Landseer

The Landseer is a black-and-white water dog named after the painter who made the colouring famous — treated as a colour of the Newfoundland in some registries and as a separate breed in others.

History

Edwin Landseer's nineteenth-century paintings of black-and-white Newfoundlands were popular enough that the colour took his name. Continental European breeders later developed a taller, lighter-boned dog from that stock as a distinct breed, while British and American registries kept the colouring inside the Newfoundland standard.

Temperament

The breed is known for being gentle, patient and good-natured, closely attached to its family and famously tolerant of children. It is a strong swimmer with an instinct to go into water after things.

Care and training

It needs moderate daily exercise with care not to over-work a growing giant, and swimming suits it better than running. The thick double coat sheds heavily and needs regular brushing; it drools, and it does not tolerate heat well.

Health

Known tendencies include hip and elbow dysplasia, heart conditions and bloat, and giant breeds live shorter lives on average. These are patterns for the breed rather than a forecast for one dog; the measured facts are in the panel.