About Newf Friends

Newf Friends Newfoundland Dog Rescue is a volunteer run, foster home based rescue group for Newfoundland Dogs in need in Ontario, Canada.
We place Newfs into carefully screened homes in Ontario and surrounding provinces and states.
Established in 2008.

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Also find us on
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/newffriends/
Twitter @NewfFriends

Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page for general information about our program and our adoption policies and procedures.



Friday, February 22, 2013

Why should I volunteer with a Newf rescue group?

A wonderful note written by one of our volunteers.  Thank you Kaila for all you do, we are so lucky to have you on our team.

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I am speaking to my Newf lovers in this note, but the word "Newf" could easily be replaced with any breed of dog.

I started to volunteer with my local Newf Rescue group (Newf Friends) shortly after I brought home Ayasha (4 short years ago).  It has changed my life forever.

There are the obvious benefits to volunteering.

It feels good to watch Newfs come into the program, transform into 'new dogs' (in some cases) and move onto their loving forever homes.  You get to make new like-minded friends that you will not only learn from, but teach; that you'll grow to love and cherish as true friends, and who you can turn to in confidence when you need help or advice.  You will feel like you really are a part of a group working towards a common goal. You will share in the small and big victories and pick each other back up when feeling defeated.  You will be amazed at how a small group of people can consolidate their talents and skills and rally for the Newfs.  They host some pretty awesome social parties too  :)

I cherish all of these benefits of volunteering, but it is not what drives me or has changed my life.  It is not the reason I continue to volunteer or try and educate, educate, educate at any opportunity I get.

I am a Newf rescue volunteer because backyard breeders exist.  When backyard breeders are eliminated, I will stop volunteering because there will no longer be a need.

Lately, it has become more and more apparent to me how beneficial it would be for EVERY single prospective puppy buyer to volunteer with their local Newf Rescue.  In addition to all the benefits I've mentioned above, they will get hands-on experience with cleaning up the messes left behind by backyard breeders, and thus, when it actually comes to puppy purchase time, they will know precisely and very intimately, what to avoid in selecting a breeder.

The prospective puppy buyer will get to experience first-hand what it is like to see a Newf so crippled it can't even walk, let alone run due to no health screening of the dogs in its pedigree.

They will get to see the pain and agony in the eyes of the family that have to give up their beloved pet because they cannot afford the massive vet bills they are facing.

Or, they will get to meet the Newfs that have really terrible temperaments who cannot be placed into homes with other dogs, cats, or children and need nothing less than an experienced, trained handler.  Temperaments that were bred into them from generation after generation of poor breeding stock.

There will be some Newfs that come in with a pedigree to prove they are purebred Newfs, but the homely dog standing in front of them will barely resemble that beautiful Newf they have been visualizing in their head.

Then there will be the cases of neglect.  Dogs so matted and covered in sores they can't move without cowering in pain.  Or so covered in fleas they have no coat whatsoever.  A result of a backyard breeder who didn't give a shit where their pups were going and required nothing more than a cleared cheque before handing over a puppy.

The prospective puppy buyer will immediately have the benefit of a visual of what it means to have NO health clearances, NO concern for temperament, NO proven conformation from the show ring, and NO support system from the breeder.  This first-hand experience is WAY more beneficial and impactful than reading any book, or talking to any contacts or resources.  Until you have been on the front-lines dealing with backyard breeders you will never fully appreciate the importance of DOING YOUR HOMEWORK, identifying the tell-tale signs of a BYB, and doing your part to eliminate them by NOT SUPPORTING THEM!!!

Sometimes I am called an "elitist", a "purebred snob".  That is such a small price to pay to get the message out to people that the ONLY way to eliminate BYBs is by identifying them and NOT supporting them.  Call me whatever you want.  I will continue to raise these points and educate even if not asked for it because I HAVE seen those Newfs mentioned above and once these people have too, they will intimately understand why we are fighting so hard to get this message out. Over and over and over.

I commend all those that are trying to get this same message out to the masses.  If even one person is absorbing this message, then we are winning.  :)

So, for those of you out there that are thinking of adding a puppy to your family PLEASE VOLUNTEER!!!!  Like me, you will be forever changed, you will start shouting the same message as me, and you will have first-hand experience with the effects of NOT doing enough homework and supporting those that have NO interest in improving the breed.  And who knows, you may even end up with a rescue Newf warming your feet at night rather than that puppy you were originally planning for.  :)

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Adopter Update: Max

Check out this great update we received from Max's family:


 Max is a wonderful companion, he has a good personality, is playful and an excellent demeanor.  He settled in immediately with Spirit (our Border Collie X), and he welcomes frequent visits from Toby (Yorkie-Poo), Rolo and Mitchie (both Labradors), even with the small dog he is very considerate in how he interacts with them.  Max enjoys  frequent walks, running off-leash at the dog park (although he forgets how big he is!) and spending time cruising on our boat.  We have tempted him to swim at the lake and  in our pool, but he does not seem to know he is a water dog?  He loves meeting people and being the centre of attention.

 

He has trained well (noticeable he will do anything for a treat), he no longer tries to pull your shoulder out of its socket when seeing a squirrel or a cat, and pays attention to commands.  He is also very vocal when the clock is showing the time for a walk or feeding.

The only fault he has exhibited is his ability to snore.......but even that makes us laugh!

We are thrilled to have him in our pack.

Best regards,

John & Liz.

 

Monday, February 18, 2013

Heidi

  Heidi
# 3309
May 11, 2013: Heidi was adopted!

Update: May 3, 2013: Heidi has an approved home
Heidi has been doing very well in foster care, has responded to her seizure medication and has been seizure free for over 2 months.  On May 3 she was spayed and had the lump removed from her face.  She is recovering in her foster home for a few days and will be joining her new family next weekend.

Hi everyone I'm Heidi!  Nope, I'm not a Newf, I'm a gorgeous Saint Bernard who is looking for an awesome family to call my own.  I came into HART's program in January and am being fostered by the Newf Friends division since I'm a giant breed gal.

I was born in August 2008 so I'm 4 years old and sweet as can be.  A true gentle giant, I am a slow moving, quiet, well mannered girl.  I'm happy to just mosey around and hang out with my foster family.

My owners got me as a pup and I spent most of my life living outside and sleeping in a barn stall.  No worries though, I do have nice manners in the house and I am housebroken.  In my foster home I am taking full advantage of the cozy dog beds by the fire and that's my favourite spot to nap.  It feels so nice to be living indoors with a family!  I love to get hugged and have my belly rubbed.

 
I weigh 120 lbs and am nice and lean.  I have been vaccinated, and my foster family helped make all of the sores on my face and feet clear up -- I had some really bad sores when I arrived.  I'm now eating Acana Pacifica which is grain free and fish based so that should help prevent future skin sores.

Like many Saints, I have a seizure disorder.  Now that I'm in foster care I am taking medication and my seizures will be under control soon.  I've been having partial seizures mostly, but have also had some generalized seizures and prior to coming into foster care I was having cluster seizures.  My vet is consulting a neurologist to figure out what is best for me and it might be a few weeks until this is all sorted out, but I'm hopeful that I will be a lot better soon.

I will need to wait several more weeks until I can safely have my spay surgery -- my vet wants to be sure my seizures are completely under control before I have surgery.  It's very important that I am spayed because fluctuations in my hormones can trigger seizures.   I was having cluster seizures when I was surrendered to rescue, and sure enough they were triggered because I was coming into heat.  Once I'm spayed I won't have to worry about that happening again! 

I should mention, I have this funny problem where when I lower my head the folds in the skin on my forehead slide down and cover my left eye and I can't see.  Oh my!  Makes navigating stairs interesting.  I would like a home with not too many stairs, please! Oh, and like most Saint Bernards my hips are not great.  No worries, I am not in pain and I can get around fine, but I am going to start working on muscle building exercises right away as a preventative.



There are 5 other dogs in my foster home and I am gentle and sweet with all of them.  I'm not really that interested in playing with them, but I do follow along and watch what they do.  I could happily join a family with other well mannered pets,  or I could be a solo dog and soak up all of the lovin' myself!

There's horses and chickens and other animals at my foster home too.  I don't really pay much attention to them at all, but the chicken feed sure smells delicious! Foster mom won't let me eat it though.  Hmph.  So many rules!

I walk nicely on a leash and I am well behaved.  I get a little stressed in the car and foster mom is working on this with me and I am making fast progress she says.   I do need to wear a seat-belt harness when traveling, but don't we all?

I am quiet and rarely bark and I am just a very mellow, easy going gal.   I don't really know many commands.  I am laid back I'm not looking for trouble and I'm happy just hanging out.



If you think you'd like to be considered for adopting me, complete the Newf adoption application found here (just pretend it says Saint wherever it says Newf!) and email it back to the Newf Friends folks.  Please note, unless you live very close to my veterinarian (Apsley, Ontario) it will be a few months until I am ready to join a new family.  If you live nearby, the Newf folks will talk to you about foster-to-adopt.

A fenced yard is required for my safety.  Sometimes I get a little disoriented, especially if I've had a seizure in the last few hours,  and I may not respond to my name being called.

I am being fostered in Bancroft, ON and my adoptive family will need to pick me up in person.  An adoption donation of $350 applies.

Donations towards Heidi's care are appreciated and can be made directly to HART through their website at  http://www.hartanimalrelief.ca/donations.htm  Specify that the donation is for Heidi, HART # 3309.  A tax receipt will be issued for donations over $20.  Thank you!





Wednesday, February 13, 2013

NDCC National Specialty

We have some very exciting news! 

This year the Newfoundland Dog Club of Canada celebrates it's 50th anniversary and this year's National Specialty will once again be held in Gananoque, Ontario on May 24-26, 2013.   For the first time in the history of the club Rescued Newfoundland Dogs will be honored at the event with a Parade of Rescues during the ceremonies on Saturday morning!  We couldn't be happier!

We are encouraging our adopters and supporters to register their rescued Newfoundland Dog for this event.  Every Newf participating in the parade will receive a rosette with their name on it, and you are welcome to submit a photo of your rescued Newf and a brief write up to be included in the Specialty Catalogue.

The cost to register is $10.  The details about the event and the registration form can be found at http://www.newfoundlanddogclub.org/  The deadline for submission is May 1, 2013

This three day event is a fabulous activity for Newf lovers and includes draft dog tests, obedience trials and of course the conformation show.    Newf Friends will have a booth set up at the Specialty selling our products and we will be launching our 2014 calendar featuring photos from NewfStock 2012! 

If you are not already a member of the NDCC you can find more information about the club and their membership application at http://www.newfoundlanddogclub.ca/

We hope to see you in Gananoque this May!

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Murphy



Murphy
# 2013-003
May 12: Murphy was adopted!

Meet Murphy, a handsome Newf who just arrived in our care on February 10, 2013.  This gorgeous fellow is a CKC registered Newfoundland who has all of the fabulous personality traits typical of the breed.  Gentle, friendly, laid back and all around awesome, Murphy is a great catch!

He was born July 6, 2010 and has received lots of love and care from his family.   He gets along great with everyone he meets -- dogs, cats, people, you name it.  He is a loving, gentle boy.

Unfortunately he suffered an injury to his knee and his family felt they were not able to afford the necessary treatment or perform the needed rehabilitation to help him recover from surgery.  Thinking of Murphy's best interest they surrendered him to Newf Friends so that he could get all of the care he needed.

Murphy had a full tear to his cruciate ligament and he saw an orthopedic specialist for surgical repair on February 28, 2013.  The surgery went well.   He will have a minimum of 8 weeks of intense rehabilitation until his follow-up xrays can be done and he can be adopted.  His rehabilitation will continue after this time with full recovery expected by summer.  Ideally, a home with few or no stairs will be best for Murphy.

Murphy also has moderate hip dysplasia, but his family reports that he had never shown any symptoms.  Hopefully with repair to his knee, and some much needed weight loss, Murphy will enjoy a long life with no discomfort from his hips.

Donations for Murphy's care are greatly appreciated.  Visit our Donate page to learn more.

Murphy is being fostered in the Bancroft, ON area.