[blakewallan]

So my girlfriend and I rescued our 18 week old puppy Belu at the age of 8 weeks. When we received Belu he seemed malnourished and had a very severe bladder infection. After taking him to the vet and getting him on antibiotics for the bladder infection, we learned he also had a parasite infection which was treated with antibiotics as well. When he had his first vet visit he weighed only seven pounds. We were told Belu was a St. Bernard, Mastiff, Great Dane mix but that could not be confirmed. Obviously at 7 pounds at 8 weeks he was way below the weights of all those breeds. Fast forward 11 weeks and Belu is now 45lbs. He really started growing when he became healthy again. He is mostly black with a brownish tint. He has very sturdy large bones, a large head, and large paws. He also has webbed toes, and double rear dew claws. Our veterinarian and many others have commented on his resemblance to a Newfoundland.

What do you all think? We are very unsure on what breeds he has in him but the more pictures I see of Newfoundlands the more I see the resemblance, could his lower weight be contributed to his illness as a pup?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

Could you provide other links? When I click on them I get a blank picture (for all three). Welcome though and Belu sounds cute.

 

[blakewallan]

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p563/blakewallan/2012-07-12_11-57-52_177.jpg

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p563/blakewallan/2012-07-12_11-56-56_908.jpg

http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p563/blakewallan/2012-07-12_11-56-27_94.jpg

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

Cool, thanks. Yep, definitely seeing Newf and St. Bernard. Belu is cute; that's going to be one BIG dog!!!

 

[momtolabs]

I see newfie also!!

 

[UF Girl]

I see Newfie. BTW I want your dog!!! He is ADORABLE!!

 

[blakewallan]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Belu is also very mellow and extremely docile. He is training very well. I am also thinking Newfie because of his double dew claws, I know its a trait that can be passed down in any breed, but the fact that Great Pyrenees have the double dew claws, and the fact that Great Pyrenees were bred into Newfies, leads me to believe that there is definitely Newfie in him. Also if im not mistaken, Mastiffs were also a breed that was bred into Newfoundlands, so I think his the mastiff part of his mix could also definitely be true.

 

[03firefly]

While I can see newfie on an initial glance, I feel like color can sway people's opinions. I'd be interested in what people were saying if he was white and brown instead of black. Not arguing that he isn't newfie, but mixes can be difficult to really pinpoint. My dog is 100% confirmed poodle/westie cross, and some of the things people say he looks like.. I don't always disagree, but know that it is incorrect. My friend also had a dog that was 100% confirmed BC/Beagle/GSD, but people could 'see' many other breeds for various reasons.. that's what makes mixes - especially mixes of more than two dogs - difficult to really 'see'.
Again, not arguing with what people say, just pointing out that three breeds combined can really be tricky. The double dew claw is a very good observation that can help.
Also, he is a very very cute dog!

 

[Spirit_of_Cotons]

03firefly--when someone from here ask "what is my mixed breed?" I just don't look at color, I'm looking at the whole dog itself. What breed has floppy ears? What breed has those kinds of eyes? What breed has that large of head with, it sort of looking, like it might have a dewlap? Etc with questions I post to myself. I look at the whole package and I take into account what the owner thinks their dog could be too. I feel as if I put the whole list of dog breeds in my head and I sort them through to see what their dog could be. Sometimes I agree, yes--I think this dog is part Newf. Sometimes I disagree and say what I think the dog looks like to me. So that is what I do, hope that helped you.

 

[03firefly]

I wasn't really talking about anyone here in particular and my comment was more for the "many others" that the op was referring to. I do still think that color can be difficult to see past, especially when you're only looking at a picture, but that's not saying you can't.