Landseer – Dog Breed Information, History

The Landseer belongs to the group of Molossia dogs and, like its black relative, originally comes from Newfoundland. With a size of about 80 cm, it is an imposing figure. With appropriate training, the Landseer is a very good family dog, but it needs a lot of exercise and living space. He is not suitable as a city dog.

Origin and history

The Landseer’s ancestors come from Newfoundland, where they were used as water rescue dogs and herding dogs. This type of Newfoundland came to England with British fishermen. The Landseer is named after the English animal portrait painter Edwin Landseer, who preferred to depict this black-and-white type of dog in his paintings and drawings.

With the founding of the British “Newfoundland Club” at the end of the 19th century, which preferred the all-black Newfoundland type, the black and white Newfoundland dog was pushed back more and more. At the beginning of the 20th century, German and Swiss dog breeders took care of the preservation of the black-and-white variant, in 1965 the Landseer was recognized as an independent dog breed.

Since the 19th century, the Landseer has had the reputation of independently saving people from drowning, which is why it is still used today as a water rescue dog on lakes and coasts.

Appearance

With a shoulder height of almost 80 cm, the Landseer is a very large dog and overall has an imposing and respect-inspiring appearance. Its fur is firm and dense and interspersed with a lot of undercoats. The coat color is white with black patches on the rump. The head is black with a narrow white stripe on the forehead and a white muzzle area. Legs, chest, and belly are white.

Today, the Landseer is visually very different from its relative, the Newfoundland. The Landseer’s head doesn’t look as massive, the snout is a little longer and not as blunt. Overall, it is slightly larger and seems more agile than Newfoundland.

Nature

The Landseer is a lively, friendly, and alert dog. It is known to be confident, attentive, and territorial. The lovable giants are also very cuddly, smart, and docile. The large puppies are highly spirited and should therefore be socialized and used to other dogs from an early age. A loving and consistent upbringing is necessary since Landseers do not subordinate themselves without resistance.

The Landseer loves to be outdoors and needs a lot of living space and close family connections. It is not suitable as an apartment dog or for life in the city. As a water rescue dog and former coast dog, the Landseer is also an excellent swimmer and loves the water more than anything.