Newfies

"Newfoundland dogs are good to save children from drowning, but you must have a pond of water handy and a child, or else there will be no profit in boarding a Newfoundland." Josh Billings

Over the last year, I have mentioned moose 108 times in this blog. But I only mentioned “Newfoundland” once. What’s really strange is that people keep showing up at LHCB to read about Newfoundland dogs. Now I know absolutely nothing about Newfie dogs so I decided to have a look around.

The first interesting thing I notice about Newfie dogs is that it must be quite the moral and physical dilemma to actually go out and acquire one of these beasts. Weighing in at 110-152 pounds (50-69 kilograms), the acquisition (at $1000-$2000 per pup) of a Newfoundland is nothing to take lightly.

But if you do have some water and children or other hapless victims around, these beasts appear to come in rather handy. According to the book Peaceful Kingdom:

"A steamer ran aground off the coast of Newfoundland. The waters were rough and the ship was coming apart at the seams. Panic swept over the passengers and it seemed they would all drown. The people on the shore could only watch helplessly because the waters seemed too rough to even attempt a rescue.

But one of the men on shore had a Newfoundland dog and he attached a line to the dog's neck. The great Newfoundland dove into the icy, turbulent waters and, following the directions of the man, swam to the ship. A lifeline was established and a conveyor device was sent along the line to the ship.

One by one the ninety-two passengers aboard got into the conveyor and were pulled to safety. One time the conveyor reached shore with a mailbag inside. It contained a baby. The conveyor went out again and again, as the ship broke apart, until there were only one man left aboard. The rescuers were surprised when they pulled the conveyor in to find, not a man in it, but the Newfoundland dog. The last man had decided to take his chances on the crumbling ship and make sure the hero dog was saved. The conveyor went out one last time and all ninety-two passengers were saved. The dog was later awarded a medal of honor."

I think the best part of this slow-blog-day-story is the beginning quote. I’d never heard of Josh Billings but he was a contemporary of Mark Twain, the second most famous humorous of his age. Other Josh Billings quotes:.

• Love is like the measles; we can't have it bad but once, and the later in life we have it the tougher it goes with us.

• Better make a weak man your enemy than your friend.

• Nature never makes blunders; when she makes a fool she means it.

• I don't care how much a man talks, if he only says it in a few words.

• As scarce as truth is, the supply has always been in excess of the demand