Every once in awhile I’ll hear the term “dry-mouth” Newfoundland pop up in conversation and I always wondered what that was.
Maybe it’s the medical part in me but whenever I hear dry mouth I think of cottonmouth.
You know, like the dry gagging you feel when you wake up from being under anesthesia and all you want to do is drown your mouth in a nice cold glass of water.
No one should ever have a dry mouth and if they do have one on a consistent basis it’s probably due to a medical condition.
But I know that’s not what people are talking about when they say they have or want a dry-mouth Newfoundland.
They want a Newfie that doesn’t drool.
What is a dry-mouth Newfoundland?
It’s a mythical creature that resides with the shedless Newfoundland and the unicorn in the magical world of Narnia
It’s a term made up by unethical breeders.
It’s a marketing ploy.
It’s a red flag if used as a term by a Newfie breeder to get you to buy a puppy.
Why?
Because no matter how good a breeder is they can not predict if a Newfie is going to drool or not.
Newfies drool, in fact, they’re on the list of top dog breeds that drool the most.
Mom and dad didn’t drool much but that doesn’t mean that they’re going to produce drool-less offspring.
Not even the below-par breeders that say they breed for tighter lips can guarantee a “dry-mouth”. Which by the way, means that they are altering the breed over and over again to get a tighter lip.
Things I’ve heard over and over again in regards to non-droolers vs. droolers:
“We got our Newf from a breeder who breeds dry-mouths and he’s a constant leaky faucet!”
“We got our Newf from a reputable breeder who didn’t mention anything about a dry-mouth but our Newfie doesn’t drool! We asked the breeder about this and they said to go buy a lottery ticket.”
“We have a dry-mouth Newfoundland. She only drools when she’s begging or after she dunks her head in the water.”
The bottom line is some Newfies drool and some don’t.
Some Newfies drool more than others.
Some start off droolers as soon as they can drool and some take time to mature into full or part-time droolers.
Leroy didn’t really start drooling until he was over 4 years old. Sherman drooled from day 1. Odin drools after he drinks, when he’s begging and when he’s hot, otherwise, his chin is dry.
I feel like Leroy’s flews got looser as he got older but Sherman’s were always loose.
Newfies have flews
Flews are another name for the upper lips.
Flews that turn out can produce more drool. Flews that turn in may prevent some leakage.
All dogs have saliva in their mouths and some produce more saliva than others.
When a dog has flews the saliva will often build up in the pockets of the lips and then eventually stream down the mouth or get flung somewhere onto your walls or ceiling.
So the looser the flews the more slobber the dog will produce?
I used to think that because Sherman had some really loose flews and slobbered basically all the time but some dogs with loose flews only slobber after drinking, when they’re hot or when they’re begging and not when they’re sleeping.
So tighter flews won’t produce as most slobber?
Not necessarily.
Odin has tighter flews than any Newfie that I’ve had and he also has some pretty good slobber strings.
So why do some Newfies drool more than others even if they have loose flews?
I don’t know. I really don’t know and after researching this topic I don’t think anyone does.
Making it even more confusing is the fact that flews are not mentioned in the American or UK standards of the Newfoundland breed.
The Candian Kennel Club does mention that pronounced flews are not desirable.
Many Newfoundland dogs don’t drool ALL the time but most Newfies are going to drool after they dunk their heads in a bowl of cool water and when you’re eating a 6-inch thick pastrami sandwich on rye.
Thus making it a drool-less mouth over a dry-mouth.
What to do if you come across a breeder advertising a dry-mouth Newfoundland
Ask if they guarantee that the dog will be a dry-mouth and if they do get it in writing.
Request that it be in your contract right below the health guarantee.
My guesses are that no Newfoundland dog breeder will give you such a guarantee.
Is your Newfie still a Newfie if he/she doesn’t drool?
Absolutely and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.
Not all Newfies are created equal.
Some may drip, some may leak.
And if your Newfie doesn’t drool it isn’t a rare form of the breed.
It doesn’t need a name prefacing the breed.
I don’t have a wet-mouth Newfoundland.
I have a Newfoundland.
Rosa Bush
Wednesday 13th of November 2019
Wmy baby only does it with begging and when she is extemely happy. But she is only 18 months every day is an adventure
Jen
Sunday 17th of November 2019
Every day is definitely an adventure with them!
Lisa
Monday 11th of November 2019
I'm new to your blog, love the information. Thanks so much. I'm not sure if this is frowned upon here, but I have a Newfiepoo or Newdle. She doesn't really drool, but she is definitely the messiest drinking pooch I've ever had. And I've had several Great Pyrenees.
Jen
Sunday 17th of November 2019
Welcome to the blog Lisa! All Newfies mixed or not can join in anytime!
Janette Cripps
Monday 11th of November 2019
Our boy TJ (16mnths) ( Dad 100% brown Newfie & mum is Landseer/Lab) looks for all the world like a 100% brown Newfie though flews included! He hasn't lived up to 'drooling' expectations (yet). Could there be a Landseer connection ? Like Odin he only drools after drinking or when begging or hot. I doubt it's the 25% Lab as they're pretty good at drooling too! Maybe shed some light on the drooling anomaly...….. Love your posts/blogs, you're very good at it girl, I'm impressed. They make me laugh & cry!!! Janette
Jen
Sunday 17th of November 2019
Hi Janette- Leroy wasn't a big drooler until after he was 5. He mostly drools when begging and drinking too!
Melinda
Monday 11th of November 2019
Drool is cool! It can substitute for spackle, grout and glue in a pinch. It glistens in the right light and has fooled us into believing they were icecicles on a Christmas tree a time or two. Our Bloodhound created magnificent drool ropes. We were told the drool holds scent, helps heavy droolers track long distances. Our Bloodhound and our Newfoundlands taught us that drool is cool ?. Drool rags are available at our front door ?
Jen
Sunday 17th of November 2019
Right?! I mean after years of just painting over the spackle it gives your walls a unique look! Lol
Fenris
Monday 11th of November 2019
Our Lottie turned 2 years old today, and so far she seems to have a normal level of drool, mostly after drinking water, eating or receiving treats. I wasn't concerned about it when I adopted her, in any case. She's my Newfie and I love her so much.
Jen
Sunday 17th of November 2019
We love them drool and all!