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Also black Newfoundland authors and enthusiasts do know that most of the
blacks were imported afterwards, from 1850/1890 on.
Henry Farquharson, a popular breeder of the time, in 1882 wrote: "it is very well
known by Newfoundland owners, that most of the imported dogs from Newfoundland were
white/brown or white/black only"
The black ones still lived on Newfoundland but as to them, we cannot really speak of a
real breed, because those dogs, not isolated and spread over the whole country, were
crossed many times with the dogs of Labrador, who was there in many colours.
George Lawles, in a letter dated 1845, wrote:
".... two imports from Newfoundland, named Sailor and Centon; they seem to be from
different breeds.... one was red the other one black, they were not tall, their hair not
so long but thick..."
It is clear that those dogs, 50 to 60 cm tall, could not be compared with the white/black
dog, selected and bred to a higher level in England and tall about 80/85 cm.
The strong genetic background from the Pyrenean dog in the white/black was clear, as the
strong genetic background from the dog from Labrador in the "black"
Newfoundland, too.
Since there were not many white/black on the Island and almost all of them were profitably
exported to England, fishermen could keep the smaller blacks with them.
Around 1886, some English breeders used to cross these "black" dogs with the
much taller white and blacks.
By doing that, they wished to make the black taller and with a longer coat.
When we look at the pictures from that early time, we see dogs structured as the
white/black but black or brown, often mismarked.
The original type moved in features and colours.
The old white/blacks as seen on the oldest pictures were forced to its background. The
glittering star the white/black used to be, gone almost to an end.
When in 1891 the first breeding standard for the black was issued, breeders had the
crossed type in mind.
For the old, pure white/black, nothing could be done, except being referred to as
"colour other than black".
Over that period of time, English judges and breeders didn't like the pure Landseer to be
used with their "new dog of Newfoundland" well knowing that type and coat
structure did differ and would show again and again, proving the white/black being a
different breed.
Our beautiful breed had sadly to loose his proper name: "Newfoundland", mixing
things upside down. That's what happened.
But, no question about it, for more than 80 years, the pure white/black was the one and
only "Newfoundland dog."
Luckily, some English breeders kept up breeding pure Landseers. A
handful of them was exported to the continent, as we can find backwards in the old Kennel
Club Stud Books.
One of the most important was Kettering Scout (Major). He had a big influence on the
breed, as well in England as in the continent later on.
On the continent Prof. Heim did a major work for the breed. He stated that the Landseer
was a separate breed from the black Newfoundland, with a different breeding standard.
Since then, Pure Landseers have been and are bred again, allowing us the pleasure to look
at the beautiful markings, the original Newfoundland type, the strong temperament, and
compare features to the so-called (black) Newfoundland.
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