From Toys to Giants, Doodles cover all shapes and sizes of cross breeds. But what brings you here? Your love for the Newfoundland without the shed and drool? A giant presence with the calmest of temperaments? Or maybe you just can’t decide which large dog would be best for you and your family.
In this article we delve into the background of both the Goldendoodle and Newfoundland, determine whether this is an accessible cross, and if so, what the pros and cons are to mixing the two.
Join us on our journey to discover everything Golden Newfypoo!
Table of Contents
Goldendoodle History
The Goldendoodle is a hybrid breed, created by crossing a purebred Poodle with a purebred Golden Retriever.
While there were likely accidental crossings of these two popular breeds many years prior, the first documented intentional breeding of a Goldendoodle was recorded in 1969. At this time the breed was developed to offer up a variation on the Golden Retriever, which was commonly used as a guide dog. Breeders discovered that crossing the Golden with a Poodle made for a curlier, lower shedding coat which was less problematic for those who required a guide dog but who also had sensitivity to dog hair and dander.
It wasn’t until the mid to late 1990s when the internet propelled a whole wealth of new and emerging Doodle hybrids into popularity, that the Goldendoodle really began to take off.
Fast forward to the common day and the Goldendoodle remains a favorite of many dog owners and Doodle fans the world over.
Newfoundland History
This gentle giant of the canine world hails from his namesake, Newfoundland in Canada. The original fisherman’s friend he is loyal, calm, and impressively strong. Bred in order to utilize his strength the Newfoundland would haul heavy, fish-filled nets from the ocean and pull wood-laden carts through the steep streets surrounding the ports for his master.
He is also a renowned water rescue dog and was often a welcome passenger on Atlantic voyages with many tales of brave rescues being remembered within nautical circles. The most famous being that of Napoleon when his escape from Elba was jeopardized by the rippling waves of the Tyrrhenian Sea.
In later years, due to his calm and gentle demeanor, he became known as the ‘nanny dog’ and even bagged himself a role in Peter Pan as “Nana” to Wendy, John, and Michael. Whilst he is known for being good with children it is important to be mindful of his size, smaller youngsters may easily and accidentally get knocked over or leaned upon!
He has a thick double, water-resistant coat and webbed feet, all of which add to his aqua abilities. At his largest, he can weigh over 200lbs and measure 30” at the withers. The most common colors are black and brown, but you will also find them in gray, white, and even black and white.
You can learn more about the Newfoundland, and in turn the Newfypoo in our very own breed guide Everything you Need to Know About the Newfypoo Breed.
What do you Call a Goldendoodle Newfoundland Mix?
Some of the names given to Doodle mixes can certainly get your tongue in a twist. However, the Goldendoodle Newfoundland mix is a much more logical process.
The Golden Retriever Newfoundland is already an established mix known as the Golden Newfie and of course, the Newfoundland crossed with the Poodle is the lovable Newfypoo.
We are really only left with one logical conclusion for the Goldendoodle Newfoundland mix and that would be the Golden Newfypoo!
Why is the Goldendoodle Newfoundland Cross Being Bred?
Quite simply they’re not! Well, at least not intentionally, there will almost certainly be the occasion accidental litter out there. However, our extensive research shows that there are no known reputable breeders who currently have the Newfoundland Goldendoodle cross in their breeding program.
What does this tell us? It tells us that not only is there little to no demand for the Golden Newfypoo but that ethical breeders are not willing to embark on the journey which would take extensive knowledge, health testing, and searching for two compatible participants.
Is the Newfoundland Goldendoodle Mix Ethical?
Subjectively you will find some opinions that will wax lyrical on why crosses should not be bred and that purebreds should only and always be about bettering the breed. On the flip side is the argument for hybrid vigor – a way of creating a healthier dog – or why mixing certain breeds can bring you the best of both worlds in terms of looks, temperament, and care.
However, the question here is whether breeding the Goldendoodle with the Newfoundland is a good match in terms of ethics. The Goldendoodle is already a crossbreed (Golden Retriever and Poodle) so adding another breed to the gene pool you are really, in effect, just creating, what we called in my day, a ‘Heinz 57”. Whilst this may reduce the potential for health issues that are prevalent in the three individual breeds without an established breeding program it is unknown what health problems in fact may occur.
Size is an important factor when mating two dogs. Not so much with purebreds as they will be of a similar size but when you have two different breeds it’s not just about the disparities that there may be in the litter given the different genetics, but the health of the mom and the puppies.
If you have a sire who is much bigger this may not only make the tie impossible, leaving only artificial insemination (AI) as an option for conception but it also leaves the dam open to potential damage from carrying and whelping puppies who are too big.
The puppies themselves will also be at risk of skeletal defects among other issues when the size of their parents is incompatible.
The average weight of a Newfoundland is between 100lbs and 150lbs with an average height of 22” – 28” to the shoulder. In comparison, the Standard Goldendoodle is much smaller with an average weight between 35lbs and 45lbs and measuring up to 26”.
Given these figures, the only way to preserve the health of the mom and the puppies when crossing a Newfoundland and a Goldendoodle would be to have a much larger than average Goldendoodle and a much smaller than average Newfoundland ensuring that mom was the larger of the two parents.
The Benefits of a Goldendoodle Newfoundland Mix
Newfoundland’s and Newfypoo’s are most often black or brown. For those who prefer the lighter-colored dog then introducing the Goldendoodle may bring you just that!
Maybe it’s the love of both the Newfypoo temperament and the beautiful golden color of the Golden Retriever and many Goldendoodles that has led you to the Golden Newfypoo search.
But did you know that it’s entirely possible to produce a golden-colored Newfypoo with the right genetics? Providing that both mom and dad carry the ‘e locus” gene which is responsible for changing black or brown to cream then there is a 25% chance that a Newfypoo puppy would be golden.
With a lifespan of only 8 – 10 years ethically breeding the Newfoundland to the Goldendoodle may go some way to produce puppies who will live longer. Goldendoodles live on average between 10 and 15 years.
Utilizing the calm temperament of the Newfoundland to tame the higher energy of the Goldendoodle would be another benefit of mixing the two breeds in question. However, given the risks due to size incompatibility, safer options would to be either look at the Newfypoo or a smaller, less energetic Doodle breed.
Other than their energy levels Goldendoodles and Newfoundlands have similar personality traits. Both are loyal, loving, and intelligent. Mixing the two would be unlikely to bring anything different to the offspring than already outlined above.
The Cons of a Goldendoodle Newfoundland Mix
A first-generation Goldendoodle crossed with a Newfoundland is likely to produce an unfurnished litter (unfurnished meaning no beard and mustache). If it’s the Doodle look that draws you to the Golden Newfypoo then this is worth bearing in mind.
There are also no guarantees that your Golden Newfypoo puppy will inherit that lovely, low-shedding Poodle coat that most Doodle owners desire. In fact, being only 25% Poodle, genetics really aren’t on his side. Both the Golden Retriever and Newfoundland are high shedders!
The same can be said for reducing the drool. Introducing the Goldendoodle is not a fail-safe method. Whilst the mix may reduce the level of drool that the Newfoundland can distribute around your home only luck would eliminate it completely. Read more about drooling canines in our dedicated article Do Newfypoo Dogs Drool?!
Another downside is that with no previous data of this mix you really don’t know what you’re going to get beyond guesswork. Litters can be varied both in size and temperament and until your pooch is fully grown you won’t know the outcome.
When deciding to bring a dog into your home these are usually all the factors you research beforehand to ensure they are the best fit for you. The ‘bran tub’ method is really only for the brave!
What to Expect from the Goldendoodle Newfoundland Mix
With little to no information on this mix, it’s extremely difficult to predict what a litter would bring. Even within each litter, until a breeding program is established, the possibility for a truly eclectic group of siblings is high.
Given this, laid out in our estimations below is simply what logic would dictate. That said, genetics, outliers, and luck are really what would determine the answers.
Size and Weight
The average female Newfoundland will weigh between 100lbs and 120lbs with the males reaching 150lbs. They can grow to 28” measured to the withers (shoulder).
Conversely, even the larger Goldendoodle will only average between 20” and 24” in height and weigh, on average, between 50lbs and 90lbs.
Providing that the breeder is ethically using a smaller Newfoundland and a larger Goldendoodle to produce a Golden Newfypoo then you can expect puppies to reach somewhere between 22” and 26” and weigh around 70lbs to 110lbs.
Color and Coat Types
Coat type is likely to be between straight, and wavy with only 25% of puppies wearing furnishings and curly coats.
Colors can be black, brown, golden, and even parti (more than 50% white and one other color). Only genetic testing can give an accurate forecast of what colors offspring can display. The color of mum and dad can give a loose guess but without that testing, one will never know what recessive genes they are carrying.
Health
As previously touched upon, a three-way breeding may go some way to minimize any health issues that are prevalent in the Poodle, the Golden Retriever, and the Newfoundland. However, without any health data or research into the Golden Newfypoo, we also cannot guarantee that it won’t bring with it its own problems despite that theoretically, providing they are bread responsibly, they should be healthy dogs.
There are no predisposed issues that cross all three breeds but gastric torsion is always a consideration in larger, deep-chested dogs. This is not a genetic condition and more can be learned in our specialized article What Causes Bloat in Poodles?
Hip dysplasia can be found in both the Poodle and the Newfoundland. Hip scoring should always be carried out before breeding.
Skin and eye problems are also dominant in the Poodle and Golden Retriever over some other breeds.
Being susceptible to certain conditions does not mean that your dog will present with them, but it is always worth knowing what you could possibly expect once you have decided on the breed for you.
Temperament
Although the Goldendoodle is full of goofiness and has incredibly high energy levels he is also gentle, affectionate, and pretty easygoing once his exercise needs have been met.
These traits will be extremely complementary to those of the sweet-natured and loving Newfoundland.
Despite the disparities in their activity levels the Newfoundland and Goldendoodle have largely similar personality traits and a Golden Newfypoo can be expected to be a devoted and loyal four-legged friend.
Exercise Needs
Whilst the Newfoundland would be happy to be a couch potato, he still needs some exercise. That said, a run around the yard, a leisurely amble, or to his greatest pleasure, a good old swim will be enough to keep him fit, happy and healthy.
On the contrary, the Goldendoodle is a high-energy hound who is unquestionably going to require closer to two hours a day of exercise time.
One could assume that the Golden Newfypoo may fall somewhere in the middle of the two. Whilst that will be an option, he may also lean towards the needs of one parent or the other. Again, this is not something that you will know until you have your puppy home, and you get to know him and his needs.
Whilst the Newfoundland is no fool the Goldendoodle is as clever as they come so lots of brain stimulation is likely to be needed too. Games of hide and seek or store-bought toys which will reap rewards for your canine will all go some way to keeping his gray matter ticking over.
Feeding Requirements
The Golden Newfypoo is going to be a big dog with a big appetite, so your food bill is never going to be small with him.
There will be variations depending on size and activity levels but remember to keep those treats to a minimum and discourage counter surfing and human leftovers. With a large dog, extra weight is only going to put extra stress on their bones increasing the risk of hip and elbow dysplasia.
There are various options as to what you will feed your dog. From dry, to wet to raw and it will be down to personal preference and what suits your budget that will determine which method you choose.
Based on the estimated size of a Golden Newfypoo they are likely to eat between 4 and 4½ cups of food per day. For further advice speak with your vet or a canine dietary specialist.
In Conclusion
After digesting all the above information, we can only be left to conclude that actually, a Golden Newfypoo would not be the greatest of ideas. With there being no active and ethical breeding programs for the cross the inability to gauge both the aesthetics and the disposition of any offspring would not be worth the risk to either you or them.
That is notwithstanding the potential problems that could be caused to the dam during the whelping process.
Newfoundlands, Goldendoodles, and even Newfypoos are all beyond awesome in their own right and here at Know Your Doodles, we would advise that you take a look at each to determine which of the established three would be the best fit for you and your family.