Great Pyrenees vs Newfoundland
Side by side
Great Pyrenees
Newfoundland
Adult weight
55–75 kg (121–165 lb)1
Males 59–68 kg (130–150 lb); females 45–54 kg (100–120 lb) (breed club figure)2
Shedding
Moults most as the seasons change
Grooming
Daily brushing
Exercise
A modest amount
A moderate amount
Health
No sourced figure
Inward-rolling eyelid (far more likely); Outward-drooping eyelid (far more likely)7
Class
Watchdog
Family
Which suits you
Exercise
Plan for a moderate amount of exercise with the Newfoundland, and a modest amount with the Great Pyrenees.
Temperament
They differ most on loyalty (Great Pyrenees: sticks close to its people; Newfoundland: friendly with everyone) and on voice (Great Pyrenees: very vocal; Newfoundland: quiet).
Alike
They are much the same size as adults, about 65 kg (143 lb) for the Great Pyrenees and 57 kg (125 lb) for the Newfoundland.
Alike
Both are rated the same on prey drive: usually fine with small pets.
Neither is the better dog in general. Which suits you depends on your home, your days and the care you can give.
What they're like
Great Pyrenees
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
Calm and patient with its own household, it is also independent, watchful and reserved with strangers, and known for barking at night.
Newfoundland
Pinschers & molossoids · Giant
In temperament the Newfoundland is sweet, patient and devoted, with a calm, gentle manner and a long-standing reputation for kindness to children.
Breed traits
Day to day
Great Pyrenees
Newfoundland
Activity
Happy with modest walks
Happy with modest walks
Intelligence
Learns readily, likes games
Learns readily, likes games
Handler demand
Differs
Needs an experienced owner
Needs steady training
With people
Great Pyrenees
Newfoundland
Affection
Differs
Affectionate on its own terms
A lap or leaning dog
Loyalty
Differs
Sticks close to its people
Friendly with everyone
Independence
Differs
Decides for itself
Cooperative, with its own ideas
Around the home
Great Pyrenees
Newfoundland
Sensitivity
Differs
Hardy, takes a busy home in its stride
Average
Voice
Differs
Very vocal
Quiet
Prey drive
Usually fine with small pets
Usually fine with small pets
Puppy growth
Reference curves · both sexes
Summary
Detail
The Great Pyrenees grows to the heavier adult, about 65 kg against the Newfoundland's 57 kg.
Great Pyrenees
Newfoundland
More comparisons
Compare the Great Pyrenees with
Sources
- 1The Kennel Club. Great Pyrenees breed standard. ↑
- 2Newfoundland Club of America. Newfoundland breed page. ↑
- 3
- 4Hawthorne et al., 2004. Body-weight changes during growth in puppies of different breeds. Journal of Nutrition 134(8 Suppl): 2027S–2030S (WALTHAM). ↑
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8Morrill et al., 2022. Ancestry-inclusive dog genomics challenges popular breed stereotypes. Science 376: eabk0639 (Darwin's Ark). ↑
- 9Dogs Trust. Finding a good, responsible breeder. ↑
- 10American Kennel Club. Screening puppy buyers: how top breeders find the best homes. ↑
Parts of this page were written by AI ·