Training your Newfoundland Puppy early, is so important. It might be hard to imagine your fluff ball turning into a gentle giant. Newfoundland dogs grow to average weights of 100 to 150 lbs. It’s one thing to have undesirable behaviour from a small dog, yet they get ignored or excused more easily. A large dog like a Newfoundland with unwanted behaviours can be seen as a destructive nuisance. Mainly due to their size. To make life easier for your big dog you should start training as early as possible.
By 10-12 weeks old Newfoundlands can weigh 25-30 lbs.They are smart creatures and eager to please so training isn’t difficult. It’s just best to get through the tough spots when smaller in size. Big dog blunders leave “bad dog” impressions on people. The more well mannered your dog is the more it’s breed can be seen by others as “good”. Good dogs are those that listen and behave.
The cuteness and bumbling while learning should be a fun experience for both you and your newfoundland puppy. It will take time, patience and repetition of training routine to get the dog to perform as you expect. Training with treats as rewards and using positive reinforcing words will help your dog learn quicker.
When out in public your dog represents the breed as a whole. Not every human is fond of big dogs. Children can sometimes be fearful of a large animal too. Understanding that others your dog may interact with will have a perspective of their own in regards to your dogs behavior. You want your dog to be remembered for good manners rather than rambunctious behavior. Not all people have even encountered a Newfoundland dog in person. The size of an adult Newfie could instill instant fear in someone who has never met this dog breed.
Newfies are generally happy and jovial dogs. However, without early socialization they can become protective and/or aggressive of territory. Part of the most important training to do right away has to do with socializing them properly. You want your dog to be able to sniff and check out a variety of people, places and things in it’s young life. The more “out of the backyard” experiences it has the more likely it’s to stay contented and friendly around others and in unfamiliar environments. These dogs need to experience life as a dog among others as much as possible.
A puppy of 30 lbs can knock over a toddler easily. Imagine if the puppy were never taught not to jump on people. This big dog would be avoided at all costs even by adults. No dog is happy that it is shunned for showing excitement. It’s another important area of training that should be taught sooner than later. Newfoundland puppies grow big and grow fast. It’s important to prioritise training of a Newfoundland dog early on to prevent bad behaviour in a giant dog that is hard to handle. You want everyone to feel safe and happy around your large breed dog.
