Havanese vs Newfoundland: Which Suits Your Home?

A grown Newfoundland can weigh over ten times what a Havanese weighs — 100-150 lbs against 7-13 lbs — and stands 26-28 inches at the shoulder versus 8-11 inches. Few comparisons on this site have less overlap in the numbers; this is a lap dog against a dog that could flatten a lap just by sitting near it.

Exercise need actually favors the Havanese here (Low 2/5 vs Moderate 3/5), which surprises people expecting the giant breed to be the couch potato. Energy level itself sits low-to-moderate for both. What the numbers don't fully capture is that a Newfoundland's swimming instinct and sheer mass mean its "moderate" exercise still requires more space and more physical management than a Havanese's equivalent.

Grooming ties at High (4/5) for both, but shedding is where they diverge hard: Low (2/5) for the Havanese against Very High (5/5) for the Newfoundland, whose double coat is built for cold water and sheds accordingly. If floating fur is a dealbreaker, the Havanese wins this section by three full points, not one.

Apartment suitability isn't really a contest — Very High (5/5) for the Havanese against Very Low (1/5) for the Newfoundland, which needs room to lie down fully stretched, let alone move around. Barking flips the other way, with the Newfoundland's Low (2/5) beating the Havanese's Moderate (3/5). Alone time favors the Newfoundland too, at Moderate (3/5) against the Havanese's Very Low (1/5).

Trainability ties at High (4/5), so neither breed is harder to teach in principle. Where they split is suitability for a first-time owner: Very High (5/5) for the Havanese, only Moderate (3/5) for the Newfoundland — less about intelligence and more about the physical management a 150-lb dog demands from someone without prior large-breed experience.

Kids favor the Newfoundland at Very High (5/5) against the Havanese's High (4/5), matching its reputation as a patient, devoted breed. Everything else leans Havanese: Very High (5/5) with other dogs versus High (4/5), and a tie on friendliness to strangers at High (4/5) each. A Newfoundland's calm temperament makes it an easy housemate despite its size.

Lifespan is the headline number: 13-16 years for the Havanese against just 9-10 for the Newfoundland, a gap tied to the physical toll of carrying that much body weight. Hip dysplasia is the one condition both lists share. The Newfoundland's remaining risks — subaortic stenosis, dilated cardiomyopathy, bloat — are largely size-driven cardiac and digestive concerns the Havanese doesn't carry.

Cost level rates the Havanese better (High 4/5 vs Very High 5/5), and the actual numbers show why: $80-160 monthly for the Havanese against $150-310 for the Newfoundland, roughly double. First-year costs run $1,200-2,300 versus $2,200-4,200 — feeding a 130-lb dog alone changes the household budget in a way a 10-lb dog never will.