Looking handsome!

He is absolutely the best match for this family! He is great with all the kids, all the dogs that visit, he's protective & very loving! He is the best & he loves his life! 

 We love him!

Snuggled up with his best friend

Swim time with his buddy

Nov 15: I was adopted!

Sweet, friendly, gentle and playful -- Charlie is the whole package!  This adorable girl is going to make one lucky family very happy!  She's a well mannered girl who follows direction well and is affectionate and people focused.

Having a GREAT time racing along the snow covered trails at her foster home

Charlie arrived in our program on Nov 7 after her owners made the heartbreaking decision to surrender her. With several very young children in their family, Charlie's needs were always coming last.  Her owners decided to turn her over to us to find her a home where she will get the time, care and attention she deserves.

Charlie was born on Dec 2, 2009 so will be turning 5 years old this year.  Other than being underweight and in need of building muscle, she is in overall good health.  She has received regular vet care and good nutrition throughout her life.  She has been spayed and is up to date on all vaccines.

She comes from a reputable breeder who we have been in touch with.  Discussing Charlie's options and looking at what would be in her best interest, it was evident that we would be able to find an excellent home for Charlie very quickly.   At our request she is staying in our care with her breeder's support.  Her adopters will be put in touch with Charlie's breeder who will be available to them for advice throughout Charlie's life.


Charlie gets along well with other dogs and could happily join a family where she would have a four footed playmate.  She shares toys well, has nice manners meeting new dogs, is able to eat side by side with other dogs without any issue.  She is also friendly with cats.

She is very happy outdoors enjoying nature with her foster family and certainly loves romping along the snow covered trails at her foster home!  Her previous family had a cottage and she enjoyed visiting there and apparently is an avid swimmer.



Charlie lived with young children and could join a family with older children who are well mannered around animals.  She enjoys playing with older children very much but can be rather enthusiastic while playing!  She found the activity of a home with very young children/toddlers to be a bit much and would often retreat to the quiet of her backyard to get away from the activity.  For this reason, we are not considering homes with children under 10 years of age.

A happy, healthy girl!

Charlie has nice house manners and follows commands well. She is responding well to basic commands but definitely needs work on her leash manners.  She is VERY food motivated and a quick learner.  She'd be a great candidate for obedience work, draft work, water rescue and more.

She is a sensitive girl who lacks confidence in new situations and is hesitant in surroundings that are unfamiliar.  It took a few days in foster care for her to pick up the routine and get comfortable, but she is now making herself right at home.  A confident owner who will take time to build her confidence will benefit her greatly.  The more opportunities she has to visit new places, the easier it will be for her.

She is very people focused and eagerly accepts attention from everyone she meets -- she has perfected the classic newfy-lean!  She loves to be near people and enjoys hanging out at her foster mom's side.

Charlie on intake -- in need of some grooming.

Applications are being accepted now and we are reviewing our waiting list to look at the possible matches for this wonderful girl.  Charlie is being fostered in Bancroft, ON and her approved adopters will be required to pick her up in person.  An adoption donation of $500 applies.

Gander with C Company Royal Rifles of Canada Oct 27/41

Gander was a Newfoundland dog posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal, the "animals' VC", in 2000 for his deeds in World War II,^[1] the first such award in over 50 years.^[2

Military service

Gander, initially a family pet named Pal, accidentally scratched a child's face with his paw. Worried that he would be forced to have Pal put down, the original owner gave the large dog to the Royal Rifles, a regiment of the Canadian Army stationed at Gander International Airport, Newfoundland and Labrador. The soldiers quickly renamed him Gander and "promoted" him to sergeant. When the unit was shipped to Hong Kong in the fall of 1941, Gander went along.

Gander with Fred Kelly, in barracks, 1941

The Battle of Hong Kong began on December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Gander helped fight the Japanese invaders on three occasions. The last time, Gander picked up a thrown Japanese hand grenade and rushed with it toward the enemy, dying in the ensuing explosion, but saving the lives of several wounded Canadian soldiers.^[3]

After efforts by the Canadian War Museum, the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals awarded Gander the Dickin Medal on October 27, 2000, the first such award since 1949. The citation reads:

For saving the lives of Canadian infantrymen during the Battle of Lye Mun on Hong Kong Island in December 1941. On three documented occasions, Gander, the Newfoundland mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada, engaged the enemy as his regiment joined the Winnipeg Grenadiers, members of Battalion Headquarters "C" Force and other Commonwealth troops in their courageous defence of the island. Twice Gander's attacks halted the enemy's advance and protected groups of wounded soldiers. In a final act of bravery, the war dog was killed in action gathering a grenade. Without Gander's intervention, many more lives would have been lost in the assault.^[1]

At the insistence of survivors of the battle, his name was listed with those of 1975 men and two women on the Hong Kong Veterans Memorial Wall in Ottawa, Canada.^[3]
____________________________________________________________________________________

Pictured below, is a photo of Sable Chief, another Newfoundland dog who was known for his roll in the military.  Sable Chief was the mascot of  the 2nd Battalion Royal Newfoundland Regiment during World War I.

References

Did you know that November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month ?

Senior dogs make wonderful companions but sadly are often overlooked at shelters and rescues in favour of younger animals.  There are many advantages to adopting a senior pet:

• What you see is what you get.  There are no surprises when you adopt a mature pet - you know exactly what their size, coat type, grooming needs and exercise needs are.
• Most senior dogs are already trained, know basic commands and have good leash manners.  They are ready to get out and explore the world with you.
• Generally, older dogs have good house-manners (they won't eat your shoes!) and are already housebroken so they require less time and energy to integrate them into your home than younger dogs do.
• Mature pets have been around the block a few times and have learned a lot over the years about life's lessons. They tend to be more laid back and settle in easily and adapt to new situations quickly.  
• Many senior dogs have met a lot of other dogs and have learned how to get along with them.  They tend to have good doggie social skills and have a calming influence on younger more rambunctious dogs.
• Senior dogs are mellower and more focused than younger dogs making them easier to train.
• Senior dogs have lower exercise needs than young dogs so they are well suited to most families.  They are often satisfied with a nice walk followed by a nap by the fire.
• Senior dogs have so much love to give -- they appreciate a kind hand, a warm bed and love and affection.
• When you adopt a senior dog you save a life.

Senior dogs make wonderful companions -- if you have been thinking about adding a new dog to your family, please consider adopting a mature dog, you won't be disappointed!

Adorable boy Davey arrived in our care on October 23 and is getting himself settled into his foster home.  Sweet, friendly, affectionate -- this boy is the whole package.

Davey is 3 years old, neutered, and will be brought UTD on vaccines once we clear up some skin and eye infections.  He has been diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia, but is able to get around well despite this.  We hope that with some weight loss and specific exercises targeting the muscles in his back end that Davey will have very good mobility.  At this time he does not require medication.  He will be seeing our vet within the next few days for a full work up and to devise a treatment plan.


On intake Davey was quite matted and had hot spots and sores on his body.   Given how thick and close to the skin his matts were it was decided that it would be easier on him to shave his coat.  Davey will be wearing a jacket this winter to keep him warm in the cold temps as his fur grows back.  Here he is, all groomed out -- we kept his adorable mop top!

 He gets along with everyone, both two and four legged and is a real gem!  Davey could join a home with other well mannered dogs and is also gentle with cats.   He knows basic commands, has decent leash manners , is well mannered and a lovely boy.  His off-leash recall needs some work, but that is easy to work on.

Davey loves to swim, which is a great activity to build up his hip muscles!  He'd be a great candidate for water rescue training.

He is being fostered in the Sudbury, ON area. Once his skin infections are clear and he has been vaccinated he will be ready to join an adoptive family.  Applications are being accepted now.  An adoption donation of $500 applies.

Woo-Hoo, time to do some shopping!!!!! 

A HUGE thank you goes out to our awesome volunteer Allison who worked so hard to update the Newf Friends online store to include all of our new tee-shirt designs and our 2015 Newf Friends Calendar featuring photos of some of the gorgeous Newfs who have gone through our program!

All prices on our website INCLUDE SHIPPING within Canada and the US (what a deal!) and 100 % of the proceeds from the sales from our online store come directly to Newf Friends to help us cover the cost of caring for the Newfs in our program.  

Our online store features our custom designs made just for Newf Friends! Great gift ideas all in support of a great rescue -- win, win! 

Happy shopping!
http://www.newfstock.ca/newfstore/

February 5/15: Wally was adopted!

Meet Wally, an adorable pup who is ready to find his forever family.

Born approximately April 20/14 Wally is a young, growing pup who has a fabulous personality and is sweet as can be.  He's a real gem!  He was picked up as a stray and we are not sure what type of mix he is.  He definitely has Newf features, and is possibly mixed with a lab, hence the shorter coat. Whatever mix he is, he's adorable!



He is gentle, has excellent house manners, follows direction well, knows basic commands and is an absolute delight.  His leash manners are a work in progress, but he's getting there.  Wally loves children and could join a home with dog savvy kids over the age of 6 who are respectful of dogs and are willing to help him learn to sit calmly when meeting children.  

Wally gets along well with other animals and could happily join a family with other four footed companions, although a lot of rough play is not appropriate for him as he is growing.  As with all giant breed puppies, a home where he will not be required to climb a lot of stairs will be best for him as he develops.



Wally had some orthopedic issues which we have corrected.  Wally's hips appear to be in good shape.  His shoulders were problematic and his elbows had some issues so we had arthroscopic surgery performed on October 30 and the orthopedic specialist feels that the surgery went very well and that Wally's issues will be completely resolved.  Wally is healed and ready to be adopted.

Because he is only a pup and still growing steps that are taken now will greatly impact his long term mobility--hopefully we can make a difference for this sweet boy.  In consultation with veterinarians we started Wally on a specific diet, with supplements to aid his development, a careful and purposeful exercise regimen to help him as he grows.  All of this, combined with surgery should put Wally on the road to good health and a long, pain-free life!

Wally, on the left. loves to snuggle with his foster sister

Wally's ideal family will have the time to work with him to do specific exercises to help strengthen his muscles and support his joints as he grows.   Supplements and a healthy diet  will play a key role in his long term health.  His adoptive family will need to have the resources to provide this level of care throughout his life. 

Wally is being fostered in eastern Ontario.  His approved family will be required to pick him up in person. Wally is a Newf mix, an adoption donation of $400 applies.

 To be considered for adopting a Newf from Newf Friends please complete the adoption application found here and email it back to us.