All of our puppies are sold as pets – I cannot guarantee a successful show or breeding career for any of them. However, you will have my full support and all the help I can give, if you will get interested also showing or competing with your Newfie.
The puppies spend their first 8 weeks roaming freely around my house getting used to people, other dogs, cats, vacuum cleaner and television noises, etc, and they have my full attention all these weeks. I only sell Newfoundlands to families where they will gain the full membership of the family, and share the everyday life and house with their people. None are sold to kennels and I do not accept keeping this wonderful breed on its own outside fulltime.
 
• All puppies are sold with written Kennel Club contracts, and I keep the right to get the dog returned to myself at your expense, if you ever want to give your dog away. This is to protect the dogs.
• All puppies are registered and sold with full pedigrees. They are also microchipped and examined by a vet before moving to their new homes. All puppies are fully wormed with details given but are not vaccinated yet at 8 weeks, this should be done at your own vets at 12 and 16 weeks.
• I sell my puppies with a puppy pack containing guidance on rearing, grooming, feeding etc. I will expect you to fully follow my feeding instructions at least during the first, most critical year of the dog's life. Many things can go wrong during those first few months; I am always here to help and offer advice for your dog's whole lifespan, advice with grooming/trimming when requested, help with training and showing etc. In return I hope that you will keep in contact with me on the regular basis for the whole life of your dog.
• Not all the Newfoundlands I have bred have perfect health: some have got bad hip score, a couple have had their elbows operated due to dysplacy, and there have been heart problems too. I need your help to improve the health of future generations. I do my best to test the health, beauty and temperament of all my dogs that I use for breeding. This will include x-ray scores for hips and elbows, ultrasound examination to detect hereditary heart diseases typical for Newfoundlands, and DNA-test for cystinuria (hereditary kidney disease affecting Newfoundlands). I have only bred from animals that have proved themselves in show, and I enjoy taking my Newfies to obedience and water rescue trials too to test their skills and temperament in these. Generally, I like to make an effort, and I hope that if you decide to take a puppy from me, you will make an effort too to help me breed ever better Newfies in the future.
• You can view all the health results of all my own Newfoundlands and all the puppies I have bred on these pages, or following this link.
I therefore wish that ALL my puppies will get their health checks done when around 12-24 months old, at your expense. I expect you to keep me informed about any health problems affecting your dog at any age.
Please remember:-
• Newfoundlands are very big dogs, they take up a lot of space in your home, they can be messy – slobber, plenty of hairs and lots of mud! They are not a dog for the house proud, you will need hard washable floors and walls, no ornaments at tail height, and no food left out at all!
• Newfoundlands require a lot of grooming, preferably a bath every 4 weeks minimum for show dogs. If you cannot bath your dog yourself you will need to pay someone else to do it for you – usually around £40 at grooming parlour – every month. In addition a weekly groom is essential - combing your dog out will take 1-2 hours each week. This MUST be done EVERY week.
• They cost is around £10 per week to feed, vets bills are huge, worming £10 for one dose, flea treatments £20, one week of antibiotics up to £100. Insurance is a must!
• Furthermore, a cute 8 week puppy weighs at about 30-50 kilos at 6 months, and they do not realise their own size, they are HOOLIGANS! In fact up to the age of two years Newfies are generally quite mad. Are you ready for that?
 
The mother of all young hooligans, Onni Makkara
• Newfs are very boisterous and lively through their puppy and teen years, they are very rough when playing with other dogs due to their size – the other dogs don't always like it – unless they are a Newf of course! Your puppy will only become a gentle and docile Newfoundland OVER the age of two years and only if well trained and socialised. Until then - be prepared!
 • You must train and socialise your dog from day one, he must know right from wrong, acceptable and not acceptable, he will only know these things if you tell him. Dogs are pack animals and need a pack leader, this is the most dominant person in the home, if you do not become pack leader your dog will.
• Your dog must be accustomed to new surroundings, people and dogs from a young age, so join a puppy training class, take your dog to supermarket and sit outside with him, anything to get them used to change.
• Please for the sake of your dog and this wonderful breed, do not take on a Newfoundland unless you are fully prepared for all of the above – and more.
Lastly:
• Can you hold a 50-80 kg Newfoundland on the lead if he decides to go!?
• Do you want to mop your floors and home twice a day in the winter, once in the summer?
• Can you afford to keep a Newf?
• Is your car big enough?
• Is your home big enough? You cannot leave a Newf outside alone for long periods.
• Do you have the time and energy to devote to a dog, to train and love him, for the next 10 years or hopefully more?
• Are you prepared for a one dog demolition derby?
Only if you have answered yes to all of the above should you consider having a Newfoundland.
Pilkku, Oskari, Terho, Onni and Armi going fishing 2005
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