🚀 go-pugleaf

> I love Newfoundlands. 

Me, too!  (Pardon, but I'm a new "member" to the Newfie club --
Nimue, 7-week-old fourteen pounds of wooley puppyhood, has been
with us for two days, so I'm bubbling with baby stories.)

> There are two problems with them that most folks don't take into
> consideration...they like to lean against people. This is fine
> when the Newf is a pup, but when it gets full grown, it gets heavy.
> The solution here is to not allow it to lean when it is a pup.

Or get two, that way they can lean from each side and hold you up!
Seriously, I spent a great deal of time squished between my in-law's
St. Bernard bitches -- I don't mind dogs, and considered it the 
compliment it was.  A friend, less accustomed to large pets, did not think 
the same predicament was fun at all.

If you're going to have a dog -- especially one of the big breeds -- have
(you and) it obedience trained.  Your local Dog Training club should offer
open classes.  Not only is it good socialization for the dog (and you), but 
it's fun.  Too many people have a negative impression of dogs from the surfeit
of untrained, sometimes dangerous, nuisances -- some folks are so phobic as to 
suggest all dogs be killed.  (Don't laugh, it happened in Iceland.)  If more 
of us take responsibility for our pet's actions, that negative image should 
fade.  And, more, it adds to your enjoyment of the pet if you can control it.
(And the pet's enjoyment of you is also improved, believe it or not.)

Some might argue that this limits the pet's 'free spirit'.  Everyone needs
to know their boundaries (would you cross the Golden Gate Bridge if there
were no guard rails between you and the ocean??).

All right, I'll get off the soapbox, now.  Thanks for your patience.

The sleepy new puppy 'Mom',

Barb

P.S.

> The second thing is that [Newfie's] have a heavy coat, and you really have
> to be careful about gathering up the hair that they shed. A friend's
> father swears that the hair is responsible for the death of several
> refrigerators, dish washers, and washing machines.

Birds love it!  (Though most of the hair should be gathered into trash bags 
and disposed of, leave a bit for nest padding :-)(*really! -- I've seen
the birdies line up at a St.Bernard brushing*)