Here is a breed that is as much at home in the water as a polar bear or otter. He has strength and solidity and an enduring appearance, and well he might have all these things because they are part of his breed heritage.

For centuries, the large, friendly, devoted dogs known as Newfoundlands have worked diligently on their home island of Newfoundland in eastern Canada, working alongside fishermen as rescue and working dogs. These web-footed, water-loving dogs have a natural instinct for water rescue. There are many stories of these dogs pulling their owners out of the cold and rough Atlantic waters to safety, aided by their thick, water repellant coat, webbed paws, and tremendous strength, endurance and intelligence. The Newfoundland can and does, surface dive and swim quite easily under water.

The earliest Newfoundlands were the Landseers (black and white), named for Sir Edwin Landseer, the famous artist who used a dog of this type and colour in his paining "A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society." The solid black colour of today was probably arrived at through selection.