200 years ago European fishermen noticed big, white and black dogs on the Newfoundland island. Because of their attractive look these huge dogs were brought to England. These dogs were present on the island in large numbers and they helped fishermen pull out fishing nets from the water to the shore. They also helped pull out drowning men to safety.
It is believed that the dogs were in large numbers imported in England around year 1770. But, these dogs were seen much earlier, as well. It is known that there is a picture of a boy named Henry Sidney, afterwards called “Earl of Romney”, and that on that picture he was with his white-black Newfoundland dog.
First written reports on “Newfoundlanders” are from the year 1732, from the book “The Guentlem farrier”. It was followed by the “History of the Earth and Animated Nature” from the year 1774, which has been written by Oliver Goldsmith. That is a very detailed and an impressive description of the “Newfoundland dog”.
E.A. Zimmerman was the first to report the “Newfoundland dog” in the continental part of Europe in the year 1778. He was followed in 1790 with the famous work of Thomas Bewick called “A General History of Quadrupeds”. His work contains an image of the dog. From that moment until 1880 we know for least 60 books and a large number of images of the great white-black dogs.
The most famous image until now is “A Distinguished Member of Humane Society” which was painted by the famous animal painter Sir Edwin Landseer in the year 1838. Sir Edwin Landseer has been painting these huge white black dogs all the time and these dogs are known today as the “Landseer dog”. That explains how the Landseer got its name.
In England these dogs have been regularly interbreeding with the black Newfoundland dog, and soon that led to the fact that there is no difference between these two breeds, except in colour. Gradually, it became clear that the white-black dogs are much higher and active than the black variety. Everyone could clearly notice the difference.
The first pure bred litter of the Landseers was probably whelped in the Netherlands in the year 1893. But, these dogs were interbred with the black Newfoundland dog. The second litter of the Landseers was whelped in the year 1902 in the Switzerland and this litter is considered as the first Landseer on the European continent. Until the year 1960, the Landseer E.C.T. breed was not recognized as a separate breed. Today that breed is protected under number 226 F.C.I.
The Landseer-Newfoundlandlanders usually have more black colour on their body and their heads are more black. The name “Landseer Newfoundland” is mostly used to show the Newfoundland colour. But that is not the same as the Landseer E.C.T. Except for the colour, characteristics are also different: Landseer E.C.T. is much more active and it stays active until its last day. The Newfoundland dog is usually somewhat calmer.
