Some History
I have enjoyed various breeds of dogs as companions over the years. My husband Tim and I, Marianne, lived on a sheep farm in upstate New York near Ithaca for 20 years and we raised Belgian Sheepdogs there; our "kennel" name was La Bergerie. Two litters of black puppies were raised with white lambs and our female, Spinner, often took care of cleaning up and reviving a chilled lamb. Our older children, Andrew and Aliénor, enjoyed the dogs as well as the rest of the farm animals.
In 2000, we sold our farm and small spinning mill and made a major move to Murfreesboro, North Carolina. Our 9-year-old Belgian Tervuren Alpha made the move with us, from a 78-acre farm to 1.1 acres on the edge of a small town.
I wanted another dog who would be company for Alpha. We no longer needed a sheepdog and I felt it would be nice to have a dog who would be more laid back and yet could be a faithful and playful companion for our young daughter adopted from China.
I read up numerous books, among them "The Perfect Match", "Paws to Consider" and "Choosing a Dog for Life" (great color photos) but the book I found most useful was "The Right Dog for You" by Daniel Tortora. This book has loads of tables, descriptions and questionnaires to help you choose the breed "that matches your personality, family and lifestyle"; you may even discover things about yourself that you were unaware of. Anyway, the Newfoundland was the breed for us, no question about it.
In 2009, we made another move further south, to Thomasville, GA. We have a little over 2 acres here, just north of Tallahassee, Florida.
Newfoundlands born in the south have adapted to the climate and may not produce as dense a coat as those born in the north. The only disadvantages of the breed are the abundance of hair and the drooling.
If you are contemplating acquiring a Newfoundland puppy, those are two disadvantages that you must consider. Your Newfoundland will require quite a bit of grooming (although I found that our Tervuren required even more). Brushing once a day or at least several times a week is recommended.
Newfoundlands will drool, more so in the summer when it is hot. If this bothers you, a Newfie may not be the dog for you.
Why HeartnSoul?
I chose HeartnSoul as a name because it describes the Newfoundland temperament to a T. They are gentle souls, all heart, sweet and loving with everyone. Laid back, faithful, loyal, easy to train, protective of children. They also get along wonderfully with cats *. They are truly great companions.
(* Note: if you are interested in Ragdoll cats, visit Shepherdstar Ragdolls).