The Newfoundland Price: Is It as Fluffy as He Is?

If you’ve ever seen a Newfoundland, you’ve probably been drawn in by his sweet demeanor. This dog is a boofer if you’ve ever seen one!

So, is the price of a Newfoundland as fluffed up as his beautiful coat is? The good news is that the sticker Newfoundland puppy price is pretty average at between $1,000 and $2,000.

The bad news is that you may spend almost that much feeding him every year!

Before you get your heart set on this breed, perhaps you should check out his temperament and some of his other attributes.

The last thing anyone wants to do is surrender a dog because he’s not a great fit for the family. Prevent this from happening by learning all you can upfront.

The Newfoundland, Up Close

The Newfoundland has a history of acting as a working dog.

Specifically, his ancestors would help fishermen in what has since become Newfoundland, Canada.

Because of his close relationship with the water, the Newfoundland is actually rather adept at performing water rescues.

In fact, did you know they actually have webbed feet? This feature makes them fantastic swimmers!

Newfoundland Temperament and Personality

Here are some of the Newfoundland’s personality traits, which may make or break your decision to buy.

He Can Get Messy

The Newfoundland enjoys drinking water as much as he loves swimming in it.

Normally, this wouldn’t be a problem at all, but the Newfoundland doesn’t mind getting incredibly messy when he drinks.

As a result, you’ll often find yourself cleaning up pools of dog slobber when he’s done at the water dish.

He May Act Aggressive, Usually with Other Dogs

Newfoundlands can, but don’t always, engage in confrontation with other dogs of the same sex.

Some of them can also act aggressive toward people.

The odds of this decrease, however, if you socialize your dog early and often while he’s still a puppy.

If not, he may develop shyness which can take a turn for the worse if he feels threatened.

And you definitely don’t want a dog of this size feeling angry at you!

He is a Gentle Creature

This sounds like a contradiction in light of the aggressive bit mentioned above, but it’s true – most Newfoundlands are actually rather gentle creatures.

In fact, Newfoundlands are fantastic with children.

You just have to watch him to make sure he doesn’t knock the child over or lean on the child with his large frame.

Provided you train him properly while he’s still young, the Newfoundland can grow up to become quite the gentle giant.

He is Sweet-Tempered

This is not a dog who barks just because, which is good because he has quite the booming bark.

He’s a rather relaxed creature who can tolerate other dogs and animals just fine, with the proper socialization.

He is Not a Good Guard Dog

You might think that a dog this size is a slam-dunk as a guard dog, but that’s actually not true.

The Newfoundland is more likely to pin down an intruder or use his bulky body to stand between you and the threat until help comes.

However – and here’s the neat thing – the Newfoundland actually has a knack for determining who is a part of his pack and who isn’t.

So, as long as you welcome your best friend to the house with a smile on your face, he’ll know that she’s okay and will leave her alone.

Newfoundland Size

In some cases, a breed’s size alone may convince you to look elsewhere for a dog.

This may very well be the case with the boofer that is the Newfoundland.

This big guy averages a maximum adult height of 25 to 29 inches tall, and a healthy weight of between 99 and 150 lbs.

That’s a lot of dog!

You need to consider all the aspects of owning a dog this large. Will he fit in your car? Can you afford to feed him? What will his medical bills be like?

Newfoundland Price – How Much Do Newfoundlands Cost?

As noted earlier, the Newfoundland average price will run you between $1,000 and $2,000.

For a dog from a breeder, this is a pretty fair and average price range.

Of course, the Newfoundland price range drops a bit if you opt to adopt or rescue one of these pups.

You can reduce the Newfoundland dog price by hundreds, perhaps even over a thousand dollars if you go by one of these routes.

This is good because it will allow you to save up for other things you’re going to need for this dog – like his monthly food bill!

Demand

You would think that a dog this large might simply be too much dog for people to handle.

However, the Newfoundland is actually a surprisingly popular breed.

In 2017, the AKC ranked the Newfoundland as its 35^th most popular dog breed.

This is a good number because the Newfoundland is not so in demand that you won’t be able to find one, but not rare either.

Breeders should, therefore, more or less adhere to the $1,000 to $2,000 purebred Newfoundland price.

Newfoundland Rescue and Adoption

If you’re interested in adopting or rescuing a Newfoundland, you can save a few dollars in either case.

Plus, you’re opening your home to a dog who desperately needs one, and that’s always a wonderful thing.

Rescues tend to run about $400 for the care of the dog, though this cost is typically a “donation” that you can write off on your taxes later.

Shelters, on the other hand, charge much less – around $150 for preliminary vet care (like neutering) and shots.

The downside to a shelter, though, is that you could be waiting forever for the particular breed of dog you want to just happen to walk through their door.

The Newfoundland Rescue page is a helpful source that can link you to what may become your brand new best friend!

Newfoundland Cost of Ownership

Cost of ownership plays a large part in whether you can afford to own a Newfoundland.

And it’s not just feeding him that you have to consider.

What about when he needs vet care? Will you be able to afford multiple vet visits and (larger doses of) medication if he gets sick?

Will you need to consider a groomer? A trainer?

Here is a list of things to consider as additional expenses involved in owning a Newfoundland.

Cost of Food

The cost of food for one of these big guys will probably run you around $75 to $100 a month.

You should check with your veterinarian to see what they recommend insofar as the exact type and brand of food you should be feeding him.

Always adhere to the vet’s guidelines so as to not encourage your dog to become overweight.

Newfoundlands are big enough dogs on their own – they certainly don’t need to become obese on top of that!

Health Care Expenses

As with any dog, you’ll need to budget for routine and unexpected medical expenses.

It’s important to know the kinds of maladies that can affect a breed so you are better prepared for what may come next.

For the Newfoundland, the conditions he can develop include:

• Cataracts
• Cystinuria (bladder stones)
• Elbow Dysplasia
• Epilepsy
• Hip Dysplasia

There is also a particularly terrible condition that affects the Newfoundland in particular, and that is Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis, or “SAS.” 

When a Newfoundland has SAS, this means he was born with defective heart valves.

SAS can cause an otherwise seemingly Newfoundland to pass away suddenly, and young. 

This is especially concerning if you decide to pay top-dollar for a Newfoundland from a breeder. If you only have a couple of years with your dog, will it still feel like it was worth it?

Training Programs

This is one of those breeds where training is incredibly important, else you risk your dog growing up to become aggressive.

If you don’t think you can train your dog on your own, you should definitely look into obedience training.

You can also look into specialized training programs that can help him with whichever problem he has in particular.

For instance, if he acts aggressive around other dogs, you can look into programs that will encourage him to increase his sociability.

Do a little research in your local area and compare rates before settling on a particular program.

Grooming Costs

All you need to do is look at a Newfoundland and know that grooming is definitely a thing for this breed.

You need to brush a Newfoundland at least twice a week, and every day during his shedding seasons (which are biannual).

And here’s something fun – once you neuter your Newfoundland, he will shed even more. So, it’s pretty much a constant battle – you vs. your dog’s fur.

If this seems like way too much work, you can always hire a professional groomer, though this is, of course, an additional expense.

Still, you need to do what you need to do. That’s why you need to consider all the possible things you may need to pay for before ultimately settling on a particular breed.

Kailyn C.

Kailyn has worked as a professional freelance writer since 2012, and during that time she has written about nearly every dog breed imaginable. Her mother loved Collies, and so Kailyn grew up with three of them throughout her childhood – including a blonde one who was half-blind! Now her home belongs to her first official dog, Macho, a Dogo Argentino rescue.