An adult Newfoundland of 55 kg, neutered and moderately active, needs about 1428 kcal a day, which is roughly 1253 g of our chicken recipe. That is less than its bulk suggests: in measurements taken in Germany, weight for weight, Newfoundlands used about half the energy of Great Danes. And two quirks of the breed matter more than the brand on the bag: on the same diet a Newfoundland makes about half as much taurine as a Beagle, and the breed has an inherited predisposition to cystine bladder stones.
The FCI breed standard (no. 50) gives an average weight of about 68 kg for males and 54 kg for females, with a height at the withers of 71 and 66 cm. The American Kennel Club standard gives a range instead: 59-68 kg (130-150 lb) for males and 45-54 kg (100-120 lb) for females. The table below therefore runs from a light 45 kg female to a 68 kg male at the FCI average.
Real Newfoundlands are often lighter than the standard. In Sweden the Kennel Club records every dog's weight when its hips are X-rayed: between 2007 and 2016, the 191 males screened at 18-30 months weighed 58.8 kg on average and the 313 females 50.1 kg, and over the decade the breed average fell by 2.2 kg. Growth takes a long time, too: in a Norwegian study of four large breeds, male Newfoundlands were the last to reach adult weight, at around 13 and a half months.
Judging condition is harder than in most breeds. The WSAVA body condition scale puts the ideal at 4-5 out of 9, with a waist visible from above and an abdominal tuck seen from the side. Yet the Newfoundland standard asks for an underline that is "almost level and never tucked up", and the double coat hides the waist. So go by touch: with flat hands you should feel the ribs without a layer of fat over them, and there should be no fatty pads over the loin or at the base of the tail.
Less than you might think. To compare dogs of different sizes, nutritionists use "metabolic body weight", that is, body weight raised to the power 0.75. In two German studies, at the same metabolic weight, adult Newfoundlands used about half the energy of Great Danes, and the European FEDIAF guidelines repeat that comparison: a single "giant breed" chart cannot suit both.
One caveat makes the figure more useful: the dogs in the two studies were of different ages, and FEDIAF notes that breed differences shrink once age is taken into account, so it is a trend, not a rule. That is why our quiz does not work by "giant size" but from your Newfoundland's weight, age, activity and body condition, which you check with your hands.
How meals are served matters as well. In an American study that followed dogs of 11 large and giant breeds for several years, the Newfoundland was one of the giant breeds, those over 45 kg. In that group the authors attributed 52% of cases of gastric dilatation-volvulus (bloat) to a raised feeding bowl, and a later analysis of the same dogs found the highest risk in those given a large amount of food in a single daily meal. A complete ration for a 55 kg Newfoundland weighs about 1253 g a day: splitting it into at least two meals is the simplest step, and if you use a raised bowl, talk to your vet. Retching without bringing anything up, a swelling belly and restlessness are an emergency: go to a vet straight away.
Hip dysplasia is common in Newfoundlands. A Norwegian study that followed 501 puppies of four large breeds from birth found radiographic hip dysplasia in 36% of the 125 Newfoundlands, against 25% of Leonbergers, 20% of Labradors and 10% of Irish Wolfhounds.
The surprise concerned growth. The researchers expected the heaviest, fastest-growing puppies to be worse off, and that is not what they found: puppies that were heavier at 3 months actually had a slightly lower risk, and cases clustered in particular litters, which the authors thought could reflect genetics but also unmeasured factors shared by littermates. What did make a difference were habits in the first three months of life: climbing stairs raised the risk, while off-lead exercise outdoors on soft ground lowered it.
In adulthood, though, weight does count. In Swedish screening data, young adult Newfoundlands that were heavier tended to have worse hips, and the Newfoundland was one of 13 breeds out of 21 in which the link was significant. The breed is also prone to cranial cruciate ligament rupture, which affected 22% of the Newfoundlands in the records of one American veterinary hospital. For a puppy, track the growth curve with your vet (see our puppy feeding guide); for an adult, the goal is to keep him lean.
Newfoundlands are predisposed to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a disease of the heart muscle that runs in families in this breed and appears in adulthood; American researchers put its frequency at 1.3-2.5% of Newfoundlands. In a Swedish series of 37 Newfoundlands with heart failure caused by DCM, only 4 had a heart murmur, and the most common arrhythmia was atrial fibrillation. A normal-sounding heart on the stethoscope is therefore not enough to rule it out: echocardiography and an ECG are what vets use.
There is also a metabolic quirk. Taurine is an amino acid that dogs normally make themselves from the sulphur amino acids methionine and cysteine. One American study measured it in 216 privately owned Newfoundlands and found it low in 8% of them. The researchers then fed 6 Newfoundlands and 6 Beagles the same food for three weeks: the Newfoundlands made about half as much taurine as the Beagles and had about half as much in their plasma. The authors concluded that Newfoundlands appear to need more sulphur amino acids than Beagles, the model breed behind many nutrient requirement studies. The European FEDIAF guidelines also single out the Newfoundland as a breed with reduced taurine synthesis. Of the 9 taurine-deficient dogs examined, 3 had DCM that reversed with taurine supplementation.
In practice: plan regular heart checks with your vet and ask whether measuring blood taurine makes sense for your dog. If the level is low, the vet decides how to correct it.
Cystinuria is an inherited kidney defect: cystine, an amino acid, is not reabsorbed and passes into the urine, where it can form crystals and stones if the urine is acidic. In Newfoundlands it takes a severe, recessive form: a puppy is affected only if it inherits the faulty gene from both parents, who can be healthy carriers. The mutation, in the SLC3A1 gene, was identified in 2000, and a DNA test tells clear, carrier and affected dogs apart.
In most breeds, cystine stones are almost exclusively a problem of entire (unneutered) males, because they appear to depend on male hormones. Not in the Newfoundland. In the largest study available, covering 5,477 dogs with cystine stones analysed at the University of Minnesota, the median share of entire males among affected males across the 60 breeds studied was 98%, but only 64% among the 11 Newfoundlands. The Newfoundland also had the highest share of early diagnoses, with 4 of 7 entire males diagnosed before the age of 3. These are small numbers, but they fit the genetics: females can be cystinuric too, even though in the study that first described the disease in the breed only males showed urinary blockage.
Every Pappa Fresh recipe contains one meat only and declares the percentage of each ingredient on the label, so you always know what your Newfoundland is eating and can show it to your vet:
They are cooked in the pouch and keep outside the fridge until opened; once opened, they go in the fridge and should be used within 2-3 days. Turkey is poultry: if your dog has reacted to chicken, ask your vet before trying it.
For a dog this size, a complete ration of wet food is a real commitment, price included: on the Complete plan a Newfoundland gets through several 400 g pouches a day. For dogs over 25 kg the quiz therefore starts from the Topper, a quarter of the ration alongside your dog's usual food; there is also the Mix, half the ration with your own kibble. Either way, take the same share out of the kibble: adding without taking away just means more calories.
An adult Newfoundland of 55 kg, neutered and moderately active, needs about 1428 kcal a day: with our Chicken recipe that is about 1253 g, with the richer Beef recipe 1050 g. An unneutered Newfoundland burns more, about 1785 kcal. Our quiz works out the portion from your Newfoundland's weight, age, activity and body condition: if yours does water work or draught work, or is underweight, say so in the quiz and the portion goes up; if he gains weight, cut it back.
For a dog of this size the Complete plan costs about €18.76 a day, the Mix about €9.38 and the Topper about €4.69. If you compare the grams with a bag of kibble, remember that for the same calories wet food weighs about three times as much: kibble has around 350-400 kcal per 100 g, our recipes 110-136. For the general logic behind portions, see how much a dog should eat.
| Weight | Energy need (kcal/day) neutered / intact | Grams per day neutered / intact | Complete plan | Mix (½) | Topper (¼) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45 kg | 1229 / 1536 | 1078 g / 1347 g | €17.14/day | €8.69/day | €4.34/day |
| 55 kg | 1428 / 1785 | 1253 g / 1566 g | €18.76/day | €9.38/day | €4.69/day |
| 68 kg | 1675 / 2093 | 1469 g / 1836 g | — | — | — |
Grams based on the Chicken recipe (114 kcal/100 g); with Beef, which is richer (136 kcal/100 g), you need about 16% less. Prices for a neutered dog.
Above 60 kg the quiz does not show an automatic price: it asks you to write to us for a tailored plan.
Figures calculated with the same method as our quiz (FEM×K: maintenance energy adjusted for breed, activity, neutering and body condition). They are an estimate: take the quiz for your dog's exact plan, and talk to your vet about any health concern.
Two minutes: enter weight, age and activity to get the exact portion, with 30% off your first order.
An adult Newfoundland of 55 kg, neutered and moderately active, needs about 1428 kcal a day, or about 1253 g of chicken wet food; a neutered male of 68 kg needs about 1469 g. That is modest for the size: according to the German studies, weight for weight a Newfoundland may need about half the energy of a Great Dane. These are estimates, and your dog's body condition is the final guide.
The FCI standard gives an average of about 68 kg for males and 54 kg for females; the American standard gives 59-68 kg and 45-54 kg. Many real dogs are lighter: in Sweden, young adult males averaged 58.8 kg and females 50.1 kg. More than the number, what counts is being able to feel the ribs under the coat.
Yes, they are one of the giant breeds at risk. In a large American study of 11 large and giant breeds, the Newfoundland was among the giant breeds, and in that group about half of the bloat cases (52%) were attributed to a raised feeding bowl; risk was also highest in dogs given a large amount of food in a single daily meal. Split the ration into at least two meals, discuss a raised bowl with your vet, and treat retching without vomiting and a swelling belly as an emergency.
Yes. The Newfoundland form of cystinuria is caused by a mutation in the SLC3A1 gene, identified in 2000, and a DNA test distinguishes clear, carrier and affected dogs. Because the condition is recessive, two healthy-looking carriers can produce affected puppies, so ask the breeder for both parents' results.
It depends on weight and on how much of the ration is wet food. For a neutered, moderately active Newfoundland of 55 kg, our Complete plan costs about €18.76 a day, the Mix, half the ration alongside your kibble, about €9.38, and the Topper, a quarter of the ration, about €4.69.
No study shows that one format is better for this breed. What matters is a complete food, a total calorie intake that keeps your dog lean, and at least two meals a day. A Newfoundland whose ribs you can feel under the coat is eating the right amount, whatever the food.
Written by the Pappa Fresh editorial team from published veterinary studies (see sources). Not a substitute for your vet's advice.
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