Newfoundland Dog Breed History
The Newfoundland breed is believed to have been developed by fishermen and settlers of the island of Newfoundland, Canada. If you search online for the Newfoundland dog breed history, you might be surprised to find conflicting information. Which is true? No one really knows. Maybe one day there will be a way to find out, maybe not. Meanwhile, here are the existing theories…
The Newfoundland dog could have evolved from the American Black Wolf (now extinct) or from the Tibetan Mastiff that migrated to Scandinavia and North America from Asia. Many people consider the Tibetan Mastiff to be the basic stock from which most modern large working dog breeds were developed. The Mastiff accompanied Asian migrating armies as they expanded westward, which explains how this dog left its trail in Europe.
Whether Vikings possessed dogs of Mastiff blood-lines or not, another theory is that the Newfoundland dog breed was developed by cross-breeding and inbreeding between abandoned Viking dogs (transported to the New World in 1000 A.D.) and native wolves or Indian dogs.
A third speculation is the Newfoundland is a mixture between 15th and 16th century European explorer’s dogs. The breeds believed to have been mixed are Scandinavian bear dogs, Mastiffs, Pyrenean Sheep Dogs and Portuguese Water Dogs. It is also possible the Springer Spaniel may have been used to contribute the black and white color, known as Landseer Newfoundland. Other sources think the Landseer was created by mixing Great Pyrenees dogs with English black curly-coated retrievers. (read more about the Great Pyrenees dog breed)
Despite its mysterious origins, the Newfoundland dog has had to troubles impressing European dog enthusiasts. During the 19th century, Newfoundland dogs became very popular in both France and England. English poets and painters have immortalized the Newfoundland’s image through their art. It seems that Newfoundland blood was also used to revive the Swiss St. Bernard population after a terrible distemper epidemic took place in the late 1800’s. The other breed used was the Great Pyrenees dog and you can read more about that in the article called Great Pyrenees dog breed history.
Today, the Newfoundland dog breed is found and used around the world in rescue missions, be they in water or snow. They are great swimmers (they have webbed paws and water-resistant coats) and have an innate instinct to protect and save. A very gentle and loyal breed, the Newfoundland dog breed makes an excellent pet.
