ORIGIN: Canada

DATE OF PUBLISHING OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD: 29.10.1996

PATRONAGE: FCI

UTILIZATION: Sledge dog for heavy loads, water dog.

CLASSIFICATION FCI:          Group 2              Pincher and
                                                                           Schnauzer Type-
                                                                           Molossian and Swiss
                                                                           Mountain-and-Cattle dogs.

                                                Section 2.2           Molossian type,
                                                                           Mountain dogs.
                                                Without working trial.

SHORT HISTORICAL SURVEY:  The breed originated in the island of Newfoundland from indigenous dogs and big black bear dog introduced by the Vikings after year 1100. With the advent of European fishermen a variety of new breeds helped to shape and reinvigorate the breed, but the essential characteristics remained. When the colonization of the island began in 1610, the Newfoundland
Dog was already largely in possession of his proper morphology and natural behaviour. These features allowed him to withstand the rigours of the extreme climate and sea`s adversity while pulling heavy loads on land or serving as a water a lifeguard dog.

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Newfoundland is massive, with powerful body well muscled and well coordinated in his movements.

IMORTANT PROPORTIONS: The length of body from the point of shoulders to the point of buttock is greater than the height at the withers. The body is compact. The body of the bitch may be slightly longer and is less massive than that of the dog. The distance from the withers to underside the of the chest is slightly greater than the distance from underside of the chest to the ground.

BEHAVIOR AND TEMPERAMENT: The Newfoundland’s expression reflects benevolence and softness. Dignified, joyful and creative, he is known for his sterling gentleness and serenity.

HEAD: Massive. The head of the bitch follows the same general conformation as male’s one, but is less massive.

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Broad, with slightly arched crown and strongly developed occipital bone.
Stop: Evident, but never abrupt.

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: Large, well pigmented, nostrils well developed. Colour: Black on black and white and black dogs, brown on brown dogs.
Muzzle: Definitely square, deep and moderately short, covered with short fine hair and free from wrinkles. The corners of the mouth are evident, but not excessively pronounced.
Flews: Soft
Bite: Scissors or level bite.
Eyes: Relatively small, moderately deep set; they are wide apart and show no haw. Colour: Dark brown in black and white and black dogs, lighter shades permitted in brown dogs.
Ears: Relatively small, triangular with rounded tips, well set back on the side of the head and close lying. When the ear of the adult dog is brought forward, it reaches to the inner corner of the eye on the same side.

NECK: Strong, muscular, well set in shoulders, long enough to permit dignified head carriage. The neck should not show excessive dewlap.

BODY: Bone structure is massive throughout. Viewed from the side, the body is deep and vigorous.
Top line: Level and firm form the withers to the croup.
Back: Broad.
Loin: Strong and well muscled.
Croup: Broad, sloping at an angle of about 30 degrees.
Chest: Broad, full and deep, with good spread of ribs.
Abdomen and underline: Almost level and never tucked up.

LIMBS:

FOREQUARTERS: The forelegs are straight and parallel also when dog is walking or slowly trotting.
Shoulders: Very well muscled and well laid back.
Elbows: Close to the chest.
Pasterns: Slightly sloping.
Forefeet: Large and proportionate to the body, well rounded and tight, with firm and compact toes. Webbing of toes is present.

HINDQUARTERS: Because driving power for pulling loads, swimming and covering ground efficiently is largely dependent upon hindquarters, the rear structure of Newfoundland is of prime importance. The pelvis has to be strong,broad and long.
Upper thighs: Wide and muscular.
Stifle: Well bent, but not so as to give a crouching appearance.
Lower thighs: Strong and fairly long.
Hocks: Relatively short, well let down and well apart, parallel to each other; they turn neither in nor out.
Hindfeet: Firm and tight. Dewclaws, if present, should have been removed.

TAIL: The tail acts as a rudder when the Newfoundland is swimming; therefore it is strong and broad at the base. When the dog is standing, the tail hangs down with, possibly, a little curve at the tip; reaching to or slightly below the hocks. When the dog is in motion or excited, the tail is carried straight out with slight upward curve, but never curled over the back nor curved inward between legs.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: The Newfoundland moves with good reach of the forelegs and strong drive of the hindquarters, giving the impression of effortless power. A slight roll of the back is natural. As the speed increases, the dog tends to single track with the topline remaining level.

COAT:

HAIR:  The Newfoundland has a water resident double coat. The outer coat is moderately long and straight with no curl. A slight wave is permissible. The undercoat is soft and dense, more dense in winter than in summer, but always found to some extent on the croup and chest. The hair on the head, muzzle and ears is short and fine. The front and rear legs are feathered. The tail is completely covered with long, dense hair, but does not form a flag. Trimming and scissoring are not  encouraged.

COLOUR: Black, white and black and brown.

• Black: The traditional colour is black. The colour has to be even as much as possible, but a slight tinge of sunburn is permissible. White markings on chest, toes and/or tip of tail are permissible.
• White and black: This variety is of historical significance for the breed. The preferred pattern of markings is black head with, preferably, a white blaze extending on to the muzzle, black saddle with even markings and black croup and upper tail. The remaining parts are to be white and can show a minimum of ticking.
• Brown: The brown colour goes form chocolate to bronze. White markings on chest, toes and/or tip of tail are permissible. White and black dogs and brown dogs are to be shown in the same class as blacks.

For adult males 71 cm (28 inches),
for adult bitches 66 cm (26 inches).

The average of weight is approximately 68 kg for males,
                                    approximately 54 kg for bitches.
 Large size is desirable, but is not to be favoured over symmetry, general soundness, power of the structure and correct gait.

FAULTS:  Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

• General appearance: Legginess, lack of substance.
• General bone structure: Sluggish appearance, fine bone.
• Character: Aggressiveness, shyness.
• Head: Narrow.
• Muzzle: Snipey or long.
• Flews: Pronounced.
• Eyes: Round, protruding, yellow eyes, showing pronounced haw.
• Back: Roached, slack and swayed back.
• Tail: Short, long, kink tail, curled tip.
• Forequarters: Down in pasterns, splayed toes, toeing in or out, lack of webbing between toes.
• Hindquarters: Straight stifles, cowhocks, barrel legs, pigeon toes.
• Gait/Movement: Mincing, shuffling, crabbing, too close moving, weaving, crossing over in front, toeing-out or distinctly toeing-in in front, hackney action, pacing.
• Hair: Completely open coat. Lack of undercoat.

• Bad temperament.
• Overshot or undershot bite, wry mouth.
• Short or flat coat.
• Markings of any other colour than white on a black or brown dog.
• Any other colour than black or white and black or brown.

ORIGIN: Germany/Switzerland

DATE OF PUBLISHING OF THE ORIGINAL VALID STANDARD: 1.10.1997

PATRONAGE: FCI

UTILIZATION: Guard Dog, Companion.

CLASSIFICATION FCI:          Group 2              Pincher and
                                                                           Schnauzer Type-
                                                                           Molossian and Swiss
                                                                           Mountain-and-Cattle dogs.

                                                Section 2.2           Molossian type,
                                                                           Mountain dogs.
                                                Without working trial.
 

GENERAL APPEARANCE: The Landseer should convey the impression of a tall, powerful and well-balanced dog. The legs are comparatively longer than those of the black Newfoundland - especially in the male are. 

HEAD:
Scalp should be free from wrinkles, covered with short, fine hair. Head should be strikingly modelled, with noble expression.

CRANIAL REGION:
Skull: Broad and massive with well-developed occipital protuberance.
Stop: Decided, however not as pronounced and steep as in the Saint Bernard Dog.

FACIAL REGION:
Nose: black.
Muzzle: Length of muzzle is equal to depth of muzzle measured in front of the stop.
Lips: clean, black; upper lip as tight as possible, slightly overlapping the lower, no drivelling.
Cheeks: moderately developed, gradually tapering into the muzzle.
Jaws/Teeth: scissor bite.
Eyes: medium size, moderate deep set, brown to darkbrown; lightbrown to be tolerated, friendly expression, almond shaped, showing no haw. Pronouncedly light eyes (sulphur- or greyish yellow) as well as eyes set too close together, are faulty.
Ears: medium size, when drawn out, reaching till the inner corner of the eyes. Triangular shape, with slightly rounded tips. Set high on head, however not too far back. Carried close and flat to the sides of the head; ears covered with short, fine hair, fringes of longer hair to be found only at the back part of the root of the ear.

NECK:  The neck should not be quite round but rather egg-shaped in cross-section. The neck rises, muscular and broad, from the shoulder-chest-region to the head. In a symmetrically build dog, the length of neck from occiput to withers is approximately 3/4 to 4/5 of the length of the head, measured from the occiput to the nose. Pronounced dewlap is undesirable.

BODY: The length measured from withers to set of tail should be about twice the length of the head. Broad and strong from withers to croup.
Back: straight and level.
Loin: muscular.
Croup: broad, well rounded sidewards and backwards by powerful bolster of muscles.
Chest: between the very muscular shoulders the chest is deep and broad with corresponding well sprung ribs of the chest.
Belly: slightly tucked up. Clearly visible flat depression between belly and loin. Weak or hollow back, weak loins, too short false ribs and too much tuck-up of the belly are faults.

TAIL: Strong, reaching slightly below the hocks at the most, well covered with dense, bushy hair, however not flaglike. Tail should hang downwards when the dog is standing or at ease, with a slight curve at the end permissible. When moving or when excited the dog may carry his tail straight out with only a slight curve upwards of the tip of the tail. Tails with a kink or curled over the back are most objectionable.

LIMBS:

FOREQUARTERS: 
Strong muscles descending from the shoulders are surrounding the strong bones of the upper arm, to which is connected with correct angulation the strong bone of the, seen from the front, absolutely straight and muscular frontlegs. Legs slightly fringed down to pastern.
Elbows: Close to body and the lowest point of the brisket; distance from ground to elbows rather high; elbows pointed straight to the rear.
HINDQUARTERS: The hindquarters should be powerful. The hindlegs should move very freely and they should have strong bones, covered with powerful muscles. The hindlegs are moderately fringed.
Upper thighs: particularly broad.
Dewclaws: are objectionable and should be removed as soon as possible after birth. Cowhocks and lack of angulation are faulty.

FEET: Large, well shaped cat-feet. Splayed or turned out feet are objectionable. Toes connected by strong webbing, almost reaching the tip of the toes.

GAIT/MOVEMENT: The movement and gait of the well-muscled legs should present a free, long stride with good drive, thus covering ground well.

COAT: 
HAIR: The top coat should, with exception of the head, be long and as straight and dense as possible, soft to the touch, with good undercoat, which is not as dense as in the black Newfoundland. Slightly wavy coat on back and thigh is not objectionable. When brushed the wrong way it should fall back into place naturally.

COLOUR: The main colour of the coat is pure white with distinct black patches on body and croup. The neck, forechest, belly, legs and tail must be white. The head is black. Desirable is a white muzzle with a white, symmetrical blaze, extending from the muzzle to the white collar, neither to narrow nor too wide. Ticking still occurring in the white is not a fault, but should be bred away.
 

SIZE: The height at withers of a Landseer may vary:

Dogs average between 72 and 80 cm (28,5 and 31,5 inches).
Bitches average between 67 and 72 cm (26,5 and 28,5 inches).

Small deviations below or above to be tolerated.

FAULTS: Any departure from the foregoing points should be considered a fault and the seriousness with which the fault should be regarded should be in exact proportion to its degree.

N.B.: Dogs should have two apparently normal testicles fully descended into the scrotum.