Beauty

This sweet dog was well-represented in the movie Peter Pan and is the definition of “man’s best friend.” Newfoundlands are sweet, gentle, and devoted to their families. They love exercising (including swimming with their webbed feet), but their favorite activity is snuggling up next to you at the end of the day. Full-grown, they typically weigh 100-150 pounds and stand 26-28 inches tall.

Newfoundlands are generally excellent with children of all ages. Newfoundland dogs are about as sweet and friendly as they come. This breed will be a good companion to any dog, animal, child, or visitor. They're relatively quiet and don't bark much.

Newfoundlands are active pups that need to get their blood flowing often. They enjoy lots of exercise, particularly if it involves swimming, pulling, or playing in cold weather. The Landseer Newfoundlands may need even more activity than the other varieties. Overall, their exercise needs are moderate.

The Newfoundland has a dense, greasy coat that is medium length or long and resistant to water. They can be black or black and white (called “Landseer’”after Edwin Landseer, an English artist whose paintings made this variety popular). You also may see Newfoundlands that are brown or gray, but those varieties are less common. Grooming-wise, this breed is moderate.

Newfoundlands are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. Newfoundlands don’t enjoy outdoor life or warm climates, so keep them indoors where they can stay cool and comfortable. Speaking of comfort, they’re known to grow attached to their home and don’t adapt easily to new environments. They are moderately trainable with consistent effort.

Rottweilers (or “Rotties) may have a bad-to-the-bone reputation, but their diehard protectiveness comes from a positive place. These large and powerful pups make it their mission to keep you safe but are surprisingly calm when they aren’t on high alert. Full-grown, they typically weigh 80-135 pounds and stand 22-27 inches tall.

Rottweilers are generally okay with older children who know how to handle dogs. Socialization is the top priority if your Rottie is going to be around kids or other animals. Rottweilers can be good playmates for children, cats, and pets, but they need to be socialized early and have positive experience when they’re young. They're relatively quiet and don't bark much.

Rotties need daily exercise to get their energy out and their heart pumping. It’s safe to take them running with you in the open country or the woods, as they don’t like to wander far from their families. Rottweilers are very smart and also love sports like swimming, running beside a bicycle, and playing fetch with a ball. Overall, their exercise needs are moderate.

The Rottweiler has a distinct outer coat of short, thick, coarse fur with a thick layer of hair underneath. All dogs in this breed are black with brown markings. You may find ones with long hair or white chest markings, but these traits are not as common. Grooming-wise, this breed is low-maintenance.

Rottweilers are best suited for a home with a yard, though they can adapt to apartment life with enough exercise. They are highly trainable and eager to learn.