[ The Dog Fancier ]
This American magazine (Battle Creek, MI) began publication in 1891.
The July, 1915, issue featured a substantial Newfoundland breed column with extensive remarks on type and coat color:
The Newfoundland
(By Miss Eleanor Goodall, in Dogs Monthly)
The Black Newfoundland. Color — The dog should be all black, but a splash of white on chest is considered quite correct, and one often sees which on toes; this does not in any way disqualify, although I must confess I prefer a black dog to be without it. A bronze tinge is often seen when the dog is casting his coat,k and some of the old breeders of black Newfoundlands much liked this bronze tinge.
Coat and Feather. — The coat should be straight all over, neither coarse nor fine, should have a dense undercoat, and no matter how long the dog is in the water, it is never wet to the roots; this is typical of the true Newfoundland coat.
Shape. — The Newfoundland should be rather long than short, well sprung ribs, chest both broad and deep, strong muscular and shapely neck, well set on, shoulders rather oblique and deep, and well clothed with muscle, the dog should look massive without being clumsy, and give the impression of great strength; he should have a somewhat rolling gait, like a sailor — this is characteristic of the breed; he should also be active, front legs should be perfectly straight with plenty of muscle, sturdy and strong, with good bone, and well feathered; the hind legs not quite so massive, with less feather and smaller feet than the front ones; the dog must not be leggy.
The head should be massive, broad skull, small dark hazel eyes, rather deeply set, and rather wide apart with a very kind, benevolent expression, ears set close to the head, and not too large, muzzle rather short and deep, covered with short hair, as should also be the ears; the latter should have no fringe.
The Newfoundland is a native of Newfoundland, but has been knowr in England since the 16th century. In his own country he was employed it the fishing industry, and also helped his owners in hauling fuel. I am sorry to say that the pure Newfoundland is hardly to be found now in his native home.
The Landseer. The white and black variety should follow the black in all except color, and should be rather larger. As a rule many white and blacks used to be too leggy, but thanks to some of our breeders, this fault is disappearing.
The character of the Newfoundland is almost perfect, and if properly trained and brought up, is one of the most affectionate, lovable, intelligent, and delightful dogs living. He is, of course, a utility dog, noted for his life-saving in the water, and there is nothing he loves so well as a good swim in the sea; and I think myself that Newfoundlands do better by the sea, as the coast is more natural to them than the inland towns, although puppies reared in the country seem to thrive quite well; but my fancy is the coast for them, and how they do revel in the sea (my dogs visit the seaside every year, and are taught as puppies to swim).
You can teach a Newfoundland almost anything. He very quickly learns the meaning of words, is very biddable, and a grand watch-dog, does not bark overmuch (unless told to do so), and is one of the most delightful dogs for a country ramble that any one could desire.
Newfoundlands can be trained to the gun, and are as good as any retriever. The late Lady Melbourne (my own dog) was so trained, and a better gun dog could not have been desired. Ch. Gipsy Duke's son, Lord Murry, was also an expert gun dog.
Newfoundlands have been uised in Canada for wild duck shooting with great success, and I think this sport eminently suited to the breed. My Newfoundlands love sport, and if nothing better offers will even hunt for and kill mice; but a rat hunt suits them better, and it is very rarely that a rat escapes them. Ch. Gipsy Duke was very keen on both rabbits and rats, and loved to dig them out. If nothing better presents itself, my dogs hunt for field mice, They were trained last year to "speak" an aeroplane (when they sighted or heard it), and very well they did it. I am thinking this accomplishment might prove very useful if we had an air raid, and it occurred in the daytime.
I have kept Newofundlands many years, and all I can say is, that I shall never wish to give up a Newfoundland for any other breed, although I have also kept Airedales and Collies.
The following "Description of the Newfoundland" appears immediately after the above, although except for the first paragraph and the last two paragraphs, it is a repetition, with a few minor edits, of the Newfoundland breed standard, from the Newfoundland Club; it had been published in several earlier works: W. D. Drury's British Dogs: Their Points, Selection, and Show Preparation (1903) and, with minor editing, in Frank Townend Barton's Non-Sporting Dogs: Their Points and Managment in Health and Disease (1905). One of the first publications of a Newfoundland breed standard I am aware of is in Gordon Stables Our Friend the Dog, first published in 1884. Perhaps the most significant change in the version below is that the heights and weights for dogs and bitches have both been increased over what the actual breed standard says. (Some folks like their Newfies XXL: a question-and-answer section of Dogdom magazine from April of 1921 had a reader asking about the average height and weight of an American Newfoundland; the response, from a veterinarian named Bert Franklin, was "Males, 29 inches; females, 27 inches. Weight: Males, 150 lbs, females, 120 lbs." Dr. Franklin went on to say that he did not where the reader could get a good Newfoundland. [p. 72]) The standard below also deletes a paragraph, quite brief, regarding black dogs that have been shown under Kennel Club (England) rules.
The late Ch. Gipsy Duke (of England) whose picture accompanies this article, was a typical Newfoundland, unbeaten in six years, except by his sire, Ch. Shelton Viking, once. Duke won 200 first prizes and 22 championships.
(Gipsy Duke is also featured, with photo, as an exemplar of the breed in A. Croxton Smith's 1910 book Everyman's Book of the Dog, also discussed here at The Cultured Newf.
Symmetry and General Appearance. – The dog should impress the eye with strength and great activity. He should move freely on his legs, with the body swung loosely between them, so that a slight roll in gait should not be objectionable; but at the same time a weak or hollow back, slackness of the loins, or cowhocks should be a decided fault.
Head, – Should be broad and massive, flat on the skull, the occipital bone well developed; there should be no decided stop, and the muzzle should be short, clean cut, rather square in shape, and covered with short fine hair.
Coat. — Should be flat and dense, of a coarsish texture and oily nature, and capable of resisting the water. If brushed the wrong way, it should fall back into its place naturally.
Body. — Should be well ribbed up, with a broad back. A neck strong, well set on to the shoulders and back, and strong muscular loins.
Fore Legs. — Should be perfectly straight, well covered with muscle, elbows in but well let down, and feathered all down.
Hindquarters and Legs. — Should be very strong; the legs should have great freedom of action, and a little feather. Slackness of loins and cowhock are a great defect; dew-claws are objectionable, and should be removed.
Chest. — Should be deep and fairly broad and well covered with hair, but not to such an extent as to form a frill.
Bone. - Massive throughout, but not to give a heavy, inactive appearance.
Feet. — Should be large and well shaped. Splayed or turned-out feet are objectionable.
Tail. — Should be of moderate length, reaching down a little below the hocks; it should be of fair thickness and well covered with long hair, but not to form a flag. When the dog is standing still and not excited, it should hang downwards, with a slight curve at the end ; but when the dog is in motion, it should be carried a trifle up, and when he is excited, straight out, with a slight curve at the end. Tails with a kink in them, or curled over the back, are very objectionable.
Ears. — Should be small, set well back, square with the skull, lie close to the head, and covered with short hair, and no fringe.
Eyes. — Should be small, of a dark brown colour, rather deeply set, but not showing any haw, and they should be rather widely apart.
Colour. — Dull jet black. A slight tinge of bronze, or a splash of white on chest and toes is not objectionable.
Height and Weight. — Size and weight are very desirable so long as symmetry is maintained. A fair average height at the shoulders is 28in. for a dog and 26in. for a bitch, and a fair average weight is respectively: dogs, 140lb. to 150lb.; bitches, 110lb. to 120lb.
Other than Black. — Should in all respects follow the black except in colour, which may be almost any, so long as it disqualifies for the Black class, but the colours most to be encouraged are black-and-white and bronze. Beauty in markings to be taken greatly into consideration.
Black dogs that have only white toes and white breasts and white tip to tail, should be exhibited in the classes provided for "black."
The scale of points are:
Head 34 points:
Shape of Skull....................................... 8
Ears....................................................... 10
Eyes...................................................... 8
Muzzle.................................................... 8
Body: 66 points:
Neck....................................................... 4
Chest...................................................... 6
Shoulders............................................... 4
Loin and Back...................................... 12
Hindquarters and Tail........................... 10
Legs and Feet........................................ 10
Coat...................................................... 12
Size, Height, and General Appearance... 8
____
Total points in all............................... 100
Markings of White and Black Dogs.
— Head, 3 points; Saddle, 5 points; Rump, 2 points; Total 10 points.
"Definition for Preference" — Black head marking, with narrow blaze. Even marked saddle. Black rump, extending on to tail.
The black and white variety of Newfoundland dogs were made famous most by the brush of the great Landseer. In compliment to him they are now known as "Landseers." They are a truly handsome variety.
Where we say Newfoundland, with the accent on the second syllable of the word, natives of that British Colony, also very many in Canada and the United States, pronounce the word "Newf'nland," with the emphasis on the first syllable. In this way, too, do they pronounce the name of the breed of dogs associated with the island.
