A gentleman residing in the county of Fife, and not very far from the city of St. Andrews, was in possession of a very fine Newfoundland dog, which was remarkable alike for its tractability and its trustworthiness. At two other points, each distant about a mile from each other, and at the same distance from this gentleman's mansion, there were two other dogs, of great power, but of less tractable breeds, than the Newfoundland one. One of these was a large mastiff, kept as a watch-dog by a farmer, and the other a stanch bull-dog that kept guard over the parish mill. As each of these three was lord-ascendant of all animals at his master's residence, they all had a good deal of aristocratic pride and pugnacity, so that two of them seldom met without attempting to settle their respective dignities by a wager of battle.
The Newfoundland dog was of some service in the domestic arrangements, besides his guardianship of the house; for every forenoon he was sent to the baker's shop in the village, about half a mile distant, with a towel containing money in the corner, and he returned with the value of the money in bread. There were many useless and not over-civil curs in the village, as there are in too many villages throughout the country; but in ordinary the haughty Newfoundland treated this ignoble race in that contemptuous style in which great dogs are wont to treat little ones.— When the dog returned from the baker's shop he used to be regularly served with his dinner, and went peaceably on house-duty for the rest of the day.
One day, however, he returned with his coat dirtied and his ears scratched, having been subjected to a combined attack of the curs, while he had charge of his towel and bread, and so could not defend himself. Instead of waiting for his dinner as usual, he laid down his charge somewhat sulkily, and marched off; and, upon looking after him, it was observed that he was crossing the intervening hollow in a straight line for the house of the farmer, or rather on an embassy to the farmer's mastiff. The farmer's people noticed this unusual visit, and they were induced to notice it from its being a meeting of peace between those who had habitually been belligerents. After some intercourse, of which no interpretation could be given, the two set off together in the direction of the mill; and having arrived there, they in brief space engaged the miller's bull-dog as an ally.
The straight road to the village where the indignity had been offered to the Newfoundland dog passed immediately in front of his master's house, but there was a more private and more circuitous road by the back of the mill. The three took this road, reached the village, scoured it in great wrath, putting to the tooth every cur they could get sight of; and having taken their revenge, and washed themselves in a ditch, they returned, each dog to the abode of his master; and, when any two of them happened to meet afterwards, they displayed the same pugnacity as they had done previous to this joint expedition.
It should seem that in this case there was a mere momentary concert for the accomplishment of one object among three dogs differing considerably in their habits, and that when this momentary purpose was accomplished, the wonted animosity of the three returned, and they fought as readily with each other as ever. But it does not appear that all casual, or apparently casual interferences of dogs for the benefit of each other, pass off in this momentary way; for there is another well authenticated anecdote of two dogs at Donaghadee, in which the instinctive daring of the one by the other caused a friendship, and, as it should seem, a kind of lamentation for the dead, after one of them had paid the debt of nature. This happened while the government harbour or pier for the packets at Donaghadee was in the course of building, and it took place in the sight of several witnesses. The one dog in this case also was a Newfoundland, and the other was a mastiff. They were both powerful dogs; and though each was good natured when alone, they were very much in the habit of fighting when they met. One day they had a fierce and prolonged battle on the pier, from the point of which they both fell into the sea; and, as the pier was long and steep, they had no means of escape but by swimming a considerable distance. Throwing water upon fighting dogs is an approved means of putting an end to their hostilities, and it is natural to suppose that two combatants of the same species tumbling themselves into the sea would have the same effect. It had; and each began to make for the land as he best could. The Newfoundland being an excellent swimmer very speedily gained the pier, on which he stood shaking himself; but at the same time watching the motions of his late antagonist, which, no swimmer, was struggling exhausted in the water, and just about to sink. In dashed the Newfoundland dog, took the other gently by the collar, kept his head above water, and brought him safely on shore. There was a peculiar kind of recognition between the two animals: they never fought again; they were always together: and when the Newfoundland dog had been accidentally killed by the passage of a stone wagon on the railway over him, the other languished and evidently lamented for a long time. (297 - 298)

THE NEWFOUNDLAND DOG. This is a noble animal, and, with the exception of the water spaniel, it takes the water much more readily than almost any other dog. The feet of this species are webbed. Indeed, when of pure blood, the Newfoundland is the prince and honour of the race. His size and strength are great, and his look dignified, so that those who are not accustomed to him are apt to be afraid of his approach; but he is exceedingly mild, and has at once the most beautiful and expressive eye of all the race. Unless under very extraordinary circumstances of provocation and necessity, he is never the aggressor; and though many large dogs are very prone to tyrannise over the smaller ones, he has no such habit, but will bear considerable indignity rather than fight with any dog of insignificant appearance. A full grown Newfoundland dog of the pure breed, and that has received proper treatment, measures six feet and a half from the nose to the tail, the length of that appendage being two feet, and very handsome both in its form and in the style in which it is carried. From the one fore foot to the other, over the shoulders, five feet eight inches; girth behind the shoulders three feet four inches; round the head across the ears two feet; the upper part of the fore leg measures ten inches; the length of the head fourteen inches; and from his feet being webbed, he can swim with great ease, and for a very considerable time. His body is covered with long shaggy hair; his legs are feathered, and he has an extreme villous tail which is curvilinear. The Newfoundland dog is but of recent introduction into this country from the island whose name he bears, and may be considered as a distinct race. He is docile to a very great degree, and nothing can exceed his affection. Being naturally athletic and active, he is ever eager to be employed, and seems delighted in performing any little office required of him. From the great share of emulation which nature has given him, to be surpassed or overcome would occasion great pain to him. On every emergency he is active, the friend of all, and is naturally without the least disposition to quarrel with other animals; he seldom or never offers offence, but will not receive an insult or injury with impunity. Such is the capacity of his understanding, that he can be taught almost any thing man can inculcate, of which his own strength and frame are capable. His sagacity can only be exceeded by his energies, and he perseveres with unabated ardour in whatever manner he is employed, and while he has a hope of success he will never slacken in his efforts to attain it. The amazing pliability of his temper peculiarly fits him for man's use, and he never shrinks from any service which may be required of him, but undertakes it with an ardour proportionally to the difficulty of its execution. He takes a singular pride in being employed, and will carry a bundle, stick, or basket, in his mouth, for miles, and to deprive him of any of these is more than any stranger could with safety accomplish. Sagacity and a peculiarly faithful attachment to the human species are characteristics inseparable from this dog, and hence he is ever on the alert to ward off impending danger from his master, and to free him from every peril to which he may be exposed. From the astonishing degree of courage with which he is endowed, he is every ready to resent an insult or to defend his friends, even at the hazard of his own life. Inclined habitually to industrious employment, such dogs are as useful to the settlers of the coast, from which they are brought, as our galloway and ponies are to us. It is easy to accustom them to daily labour. From three to five of them are harnessed to a sledge, or other vehicle, containing a load of wood, or lumber, amounting to twenty or thirty stones, which they will draw steadily draw for miles with ease, and will do this without the aid of a driver, when acquainted with the road; and having delivered their burden, they return home to their masters, and receive, as a reward for their labour, their accustomed food, which generally consists of dried fish, of which they are said to be extremely fond. Indeed, the qualifications of this dog are very extensive. As a keeper or defender of the house, he is far more powerful and intelligent, and more to be depended upon than the mastiff, and has been much substituted for him in England of late years; he may indeed with great propriety supersede that breed. For his services upon navigable rivers and as a watch-dog, none can come in competition with him, and many sportsmen have introduced him into the field with great success as a pointer, his sagacity and kindness of disposition rendering it an easy task to train him. Although this variety is styled the Newfoundland dog, there is every reason it believe it was not found in that island when first visited by Europeans; and in corroboration of this is may be observed that it does not resemble the Artic dogs properly so called, which are dogs with very shaggy hair, and much more ferocious in their dispositions, although, like this one, they are employed in labour. It has been said that this is a cross between some sort of English dog and a she-wolf of Newfoundland; but what species of English dog would, with a she-wolf, have produced a dog of the size, shape, and disposition of the Newfoundland, and at the same time web-footed, it is not easy to say; and therefore we strongly suspect that the origin of this highly interesting breed must remain for ever doubtful. (314 - 315)