Around the Newfoundland centres a halo of romance hardly less bright than that investing the St Bernard. Both are life-savers, and, strange to say, both are importations so far as this country is concerned; while they are two varieties of the Domestic dog that even the child is from very early times taught to venerate. As to whether Sebastian Cabot, when he discovered Newfoundland in 1497, found dogs of a remarkably large size and noble appearance, history is silent. No naturalist, sportsman, or other writer that treats of dogs before the end of last century says anything about the Newfoundlander, as he has sometimes been called.

The European settlers in Newfoundland were at one time principally Irish and natives of the Channel Islands. The question arises, Did these settlers, or others from England or France, take with them dogs of a large sort from Europe, which, being crossed with the native dogs, improved the latter, and gradually formed a new variety? It is not necessary to suppose this to have occurred in the earliest days of the settlement, for there has been a growing intercourse ever since, and the introduction of one or more of our large and superior races of dogs, from the beginning to the middle of the eighteenth century, would give ample time for the formation of a new breed of dog in Newfoundland, by commixture of their blood with that of the native race, before imported Newfoundland dogs became popular in this country.

Writers constantly speak of the pure breed of dog indigenous to Newfoundland, and lament that he is now only to be met with mongrelised through crosses with inferior races. If the native inhabitants - the Mic Macs - possessed a dog of the high intellectual and moral character of the Newfoundland as now known, it would indeed be an astonishing fact. Such a supposition is highly improbable, the more probable theory being that Europeans made the breed now recognised as the Newfoundland. The breed seems to have become popular in England during the last half of the eighteenth century, Bewick and other contemporary writers referring to it as being then well known. Many interesting stories of the time are told of lives saved from sea and river by the intelligence and bravery of this noble dog.

The Newfoundland undoubtedly had its full share of public attention, and long before dog shows were in existence, or the finely drawn distinctions respecting "points" were called into being, he reigned paramount in the affections of the British public as a companion, an ornament, and a guard. But in those days every man had his own ideal standard of excellence, or borrowed a suitable one from a doggy friend, the suitability being insured by alteration sufficient to make it applicable to his own pet - a process not yet entirely obsolete.

Many of these large, so-called Newfoundland dogs of forty-five to sixty years ago had been imported, or were the immediate descendants of such; but they differed materially in colour, coat, and in other minor points, from each other, and still more from what in this country is now held to be the Newfoundland proper.

There was a decided difference between dogs imported from Newfoundland into Liverpool some fifty years ago, though by their importers each believed to be the pure breed. The difference, however, was more in the sort of coat and the colour than in the other marked characteristics of the breed, which they all had in common with the recognised dog of the day.

The decided differences then existing in these dogs in this country was also common in those of the Island of Newfoundland, and still continues; and this obscures the interesting question, What was the original breed of the Island really like? and prepares us for the very wide difference and rather dogmatic expression of opinion on the subject by gentlemen who have had the advantage of a residence there, and who have afterwards joined in public discussion on the question.

Many years ago the late Mr. William Lort (who spent some portion of his early life in Newfoundland), in giving some reminiscences to a few friends, referred to the dogs. He said that, although a variety of big mongrels were kept and used there, those that the natives of the Island looked on as the true breed were the black or rusty black, with thick and shaggy coats, and corresponding in all other points - although, from want of proper culture, inferior - to our best specimens of the day.

Against this testimony may be quoted the opinion of "Index," who in the Field, nearly a quarter of a century ago, wrote on this subject with great pertinence, and, evidently from personal observation, declared the true breed to be of "an intense black colour," and "with a small streak of white, which is upon the breasts of ninety-nine out of every hundred genuine dogs."

Per contra, "Otterstone," in the Country, January 6th, 1876, says: "The predominant colour of the 'Newfoundland proper' is white. His marks are nearly invariable, namely, a black head or face mark, a black saddle mark, and the tip of the stern also black." "Otterstone" also wrote from personal observation of the dogs accepted as pure Newfoundlands in Canada.

Others wrote not only about colour, but also about texture of coat, some holding that it should be curly, others wavy, others shaggy; while as to the height of the original, this is variously stated as 24m. to 26in., up to 30in. and 32m.

In the "Sportsman's Cabinet," published in 1802, is an engraving of the Newfoundland from a drawing by Reinagle. The dog represented is like our modern one in most points, but not so big and square in head, altogether lighter in build, and almost entirely white. No specific description follows, the author evidently considering that the artist so well conveys the impression as to the general appearance as to render such unnecessary.

Whether there was a dog of marked characteristics from other recognised breeds found indigenous to the Island on its discovery or not, we may accept the case as proved that they are now, from various causes, a mixed lot, greatly inferior to our English Newfoundlands. At one time the lesser Newfoundland was recognised; but whatever claims to recognition such a dog may have had in the past, it is certain that none exist in the present, except such as may be found in the Wavy-coated Retriever, which variety was evolved from the smaller Newfoundlands.

The contention of those who say the original breed - using the expression to mean the breed as it was when we began to import these dogs - did not stand more than about 25m. at the shoulder is greatly discounted by references to the size and dignified appearance of the dog by older writers; and although climate and good care do much, their effects would hardly be so immediate and so great as to make a 30m. dog out of a pup which, left at home, would only have grown to 25m., or that that result would follow except after a considerable number of years of careful breeding; but in the "Sportsman's Cabinet," nearly seventy years before "Index" wrote in the Field, and his dictum as to height was accepted by "Stonehenge," the dog was stated to be valued for his great size. Nor is size any less highly esteemed at the present day, so long as it is not obtained at the expense of character.

By many the Newfoundland is given an unjust character as regards temperament. Taken as a breed, the dogs are good-tempered and generally to be moulded into the best of companions if their education be but taken in hand sufficiently early. That there are bad-tempered Newfoundlands cannot be denied; but such a fault is individual, and not that of the breed as a whole.

There is certainly a dignity of demeanour, a noble bearing, and a sense of strength and power, though softened by the serenity of his countenance and deeply sagacious look, which cannot be dissociated from great size, and these were among the good qualities which commended this dog to public favour. The Newfoundland's good qualities, however, do not rest here; he is of a strongly emulative disposition, extremely sensitive to either praise or censure, and should therefore, especially when young, be managed with great care. He is never so well satisfied as when employed for either the pleasure or the advantage of his master, and his strong propensity to fetch and carry develops itself naturally at an early age.

Fig. 27. - White-and-Black Newfoundland His Nibs.

As a water dog the Newfoundland has no equal - he delights in it, will almost live in it - and his high courage and great swimming powers might with benefit to mankind be oftener turned to account.

If we continuously breed from prize winners, however grand in appearance, which are uneducated, and have their natural powers undeveloped - indeed, checked - we shall soon have lost sterling qualities, and get in return mere good looks. But the two things - fine physical development, with high cultivation of those instincts and natural powers - are not incompatible, and should be simultaneously encouraged by dog-show promoters, just as the Kennel Club does for Pointers and Setters by their field trials.

Water trials of Newfoundlands were held at Maidstone Show and at Portsmouth some twenty-five years since; but neither could be pronounced a brilliant success. They were each of them in many respects interesting, and proved that, with more experience, and if well carried out, such competitive trials might become more than interesting - highly useful.

Later the British Kennel Association had a dog show at Aston, near Birmingham, and had water trials in connection with it. Many of the competing dogs exhibited intelligent capacity, but the place was unsuitable and the arrangements were very defective.

Competitive trials will one day perhaps be established as a means of proving to the public, in an interesting way, how best to use the valuable services of the Newfoundland dog in the saving of human life. If so, the following excellent rules, drafted for the conduct of public water trials of dogs at Maidstone, may be of service: -