Hi

We are considering getting a Newfoundland puppy after doing lots of research and speaking with a few breeders via the newfy clubs / kennel club.

We realise that they need A LOT of grooming which we are absolutely fine with. My question is, does this breed have a tendency to smell, even after regular grooming and bathing?

Honest answers and experiences appreciated!

Thanks

I have to say that there will be a doggy smell but its worth it as they are the most amazing dogs. I had one many years ago and she was wonderful, worth every stolen cake /pie ( heads are worktop height) worth changing the car to an old volvo estate that she could use as a kennel and certainly worth any smell. They  get very hot in this climate mine was never happier than when it snowed and she could lie in the frozen fish pond and watch the flakes settling all over her. Get one you wont regret it I promise.

You're right, they are such a wonderful breed and we are really looking forward to getting a puppy. It's just that the other day someone said they they are really smelly dogs!! Also, when we moved into this house, there was a really bad smell of dogs and the previous owner of our house had a Newfoundland!
So we weren't sure if this was inevitable with this breed or that a good regular groom and bath could control this. It definitely won't put us off, we would just like to be prepared.
Your Newfoundland sounded lovely by the way!

My Newfoundland was THE dog in my life. I feel disloyal to the others in my life ( 12 Goldens; 7 Bernese; 1 GSD; 2 Cavaliers) but something about the way my Newf thought and acted like a person on 4 legs made her really special and I have to say that ALL of my dogs have been wonderful, special, well-behaved (usually!) part of my family whom I have adored. 

My Newf was well groomed and rarely got smelly except when I holidayed in the New Forest and she would swim every day, stay wet all day and could only have a cursory brush in the bedroom in the morning where she lay on her back, legs in the air and so I could get a slicker brush through before the circle started again with another swim.  I was glad to get her home to get her dry and properly brushed and the smell would not linger. People commented that she was the only Newf they knew who did not smell . Many friends said they would have a Newf if it could be like her.

My friend's Newfs absolutely stink but they swim all the time.  There is also the slobber to consider. Never have an uplighter lampshade with a Newfoundland! My "paragon of virtue" didn't slobber either but she was never fed titbits from me or visitors. She had plenty of treats of her own.  Those people lucky enough to have had one adore them but I guess they are not for the house proud, clothes proud or car proud. They are for REAL DOG LOVERS with a sense of humour.  Go for it!

Thanks for all the advice G.Rets, that's great! Can I ask, did you give your newf a good brush daily? And how often did you bath your newf?
As for the slobber, we have prepared ourselves for potential coverings of the walls, floor, curtains...  We have also told ourselves that we will have to leave our best clothes at the front door!!

With numerous dogs, I admit that they don't get a thorough daily brush but I use to comb her through to the skin at least a couple of times a week, especially if she had been wet. Bathing only happened about 3 or 4 times a year as I needed help to lift her in the bath ( wonder why friends didn't always visit when invited!) I could bath her outside but it was never as thorough and killed my back.  Best clothes? What are they?  ( I was still teaching at a posh private school at the time, too. One pupil did ask why my clothes always had dog hairs on. Shame you can't hit the little dears these days!) " Out of the mouths of babes" eh?  I look forward to you getting your puppy as if it were mine.  ENVY..........

We are so looking forward to it. It can't come quick enough for us. That's the only thing really, the waiting. We've got our name down with a breeder but depends if there enough boy pups in the litter for us and the others on her waiting list I guess. Our last dog passed away at the beginning of the year bless him, so we miss not having a dog. Our recent holiday felt so odd with him being with us...we've never had a holiday without a dog, he even came on our honeymoon! So we feel like enough time has passed now and are ready for another dog in our family x

I've had Newfs for 20 odd years now - a couple of puppies but mainly rescue adults. Yes, they can smell at times I think but I never notice it any more! Like anything else it all depends on how you care, groom etc. and of course the character of the dog can have a lot to do with it. One of mine at the moment is just a dirt magnet, if there is a muddy puddle she will lay in it, if an animal has left a deposit in the field she will roll in it, and if she has a poo and I don't get there quickly enough she will stand in it, but she is gorgeous so all these things are forgiven. As has already been said, they are not for the house proud, but for a real dog person they are a brilliant breed - I can't imagine ever being without at least one of them. Good luck with your puppy.

The washing is a constant struggle if you have no help, My OH built me a nice wooden bench outside and put hot and cold water to the tap. This means now I can stand the little darlings up higher and its so much better for my back. If you ever want a good dog washing day G-Rets you can chuck 'em all in the car and bring them to me and we will scrub the lot ;-) I have a nice blaster too and they get stood on the bench for a blast afterwards.
Aileen

I groom 6 Newfies.  Some do have a manky smell. One pair were taken to the seaside every weekend last summer and 'dried off' in the back of their pickup on the way home. Holy moly I could smell them walking up my drive.
I find the best shampoo for the stinkies is Wahl Dirty Beastie and it will probably pay you to invest in a small blaster to get the crud out of the coat on a regular basis. And please, get your pup used to being groomed from an early age. This week I've done 2 x 10 month olds for their first time and my back hasn't recovered yet.

Thanks all for your advice about grooming and grooming products. A breeder also mentioned a blaster so will definitely be looking into getting one of these. And good to hear some fab words about the breed...makes us want one even more. We can't wait!

We have a mixture of those we show
And those we don't show.

The show dogs don't smell as much as the non show dogs as they are washed more frequently - however the washing only stops them smelling IF they are dried properly.
So many people do not dry their Newfs well enough and then the dog air dries - slowly and gets a horrible 'cheesy' smell - the kind if smell your washing would get if you piled it all up wet so only the edges and top items dried and the rest stayed damp.
It's awful.
And this applies not only after washing - but getting wet anyhow (rain/beach/swim)
The only way to prevent is a thorough drying with a high speed blaster - and take your time, not a quick 20 min blast - a looong blast!!!

Those that are only bathed 3/4
Times a year will smell like Hampster - a musky caged animal smell that the owners are probably not aware of.
Those that don't groom the dead under coat out especially. Some newf owners think they groom them properly. If you want a need that dosent smell it will be hard work to keep on top of.

Having said all of this I wouldn't be without mine - even the smelly ones!

Drooling - hugely down to luck - we have had big droplets and non existent droplets from the same litter. Mainly depends
In how loose the flews are.