Newfoundland

At the end of the 19th century, the English and French sailors brought from Newfoundland big long-haired dogs. In their native country, said dogs were used for fishing. They helped to carry the strokes of the boats and drag the wagons and sleighs. They had the capacity to do this job because of their great physical strength, resistance to low temperatures and the effort, as well as their extraordinary qualities as swimmers. A selective breeding increased this extraordinary innate and less common quality that made them retrieve things from the water. Because of this, the Newfoundland dogs were used to rescue people from drowning.

Despite their height and robust aspect, it is a very lively dog and full of enthusiasm. It is intelligent and confident but at the same time it is agreeable. Its long hair needs some care (because it tends to get tangled behind the ears, neck and between the legs). The dogs must be combed and groomed daily. You should be careful not to damage the internal hair texture (and do not pass the comb just to the skin). Due to its work in the water, the auditory channels usually suffer, and they are very prone to inflammations. Because of this, you should pay special attention when cleaning their ears.

Until 1959, the dogs of one color only and the black and white specimens were exhibited in the same category, since they were considered as simple varieties of color. But after several discussions, the FCI proposed a separation and established the standards for two breeds in 1960. The black dogs kept their name of origin while the black and white dogs, a little bit bigger, received the name of the English painter of animals, Sir Edwin Landseer, who frequently immortalized them in his paintings.

Newfoundland (1) Size: male 68-75 cm; female 62-70 cm. Weight: male 70-75 kg; female 50-55 kg. Colors: dark anthracite; a slight bronze shadow on the chest and the feet does not constitute a defect. Although there were also specimens of bronze color, nowadays they are practically extinct. The hair fall on layers over the body, it is dense and thick.

Landseer (2). Size: male 72-80 cm; female 67-72 cm. Weight: male 70-75 kg; female 50-55 kg. Colors: white with separated patches on the body and in the haunches. The neck, thorax, the belly, the limbs and the tail must be white. The head must be black preferably, with a white patch on the nose that ends in a frontal line which is narrow and symmetrical. Except on the head, the hair is long and as smooth as possible, soft to the touch and less dense than in the Newfoundland.