We've had a very busy few weeks here at Newf Friends with lots of new arrivals and lots of happy endings.  Here's the wrap-up of what we've been up to since our last update:


 Our online store has been updated to include loads of new merchandise ready to be shipped out in time for the holidays.  Have you placed your order yet?  Visit our store today!  100% of the proceeds go directly to help Newfs in need.

Gorgeous 3 year old Mira is our newest arrival.  This sweet girl came in as a medical emergency but is doing much better now and is looking forward to a bright future.  Read all about her here.

Sweet senior girl Sheila arrived in our care and is doing very well in her foster home.   She has some worrisome lumps and bumps and a mass has been discovered in her abdomen.  She is undergoing surgery tomorrow and hopefully the mass is benign and nothing to worry about.  Updates will be posted as soon as we know more.  Read about Sheila here.

 Gorgeous gal Kira arrived in our care and we have already found a great home for her.  She will be adopted shortly.  Here's her bio.

Love-bug Rupert is a new arrival who is cute as a button and looking for lovin'.  Maybe he's the pup you've been searching for?  Here's his bio.


Speaking of love-bugs, sweet, sensitive Monty has loads of love to give.  This adorable young landseer is doing very well in his foster home.   He is ready to find his perfect family.  Read about Monty here.

Willie is still waiting for the right family to come along.  This 4 year old purebred boy has so much love to give.  Do you have room in your heart for him?  Learn more about Willie Wonka here.

Newfie Boy has an approved home and will be joining them soon!  Hooray! Read more about him here.
Grayson was adopted!  Fantastic!

Sisko was adopted!  Way to go!



Jasmin  was adopted!  Congratulations!

Flynn  was adopted!  Yippee!

If you or someone you know is looking for a new canine family member that isn't a Newf, be sure to visit HART, our parent all breed rescue group's PetFinder listings. They've got wonderful dogs of all shapes and sizes, coats and ages who are waiting for great families to adopt them. 

Many of you may remember Inti. He was a senior fellow with an amazing spirit that came into our rescue program in December 2011. He was terribly matted and had mobility issues but he had a heart of gold. Below is a picture of him when he first arrived at his foster home.


He was immediately put on pain medication to make him more comfortable and taken to the groomer. What a handsome guy he was once the matts were cut out and he was cleaned up! See below.

He had to be completely shaved. Brrrrr!

Shortly before his February 2012 adoption, his hair was growing in nicely

Inti was adopted in February 2012 by a wonderful, kind-hearted lady named Joan who couldn't resist his soulful eyes and charming personality. Seeing as Joan lived in Minnesota, Inti's foster Mom met up with her just outside of Chicago; the half way point between them. It was love at first sight when Inti met his new Momma. Now here's the part of the story that is unforgettable. Joan's car broke down when she arrived in Chicago. She and Inti had to spend 4 days in the area, waiting for it to be fixed. They camped out in a hotel and Inti made friends with all the staff and as many guests as he possibly could. Picture this happy old guy lumbering around the hotel hallways, saying hello to every single person he saw. Priceless!! Once the car was fixed, Inti and Joan said goodbye to their fans and made their way home to Minnesota with no hiccups. What an adoption story!

Fast forward to November 2012.... Joan sent us an update. Inti is doing great. He loves all the other senior dogs and cats at his new home, loves his humans and is still making friends everywhere he goes. And boy does he go places! His most favourite thing is going for car rides every chance he gets, which is almost daily. What a guy! He has a favourite tree in the backyard that he loves to lay under, even though he has to climb a little rise and over some rocks to get to it. Inti always knew what he wanted and never let anything stop him from getting it. This is exactly the spirit and determination we were talking about!

Inti is a wonderful reminder that just because a dog is older and might not walk so well, it doesn't mean they can't enjoy life and live it to the fullest. We look forward to more updates from this special guy. Enjoy the pictures!

chewing on a stick

relaxing

look at his glorious coat!!

Hi friends!!

relaxing under his favourite tree

Can't get enough of Inti? You can view Inti's original biography with all his videos at http://newf-friends.blogspot.ca/2011/12/inti.html

Meet Mira, a very special girl who arrived in our care on November 12, 2012.  She is a friendly, affectionate, adorable girl who is waiting for a fabulous family to come along.



This sweet Newf came to us as a medical emergency after enduring multiple severe seizures growing worse in intensity over the last while.  Her owners were unable to provide veterinary care for her so made the decision to surrender her to us when Mira's seizures became so severe that her life was in danger.

She was brought in for immediate veterinary care and has received treatment and is now doing great!  Mira has been diagnosed with epilepsy which is easily managed and will not impact her quality of life.  She will simply require medication a few times a day for the rest of her life to help her stay seizure free.

Mira has now completed her follow-up bloodwork and her levels are good, her meds are working and all is well.   Now that she is stable we will vaccinate, then spay her, and then she will be ready to join an adoptive family.


Mira is a young girl, born Sept 9, 2009 in Europe and in her short life has been bounced around through many homes being sold several times, then given away for free until finally making her way to Newf Friends.

Despite her unstable background Mira has a wonderful temperament, is well mannered, gentle and an absolute sweetheart.  She is a fabulous girl and will make an excellent companion for even first time newf owners.

She gets along well with other animals and could join a home with other dogs or small animals.  She is very easy going and fits in well with everyone.

Look at me, feeling soooooo much better!  Thank you Dr. Cote!

From Wikipedia:

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.
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]

References

The holidays are fast approaching and Newf Friends has fabulous gifts for the Newf lover on your shopping list.  Visit our online store to find our collection of custom made Newf themed gift items, including our 2013 calendar!  This 12x18 spiral bound calendar is printed on heavy, high gloss paper and features gorgeous photos of many of the newfs who have gone through our foster program.  Our high quality calendars are always a top seller so shop early before they are all gone!




Visit our online store today to view all of the new products we have available including aprons, toques, umbrellas and more.  Feel good about your holiday shopping knowing that 100 % of the proceeds go directly to Newf Friends to help us help newfs in need. 

Shipping within Canada/USA is included in the price and orders placed now will be shipped next week.

In addition to being available online you can also pick up selected items, including our 2013 calendars, in person at The Leprechaun in Sudbury, ON or at West Wind in Bancroft, ON.

Treat yourself and the Newf lovers on your shopping list to some awesome gift items, and help save some Newfs!  Happy shopping!

Here's the link http://www.newfstock.ca/newfstore/ 

The 12 monthly images from our 2013 Newf Friends Calendar.  Order your copy today!

I definitely have the ears and snout of a Pyr, wouldn't you say?

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.

 Some of the Senior Newfs available for adoption through Newf Friends are:



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!