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A brown Newfoundland lies among shredded envelopes and paper scraps on a living room floor, looking to the side. 1 / 31

The Mail Arrived Early and the Newfoundland Was Waiting

AI imagenewfoundlandtorn mailcaught in the act

Torn envelopes and flyers cover the floor, and in the middle lies a big brown Newfoundland with thick, curly fur and drooping ears. He gazes off to one side, steadfastly avoiding eye contact. A scrap of paper clings to his paw, and a sofa and a wall lamp sit quietly in the background. The postal worker's work for the day has clearly ended here.

Newfoundlands are large, gentle dogs known for their sweet temper and love of family. Originally bred as working dogs for fishing crews, they are strong swimmers with webbed paws and a patient, protective nature. Many are known as nanny dogs for how they watch over children. Dogs often shred mail because it smells like many people and arrives with a bit of ritual, with the door opening, the thump and the excitement. A mail slot basket or a wall-mounted box can keep letters out of reach.

Important papers are best kept off low surfaces, and shredding is a natural behavior that needs outlets, like cardboard boxes or chew toys. If he has swallowed any paper, call your vet.

He might be calling this an enthusiastic delivery inspection. His soulful eyes might even convince you that he was just sorting the bills by color. With a dog this large, even a small project looks enormous, but the gentle face makes it very hard to stay upset.

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