How to Teach a Newfoundland Tricks
Teaching tricks to a Newfoundland is a rewarding endeavor that leverages their exceptional trainability (4/5) and devoted, patient temperament. These gentle giants excel at learning through positive reinforcement and genuinely enjoy pleasing their owners. While their low energy level (2/5) means shorter, focused sessions work best, their calm nature makes them surprisingly eager learners. Trick training also provides mental stimulation that balances their modest exercise needs (45 minutes daily) and helps channel their occasional jumping energy as puppies constructively. This guide progresses from foundational tricks like "shake" and "roll over" to advanced chaining sequences, all designed around your Newfoundland's natural sweetness and deliberate pace. Success requires patience—Newfoundlands mature slowly—but their love of connection makes every milestone deeply satisfying.
Step-by-step
- 1
Start with Foundation Tricks in Short Sessions
Begin with basic tricks like "sit," "shake," and "down" using high-value treats (cheese, chicken) in 5–10 minute sessions, 2–3 times daily. Newfoundlands respond beautifully to positive reinforcement and their calm temperament means they won't become over-excited, but keep sessions brief to maintain focus and prevent fatigue given their low energy baseline.
- 2
Master Shake Before Advancing to Complex Tricks
Teach "shake" by offering a treat near your Newfoundland's chest and gently guiding their paw up with a verbal cue. Once mastered, "shake" becomes a foundational behavior for trick chains. This also redirects pup jumping energy (common in younger Newfoundlands) into a controlled, rewarded behavior.
- 3
Teach Roll Over with Patient Luring
From a "down" position, hold a treat near their nose and slowly guide it toward their shoulder and back, encouraging a roll. Break this into sub-steps ("down," slight roll, fuller roll) since Newfoundlands' size and deliberate nature mean they learn complex movements better incrementally. Patience is essential—they mature slowly.
- 4
Build Trick Chains by Linking Behaviors
Once individual tricks are solid, link them in sequence: "sit → shake → down → roll over." Use a marker word ("yes!") the instant they complete each step, then reward. Newfoundlands' devotion means they love this structured interaction, and chaining provides mental engagement without requiring high energy output.
- 5
Practice in Varied Environments
Train in your home first, then gradually introduce the living room, backyard, and other spaces. Newfoundlands are food-motivated and loyal, so they'll generalize tricks well, but environmental variety prevents them from associating learning solely with one location.
- 6
Reinforce Tricks Regularly Without Overtraining
Practice 2–3 times weekly for maintenance once a trick is learned, incorporating treats and verbal praise. Given their calm, patient nature and lower energy, brief, consistent sessions prevent boredom while respecting their moderate exercise needs and avoiding physical strain.
Pro tips
- Train before a walk or meal when your Newfoundland is attentive but not distracted by hunger or excess energy—their 45-minute daily exercise and calm temperament mean pre-activity timing is ideal.
- Use waterproof, high-value treats indoors (and outdoors if training near water, given the breed's love of swimming) to keep motivation consistent and prevent drooling-related treat mess.
- Celebrate every small progress step aloud and physically (calm scratches, not rough play) since Newfoundlands are deeply devoted and thrive on your genuine, patient encouragement rather than high-energy rewards.
Frequently asked questions
My Newfoundland is 8 months old and still jumps on people. Can trick training help?+
Yes. Jumping is common in younger Newfoundlands despite their calm temperament. Redirecting this energy into "shake" and "sit" on cue gives them an outlet and teaches polite greetings. Consistency across all family members is key, and avoid reinforcing jumps with attention.
How long does it take a Newfoundland to learn a new trick?+
Typically 1–3 weeks of consistent practice for a foundation trick like "shake," and 3–6 weeks for complex tricks like "roll over." Newfoundlands mature slowly and learn deliberately, so patience and repeated, short sessions yield better results than cramming.
My Newfoundland loses interest after a few minutes. What's wrong?+
Nothing is wrong—Newfoundlands have low energy and focus best in 5–10 minute bursts. Keep treats high-value, vary your location, and stop on a positive note. Multiple short sessions throughout the day are more effective than one long session for this breed.
Should I use a clicker and treats, or just verbal praise?+
Clickers paired with treats work best for Newfoundlands. The clear, immediate marker (click) tells them exactly which action earned the reward, and their food motivation is strong. Verbal praise alone is less precise for such a large, deliberate breed learning complex chains.