails. But these are little things in the grand scheme of things and we'll work on them. Both my dogs like him, and that's BIG. Junie has never warmed up to another dog so quickly.

We're thinking Samson, though we're also considering getting used to Bosco. He does seem to know it after all, away from the other dogs. I could bridge the two names for awhile, but I'm generally pretty lazy.

[marypyrs]

First I was thinking "Isaac". ? ? Because it's obviouse he is extremely intelligent. I can see it in his eyes. Isaac Newton had the intense and all knowing eyes.

[Ali]

Awww, he's great looking! He totally looks like a Jason to me. I think it's hilarious when people give people names to dogs. I always wanted to have a dog named "Donna" just because it sounded funny...but, turns out our theme is Japanese names. No "Donna" in the mix! So, I vote for "Jason". If he's used to Bosco, though, you might need to find something that sounds similar, like Ross. Keep us posted!

[Newly Newfed]

Both my dogs like him, and that's BIG. Junie has never warmed up to another dog so quickly.

I think the fact that both of your dogs like him, and that you took him in even though you don't usually do dogs, means something.  He was meant to come to you.  He sounds like he has been through a lot, with losing half of his tail and all, and this match-up could just be one of the best things that has ever happened to the both of you.

I wouldn't worry too much about his coat growing in.  Sierra recently had to be shaved for a vet appointment and her hair is growing in nice and thick and soft.

We're thinking Samson,

I like Samson.  It's a fitting name for a big strong Newf!

[Gentian]

Looks like he might just stay Bosco. We all just keep going back to it, and since all my dogs end up with countless nicknames, he's also been Bosco Bear, Little Bear, Mr. B, Mr. Big, Mr. Bigglesworth, and Big Boy.

He's so smart. Not always in a good way, either. Our older dog has some incontinence issues, so we keep a small piece of tarp under his sleeping blanket. Bosco had to pee while we were at the store, and my son didn't get his signals so he peed in the spot that smelled like pee to him, the tarp. But later, he decided that any tarp is fair game, then, and peed in the bathroom on the tarp my husband has down for a remodeling project he's working on this week, without even asking to go out. Great.  I corrected him and he went outside to finish up, but ya know, when a 140-pound puppy has a wee wee accident, it's a fairly big cleanup project.

Hopefully, he uses his powers of reasoning for good from now on and realizes that the correction (me screaming, "No! Outside, Bosco! Outside!" ) means that dogs pee outside. 

Other than that, he's been perfect. Schmoozed the grandmas and the neighborhood kids, slept a lot, figured out how to open the toilet seat for a quick drink (seemingly prefers it to the full water dish), and just generally made himself at home. 

[newfsie]

take him home. I love newfs and I have had two rescue newfs.Both were mistreated and very thin. As long as you give them plenty of love and are firm with your rules from day one in your home you will be fine. As for other dogs.......... ..It is best just to let them have the little scrapes by themselves. When we brought Annabelle(newf) home nearly four weeks ago, she had a couple of quick fights with Tessa (bordercolli x golden retriever)They need to check one another out. Our dog trainer told us that if we keep stopping it and intervering, we will end up with a huge fight one day.They adore each other now. tessa is the boss.And she rules over all the bones. They even eat side by side now. The newf in my ataver, Zack, was also a rescue. He was a little tougher to settle as he was a real boy, but after six weeks he was also fine. We had another newf called Abbey at the time. She also had a few squabbles with him. Sadly they do not seem to be long lived. Abbey had a heartattack at 8. And Zack had a stroke a  couple months ago at 9 . But it is better to have loved a newf and lost a loved one. Then to have missed being adored by such a loveable, sloppy bear. Enjoy your dog....

[Gentian]

Bosco has really come out of the his shell in the last couple of days. What I saw at the sanctuary and for the first couple of days home, a dog that was calm to the point of lethargy, always watching the world go by, sweet but distant, was in hindsight a very depressed dog. I knew he was grieving, but I didn't realize to what extent.

His first couple of days home, he was insecure and clingy. I couldn't leave him home alone for fear he would injure himself and my house, so I took him to work with me. We were there for 1/2 an hour and he decided we were going home. He tried to crawl into my tiny car through one of the the back windows! When we got home that night, he was clearly thrilled to see his new family again. The next morning, he was a new dog. He woke up in a playful mood, rolling on his back, smiling. There was a new bounce in his step. He initiated a play session with Junie, and despite the 110-pound size difference, she walked all over him. Now, morning and evening playtime is becoming a regular routine. He's still calm for the most part, but his whole body smiles now. He's more like a 1.5 year old pup than an 80-year old man. He's glad to see me when I come home, but he doesn't have that look of panic when he sees me leave. We had a couple of potty accidents, but none since his tarp confusion. My cats are still uncertain about the new housemate, through no fault of Bosco's.

I need some input. I need to find a groomer, and I'm wondering what the usual charge is for a big guy in decent shape. He'd just need an occasional bath and dry. I'm looking for an elevated feeder and a bed, too, if anyone has recommendation s.

[GoldenPyrs]

Reading how Bosco is settling in made me all misty, too.  I think that you'll continue to see a lot of changes in him over the next few weeks or months.  Sammy was in terrible shape when we first saw him.  He & his brother had been removed from their home by animal control due to horrible abuse & neglect.  He'd nearly starved to death, so he had absolutely no body fat and nearly no muscle left and he'd been shaved so close that he had a number of big, deep cuts in his skin.  He acted like you described, like an old, old man.  He was sad, sick, weak & depressed, but it's been amazing to watch him come back and we're still seeing changes in his personality after 15 months.  Depending on how bad they had it before, the changes in their personality can take some time.  Sammy is a bouncy, smiley, snuggly boy now but it's taken him this long because he had so much physical & emotional recovering to do.  I'm glad that you're taking Bosco with you, we've done that with our pups and it's helped make them feel much more secure.  Understandably, the poor babies are so afraid of losing often the only happy home that they've ever known, so it takes a lot of reassurance.    Bosco is a very lucky pup to have found you and I know that you'll soon wonder how you ever managed before him.  Please give him a big hug for me.

Modified to add:  we have used groomers before but it can be pricey and I've had trouble with them sometimes not rinsing the pups long enough leaving itching & rashes.  If you can find a u-bathe facility in a pet shop or something near you, they can be wonderful!  We have one in town that charges $15 per dog and they provide all of the warm water, shampoo, conditioner, towels and clean up.  They also have blow dryers.  The elevated bathing tubs are heaven for bad backs, too.    We love them!