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About Me

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Hi there!

My name is Jennifer Costello, most people call me Jen.

I live in Strongsville, Ohio which is a suburb about 20 minutes outside of Cleveland.

I’m a mom to two wonderful children, wife to my best friend, dog mom to three dogs, and a former veterinary technician of 10 years.

I’ve been owned by Newfies for the past 20 years and I’ve fallen madly in love with the breed.

I started this blog to share stories of life with my two brown Newfies, Sherman and Leroy, and I quickly became invested in learning as much as could about this amazing breed.

While this blog focuses mainly on Newfoundlands and giant breeds, I’m a lover of all dogs big and small. ( I have a Cardigan Welsh Corgi named Finn too)

My Brown Newfies is a personal pet/lifestyle blog where I write about dogs; specifically Newfoundland dogs, dog grooming and personal tips on caring and living with Newfies.

I also use my vet tech knowledge to address some common medical conditions seen in dogs but it’s always best to check with your veterinarian when it comes to questions about your dog’s health. 

Blogging has brought so many awesome opportunities the way that I otherwise would not have had such as being a VIP blogger the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships, and attending the Behind The Paw Influencer Summit.

I’ve been featured on SheKnows.com, mentioned on VetStreet, and won Best Photo On A Blog in 2012 for the BlogPaws Nose to Nose Awards and was a finalist in the same category for 2013!  I was also a finalist in the 2015 BlogPaws Nose to Nose Awards for BEST DOG BLOG and BEST PET HUMOR BLOG.

sherman and me

While I’m super proud of the above recognition in the social media world, I’m most proud of the recognition I’ve received in the Newfoundland community over the years. 

I love collaborating closely with breeders, veterinarians, rescue groups and professional dog groomers to make sure that I’m always bringing the correct information to our community through my articles.

Over the years I’ve continued my education by attending many seminars and workshops in regards to purebred dogs and I’ve completed several courses dedicated to dog grooming, specifically Newfoundlands and other breeds with a double coat.

Some of my articles were recently featured in the publication of The Complete Guide To Newfoundland Dogs and many ethical Newfoundland breeders continue to refer new Newfie owners to my website for accurate information on many breed topics. (The Newfoundland Club of America is always the best place to start.)

I was also mentioned in The Dog Show Journal for my articles on show dogs. 

Owning a Newfoundland is a constant learning experience and I’m dedicated to sharing what I’ve learned over the years with other owners so that they can enjoy the gift of a Newfie’s love. 

When I’m not here on the blog or working at the vet clinic I’m grooming the dogs, hanging with my family, baking, or wiping dog slobber off the windows and ceiling. 

 

Storm, Thunder, Sherman and Leroy have since moved up to the Rainbow Bridge but Odin, who we adopted 3 years ago, and Lou keep me on my toes. 

Need to know more about me? You can contact me at [email protected].

 

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Jacqueline

Thursday 15th of September 2022

Hi Jen! Just want to let you know that we love your blog!!! Our sweet Harriet passed away 2 years ago. She was almost 12 and she lived in the US, England, and Japan. She was 140 lbs of muscle and pure love. After a while we got Rosie. She is almost 2 years old now. We followed your advice and my husband built a dog grooming station!! We bought the eqine dog shampoo and the K9 III dog dryer!! Thank you soooooo much!!! Last Sunday we groomed her ourselves!! I need to work on my scissor skills but we are so excited to be able to do this ourselves. Rosie did awesome!! We love your blog and have learned so much, even as experienced Newfie people. Have a wonderful day. Thanks for everything!!! Jackie, John, and Rosie

Faviola

Sunday 6th of February 2022

Hi Jen! Your blog saved me and Khoa, my 1 year old goofy, sweet and adorable Newfie... who can also sometimes be an emotional terrorist :) Khoa was an impulse, I wanted a giant dog a year after I lost my beloved Bassett Hound Chilli. In hindsight, I should have done my research because I now know understand that giant breeds are different; however, with your help and lots of patience and love - on both ends - we are doing much better!! Khoa is a fast learner and she has warmed up my heart. She is slowly warming up my 12yr old Schnauzer's heart (Kika) and my two kitties as well. Our home is a little but crazy these days and the logistics around all my furry kids is a lot... however, nothing brings more but joy into my life than their unconditional love. Thanks again for all your tips and advice. Thank you!!! :)

Jen

Wednesday 9th of February 2022

Thank you so much for the kind message! I'm so happy that Khoa is doing much better! They are the best dogs and also sometimes a challenge:)

Lorraine Marsala

Saturday 7th of August 2021

Hi Jen, my name is Lorraine Marsala and I live with my husband on the East end of Long Island NY. We're a big Italian family, with 5 grandchildren and lots of friends and family. We also live with a beautiful 5 year old Newfie named Joey. He's truly the sweetest big boy and everybody loves him and he loves them right back! Joey is our second Newfie. Before Joey there was Benny who weighed in at 207 lbs. We were blessed to have him in our lives for 10 years. We thought we were getting older and should'nt get another dog, but after 1 year without hugging our beautiful Benny we realized what was missing in our lives.Joey was the best decision we ever made, and after 5 years he is 150 lbs and truly is the sweetest boy. I found your sight while I was looking for info about possibly having Joey neutered because he recently seemed very interested in female dogs. I was happy to hear that you did not neuter your boys . I never neutered Benny, but I never really saw him act as interested as Joey did recently. For the most part Joey is always with us at home, and our family members have male dogs so that seems to work out okay.I felt better about hearing your decision not to neuter, and followed up reading about other medical issues that neutering could bring on. Thanks for popping up on my computer screen just as I was looking for the right decision for Joey. Lorraine Marsala

Jen

Thursday 12th of August 2021

Thanks for the kind words Lorraine!

Libby

Saturday 3rd of April 2021

Your blog has saved me. We rescued an adolescent male newfie this past year after our previous newf passed. Our new boy is a sweet and rowdy goofball and is going to be a great dog for us, but because his personality is the absolute opposite of our previous newf and because he came to us with some challenging medical issues, adolescence is tough. Your blog really helps me put things in perspective, gives me practical tips, and reminds me what will be on the other end of this once he reaches maturity. Thank you!

Jen

Monday 5th of April 2021

Hi Libby, thanks so much for the kind and thoughtful words! I'm so glad that the blog has been helpful! I've had 2 goofy Newfies and 3 calm Newfies so far and they all have been the best! Some days were definitely more trying than others but always well worth it:)

4 incredibly adorable and hilarious blogs about dogs to check out | Daycare for the dog

Sunday 30th of September 2018

[…] love My brown newfies. Jennifer, the writer of this blog, has two giant breeds, Sherman and Leroy. Head over to the blog and take a look at those beauties. And while you’re there, read their daily stories and feel […]

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