The notion that the Newfoundland dog originated from a more retriever-like ancestor may seem like a bit of heresy, but I think I’ve found some more evidence that this certainly was the case.
The above illustration is from Neptune; or, The autobiography of a Newfoundland dog (1869).
The author, a Mrs. E. Burrows, creates an anthropomorphic story about a Newfoundland dog named Neptune. Neptune was her childhood dog, and he would have lived in the earlier part of the nineteenth century.
As to be expected from any autobiography, Neptune is the narrator in the text, and very early on, Neptune makes us aware of his pedigree:
On my father’s side I come of an old and noble family, his ancestors having been considered for many hundred years past as being amongst the best bred dogs in Newfoundland. He was himself born in that country, but came to England when he was quite a puppy. Possibly this may account for his having lost something of that exclusiveness for which our family have always been remarkable, and which has led them to imitate the example of certain royal families, and refuse to marry except with their own near kith and kin. Be that as it may, my father allowed his affections to get the better of his pride, and formed a matrimonial connexion with my beloved mother, a dog who was far more remarkable for her beauty and intelligence than for her relationship to aristocratic families, and I am afraid, if the truth must be told, there were some of my cousins who were decidedly vulgar (pg. 4-5).
He was at least half “pure” St. John’s water dog, and the illustrations on the text portray him as more of retriever-type dog. He was a large dog, but he was clearly not a giant.
This dog looks flat-headed, like the lab and the St John’s water dog. The modern Newfoiundland is apple-headed, is it not?
Is it possible these illustrations represent something like a lab x setter?
It’s unlikely. The coat is all wrong for a setter or setter cross.
I think I told you my grandmother’s family had one just after the turn of the century. The dog was a matter of local (sort of) pride, as they lived in Cape Breton Island. No pics exist.
It bothers me that there are family photos by the thousands everywhere. And in the backgrounds in those photos are answers to all sorts of questions. Has anyone ever devised a way to search? Hmmm. Should post this on a genealogy site.
how big do you think the illustrations make this dog? I know that a photo of myself and a Belgian (25″ at the shoulder) shows a much smaller dog related to the human (5’1″).