Gentle giants
Canines of all sizes take part in weekend show
Man who attended Cobequid Dog Show offers advice to anyone considering owning a Newfoundland dog.
Having clothing covered in hair and drool is just one of the things you have to get used to when you live with a Newfoundland dog, and Graham Spencer shares his home with four of them.
“You have to constantly clean up after them, so if you don’t like drool or hair, or don’t have space, it’s not the right breed for you,” he said. “They’re very gentle dogs though. They’re called gentle giants. I visit seniors homes with them. If a person’s bedridden these dogs can rest their head on the edge of the bed for them.”
Spencer, originally from England, lives on the ocean in McGrath’s Cove (near Peggy’s Cove) and felt Newfoundland dogs fit his lifestyle. He has now had them for 10 years and was at the Cobequid Dog Club show on the weekend with 21-month-old Ragnar (Highseas Towline Warrior).
Ragnar doesn’t look like the most commonly seen Newfoundland dogs; instead of being all black he’s black and white. Newfoundlands with this colouring are known as Landseers, after Edwin Henry Landseer, the English Victorian artist who painted pictures of them.
“Ragnar loves the attention of people and he’s pretty relaxed about shows,” said Spencer. “I have fun with the shows as long as I don’t expect too much. You lose more than you win.”
He handled his dogs in the ring himself when they were younger, and smaller, but now has someone taller handling them because the proportions
match better.
Newfoundland dogs usually weigh 100-150 pounds and Ragnar is large for his age, which Spencer said is now working against him. Because the breed doesn’t fill out until about four years old their leg movements don’t look best until then.
Spencer’s other three Newfoundlands have entirely black coats.
Many other dogs, of all sizes and coat types, took part in the event. The club also holds an autumn show in October.