Newfoundlands originate in Canada, originally a working fishing dog. In Canada, they are black and white and black. Some black dogs can have white markings. In other countries, they may also be brown or gray.
Newfoundland dogs are giants, have webbed feet, and are calm, very intelligent, very strong and very loyal. They are often used for water rescue and lifesaving because of their strength and muscular build, their thick double coat, webbed feet and their natural ability to swim.
Portrait of Newfoundlands
Gentle Giants
Sebastian The Newfie Learns Water Rescue
You can see Sebastian’s webbed feet and his swimming action in the water, as he does what comes naturally to him.
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According to Wikipedia, a fisherman’s Newfie is credited with saving Napoleon when he fell overboard. Of many other examples, in 1828, Ann Harvey of Isle aux Morts, her father, brother, and a Newfoundland Dog named Hairyman saved at least 160 Irish immigrants who were on the brig Despatch, after it was wrecked.
One downside of a Newfoundland, is the drooling.
I owned several and one lived on my boat in Boston harbor. I’ve seen some at dog shows which were trained to carry a towel in their mouth. Definitely not for a Martha Steward type house.
They almost died out completely until English painter Edwin Henry Landseer did some famous paintings of the black and white ones which are today known officially as Landseer Newfoundlands. The black ones often have a tiny patch of white on their chest but are still considered black Newfoundlands.
He also sculpted, the most famous being the bronze lions at the foot of Nelson’s Column.
That’s interesting. I didn’t realize those lions were Landseer’s work.http://www.atozdogs.com/wp-admin/edit-comments.php#comments-form
Newfies are great – until one lands on top of you! Thks for the story.