GREATBASIN NEWFOUNDLANDS
conformation of a newf
ABOUT US & OUR BREEDING PROGRAM
GREATBASIN NEWFOUNDLANDS
CONORMATION OF A NEWFIE!!
GENERAL APPEARANCE
The Newfoundland is a sweet-dispositioned dog that acts neither dull nor ill-tempered. He is a devoted companion. A multipurpose dog, at home on land & in water, the Newfie is capable of draft work & possesses natural lifesaving abilities. The Newfie is a large, heavily coated, will balanced dog that is deep-bodied, heavily boned, muscular, & strong. A good specimen of the breed has dignity & proud head carriage. The following description is that of the ideal Newfie. Any deviation from this ideal is to be penalized to the extent of the deviation. Structural & movement faults common to all working dogs are as undesirable in the Newfie as in any other breed, even though they aren’t specifically mentioned herein.
SIZE, PROPORTION, SUBSTANCE
Average height for adult dogs is 28 inches, for adult bitches, 26 inches. Approximate weight of adult dogs ranges from 130 to 150 lbs, adult bitches from 100 to 120 lbs. The dog’s appearance is more massive throughout than the bitch’s. Large size is desirable, but never at the expense of balance, structure, & correct gait. The Newfoundland is slightly longer than tall when measured from the point of shoulder to point of buttocks & from withers to ground. He is a dog of considerable substance which is determined by spring of rib, strong muscle, & heavy bone.
HEAD
The head is massive, with a broad skull, slightly arched crown, & strongly developed occipital bone. Cheeks are well developed. Eyes are dark brown. (Browns & Brays may have lighter eyes & should be penalized only to the extent that color affects expression.) They are relatively small, deep-set, & spaced wide tips. They are set on the skull level with, or slightly above, the brow & lie close to the head. When the ear is brought forward, it reaches to the inner corner of the eye on the came side. Expression is soft & reflects the characteristics of the breed: benevolence, intelligence, & dignity. Forehead & face are smooth & free of wrinkles. Slope of the stop is moderate but, because of the well developed brow, it may appear abrupt in profile. The muzzle is clean-cut, broad throughout its length, & deep. Depth & length are approximately equal, the length from tip of nose to stop being less than that from stop to occiput. The top of the muzzle is rounded, & the bridge, in profile, is straight or only slightly arched. Teeth meet in a scissors or level bite. Dropped lower incisors, in an otherwise normal bite, aren’t indicative of a skeletal malocclusion & should be considered only a minor deviation.
NECK, TOP LINE, BODY
The neck is strong & well set on the shoulders & is long enough for proud head carriage. The back is strong, broad, & muscular & is level from just behind the withers to the croup. The chest is full& deep with the brisket reaching at least down to the elbows. Ribs are well sprung, with the anterior third of the rib cage tapered to allow elbow clearance. The flank is deep. The croup is broad & slopes slightly. Tail-Tail set follows the natural line of the croup. The tail is broad at the base & strong. It has no kinks, & the distal bone reaches to the hock. When the dog is standing relaxed, its tail hangs straight or with a slight curve at the end. When the dog is in motion or excited, the tail is carried out, but it does not curl over the back.
FOREQUARTERS
Shoulders are muscular & well laid back. Elbows lie directly below the highest point of the withers. Forelegs are muscular, heavily boned, straight, & parallel to each other, & the elbows point directly to the rear. The distance from elbow to ground equals about half the dog’s height. Pasterns are strong & slightly sloping. Feet are proportionate to the body size, webbed, & cat foot in type. Dewclaws may be removed.
HINDQUARTERS
The rear assembly is powerful, muscular, & heavily boned. Viewed from the rear, the legs are straight & parallel. Viewed from the side, the thighs are broad & fairly long. Stifles & hocks are well bent & the line from hock to ground is perpendicular. Hocks are well let down. Hind feet are similar to the front feet. Dewclaws should be removed.
COAT
The adult Newfie has a flat, water-resistant, double coat that tends to fall back into place when rubbed against the nap. The outer cat is coarse, moderately long, & full, either straight or with a wave. The undercoat is soft & dense, although it’s often less dense during the summer months or in warmer climates. Hair on the face & muzzle is short & fine. The backs of the legs are feathered all the way sown. The tail is covered with long dense hair. Excess hair may be trimmed for neatness. Whiskers need not be trimmed.
COLOR
Color is secondary to type, structure, & soundness. Recognized Newfie colors are black, brown, gray, & white & black.
SOLID COLORS
Blacks, Browns, & Grays may appear as solid colors or solid colors with White at any some, or all, of the following locations: chin, chest, toes, & tip of tail. Any amount of white found at these locations is typical & isn’t penalized. Also typical are a tinge of bonze on a black or gray coat & lighter furnishings on a brown or gray coat.
LANDSEER
White base coat with black markings. Typically, the head is solid black, or black with white on the muzzle, with or without a blaze. There is a separate black saddle and black on the rump extending onto a white tail. Markings, on either Solid Colors or Landseers, might deviate considerably from those described & should be penalized only to the extent of the deviation. Clear white or white with minimal ticking is preferred. Beauty of markings should be considered only when comparing dogs of otherwise comparable quality & never at the expense of type, structure & soundness.
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Any colors or combinations of colors not specifically described are disqualified.
GAIT
The Newfie in motion has good reach, strong drive, & gives the impression of effortless power. His gait is smooth & rhythmic, covering the maximum amount of ground with the minimum number of steps. Forelegs & hind legs travel straight forward. As the dog’s speed increases, the legs tend toward single tracking. When moving, a slight roll of the skin is characteristic of the breed. Essential to good movement is the balance of correct front & rear assemblies.
TEMPERAMENT
Sweetness of temperament is the hallmark of the Newfie: this is the most important single characteristic of the breed.