CHAPTER XLII 

 THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG 



OPULAR belief would no doubt lead to the opinion that the 

 Newfoundland dog would have a very straight history, but 

 such is not the case by any means. In the first place, the 

 early illustrations by Bewick and Reinagle show a long, 

 flat-headed white and black dog. Captain Brown in 1829 

 gives us a similar dog but seemingly solid black, but he does not specify any 

 colour. Lieutenant-Colonel Hamilton who had visited Newfoundland 

 stands alone in describing the true Newfoundland as a black-and-tan dog. 

 This he calls the true old type and characterises all others as cross-bred 

 dogs. When he was in Newfoundland we cannot state, but he was an ex- 

 perienced investigator and possessed an extensive knowledge of dogs in alt 

 parts of the world, so that his conclusions and assertions are entitled to 

 great consideration, even if he stands alone on the black-and-tan statement. 

 The " Naturalist's Library " for which he wrote on dogs was published in 

 1840, hence we may say he wrote of the breed of 1830. Between that time 

 and 1860 the tan markings appear to have been bred out entirely, and there 

 is little doubt that pure black, rusty black occasionally, became the prevail- 

 ing colour. 



We must recognise that we are not now speaking of a country where 

 dogs were bred for points but a very undeveloped territory, where the dogs 

 were obliged to earn their own living, bred as they liked, and were grievously 

 neglected according to all accounts. Where they originated is not hard to 

 state, for they must have descended from ship dogs. In the old days, which 

 in this breed can be put at 1800 to 1850, there were three varieties, smooth or 

 short-coated, shaggy and curly. The shaggy were the most attractive, and 

 became the popular dog. Up to 1870 the height of dogs on Newfoundland 

 Island ran to 26 inches, anything larger being an exception; and the dog 

 presented to the Prince of Wales when he visited this continent was a mon- 

 strosity, a perfect giant, and not considered by any means typical of the 

 breed. It was stated to have measured "considerably over 30 inches." 



589 



