Tips On Introducing A New Puppy To Your Newfoundland Dog

One of the most common questions I get is how to introduce a puppy to your Newfoundland.

I’m going to be honest, this question isn’t an easy one and since I’m not a dog trainer in any shape or form, I’m hesistant to offer any advice on this topic. 

However, I can share ways that I used in my own life when introducing a new puppy to any of my Newfies. 

These tips are based on my dogs and my experience. 

Due to their sweet temperament and calm disposition, most Newfies will get along well with other dogs and welcome new additions to the family.

But, there are some Newfies that prefer to be the only dog in the family. 

Newfies That May Not Do Well With Other Dogs

Newfies that have been adopted and we’re not socialized properly when growing up may not due well with a new puppy in the home. 

They may need additional training by a professional.

Dominant Newfies or young adult male Newfies might be pushy or shows signs of aggression to another male dog and the same can be said for dominant females. 

 

It’s a good idea to really observe your Newfoundland’s behavior with other dogs when deciding on getting a new puppy. 

Over the years, I’ve seen Newfies paired with almost every breed and mixed breed.

The Introduction

When you first introduce any dogs, ensure that it’s in a controlled environment.

Introducing a new puppy to a Newfoundland should be slow and steady. 

A lot of people recommend keeping the dogs on a leash and introducing them to each other outside of the home on neutral territory. 

Using a leash for both dogs allows you to maintain control and prevent any sudden movements that may lead to a negative experience.

Allow them to sniff each other and get acquainted without forcing interaction.

Introductions are all going to depend on YOUR dogs. 

Odin’s personality is sweet, gentle, laid back, and curious with a side of the craziness at times. 

He likes equal time of being alone and being the center of attention. 

Puppies are full of energy, curious, playful, bold, and full of mischief. 

 

We introduced Finn and Lou to Odin slow and steady inside the house. 

We let Odin sniff the carrier that Finn was in and when Odin seemed to calm down a little bit, we took Finn out and held him and let Odin do the sniff check. 

We again let Odin settle down and then set Finn on the couch. 

We repeated this process several times eventually leading to Finn being on the floor with Odin. 

 

The Separation

Create separate spaces for your Newfoundland and the new puppy initially.

This separation ensures that both dogs have their own safe haven and reduces the chances of territorial disputes.

Gradually allow supervised interaction in neutral areas to prevent conflicts over territory.

It was really important for me to make sure that Odin had a place to go if he needed a break and vice versa for Finn and Lou. 

We have Finn and Lou  crate trained and that’s where they eats go when we are not home. 

If you don’t have a crate you can also a dog pen or a gate to give your dog and puppy their separate space but your current dog should always have an easy

escape route. 

Size Does Matter

While Newfies are known to be gentle giants they are still HUGE and they can unintentionally hurt a puppy while getting to know each other or playing. 

Always supervise play and stop BEFORE things get too rough

Odin was very good playing with Finn and he seemed to know his strength, however, there were a few times that I would have to break the play up, mostly tugging, but also games of bitey face. 

It took me a bit to pick up on their ques, probably because it took Odin a bit to figure out his ques, but once I did I was able to stop the play before things got too intense. 

Constant supervision should be done when you’re introducing a puppy to your Newfie.

This allows you to intervene if any signs of tension or aggression arise.

Over time, as they become more comfortable with each other, you can gradually decrease supervision.

Even though they are gentle giants, accidents do happen.

And don’t forget, different breeds have different needs!

This has been one of the hardest things for me to accustomed too. 

Cardigan Welsh Corgis are a hardy small breed but they are still a lot smaller than a Newfie and they have a lot of every that needs to be burned appropriately. 

I’m still trying to figure out what that is with Finn but I think that it has something to do with tennis balls and of course, herding. 

Playtime

Playtime is the best time but safe playtime is even better!

Getting to safe playtime again took some time. 

Learning what toys were best for a puppy and Newfie to play with can be a daunting task. 

Toys too small are a choking hazard for a Newfie and toys too big are pointless for a puppy. 

In our house, community toys are medium to large size. 

 

Finn has adjusted to playing with big toys and does quite well and they work better for tug play. 

He also has toys that are more his size that he plays with alone but he tends to go to the bigger toys anyways. 

We also have designated separate playtime. 

Finn has his playtime and Odin has his. 

This is because when Odin gets the zoomies and flops around like a fish he loses all sense of his surroundings. 

If I see the sparkle in Odin’s eyes that he’s going to zoom, Finn gets picked up. 

Don’t expect your Newfie to be your puppies only playmate! 

Puppies have a lot of energy and it shouldn’t be your Newfs job to take all of that burden. 

You need to play too!

Establishing Rules

Puppies are learning the rules as they go so it’s important to keep this in mind. 

They’ve been playing with a litter of puppies their same size since they’ve existed so coming to a home with only one other adult dog is going to take some adjustment.

They are used to jumping on their littermate’s head and being rude.

It’s a big adjustment going from that type of lifestyle to only interacting with one other adult dog that knows the rules.

You have to give them time, patience, and consistency to learn the rules of their new lifestyle. 

 

Use positive reinforcement techniques to reward both your Newfoundland and the new puppy for calm and friendly behavior around each other.

Offer treats and praise when they display appropriate social interactions, such as sniffing without growling or barking.

Your Newfie will help establish these rules to the puppy but should only be allowed to do so under your supervision. 

At the same time, most Newfies are VERY patient with puppies and some will lack the initiative to reinforce the rules of the house. 

This is where you need to come in and intervene. 

Don’t expect your adult Newfie to take all of that puppy energy.  

You’re just setting them both up for failure down the road. 

One tool that has been really successful for us with Finn is the Pet Corrector. 

I use this when he is getting too aggressive with Odin.

He likes to jump by Odin’s face and bite at his jowls. 

He’s trying to play but he takes it to another level so we do a get burst of the Pet Corrector and say “no” and he stops. 

It’s gotten to the point that all we have to do is show him the can and he stops. 

Training

Training should start the day your puppy comes home and should never end. 

With Finn and Odin, I found that training together on some basic commands worked well.

For instance, We’re teaching Finn “place” and it’s been a lot easier for him to watch Odin do it, and then he does it. 

I’ll do the training separately to make sure that he’s getting it also but to start off it’s been really easy to do together. 

 

The same with sit, stay, and down. 

Other commands like “drop it”, I’m working on separate.

It’s fun to train them both together!

But with Lou, all training was done seperate because Lou needed 100% focus. 

How Long Does It Take?

It was about 3-4 weeks before I noticed that Odin really accepted Finn. 

At first, it was more curiosity, then it was denial and then it was acceptance. 

It took a little longer for Odin to accept Lou though.

Lou had a lot of energy as a puppy and tended to over stay his welcome with Odin.

They eventually each found their own routine and Lou was able to recognize Odin’s signs of break time.

Give Them Each Separate Time

Ensure both dogs receive individual attention and exercise to prevent jealousy or competition for your affection.

This sounds a lot easier than it is but it’s important to still give each dog their own time. 

Most days I take of each my dogs for sperate walks so that we can spend time together. 

It’s also because each of my dogs have different missions on their walks. 

Another thing that I like to do is to have seprate play time and sperate dates with each of them. 

We do things together as a unit but it’s fun to spend quality one on one time with them!

Conclusion

Introducing your Newfoundland dog to a new puppy can be a rewarding experience when done right.

Remember to choose the right timing, create separate spaces, control the introduction, use positive reinforcement, maintain a routine, supervise interactions, and be patient.

With time and effort, your Newfoundland and the new puppy can form a harmonious and loving bond, enriching your family with even more Newfie love.

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