The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-04
CHILD'S BEST FRIEND
OLD NEwFoUNDLAND DOG NOW
 PRACTICALLY EXTINCT.
A Few still Left in England--House- hold Pet that Formed Subject of Landseer's Famous Painting Has Been Allowed to Perish
 Through Neglect.

sWhaf has become of the Newfound' ,and dorT' said a man to fos. porter several days ago, III = Boston terriers, French puiiuoss - several other of the new .sWhen SSr,n 2 wes young man the Newfoundland dog ss 1as everywhere, and the most popular .,s in America. well remember tho ,, x,, when the streets of this oty were tuai of Newfoundlands, and when every fam- ily had one of these animals to protect and play with their children. Touay, so far as this place Is concerned, they sse comparatively extinct. They seem .o have played out soon after the IaViI wa: ,. for if has been a long time since l have
 The foregoing observation caused an investigation. The Newfoundland oog' the embodiment of courage, intelligence. and kindness. the highest type of canine excellence. the animal that formed the subject of Landseer's famous painting '.The Chiid's Best Friend" is today al- most extinct.
 The origin of this remarkable breed of dogs is lost in the mists of an obscure past. The general belief is that the breed was indigenous to the Island of New foundland. and this much as correct, put the statement that these dogs were found there by the first whites who landed on that island. and that the Micmacs. the only tribe of Indians inhabfung New foundland. had bred them. for centuries, Is assailed on every side by doubts Of the gravest character.
 the trouble to examine the traditions of -the Newfoundland Micmacs. nor those Of the Indians living on the opposite coast of Labrador, to ascertain whether the Newfoundland dog was an aboriginal pro. duct The writings of those who first visited the island Sebastian Cabot, Faith CT Charlevoix (Histoire de Melville France), the Relations" of the Jesuit fathers, are all silent as to this animal.
 Newfoundland's First Settlers.
 The old settlers of Newfoundland have throw more light on the matter, although even they are far from satisfactory. They state that the first white man to settle In Newfoundland (which enjoys the honor and distinction of being the oldest Eng lish colony not only of America, but of the world). found the Indians in possess sion of breed of dogs. representative specimens of which stood about twenty six inches high. with biack-ticked body. gray muzzle white legs and ciew claws behind. The most reasonable suppos1tion is that the Newfoundland dog was the result of a cross of some English breed on the native Indian dogs.
 So much for the past history and origin disappearance. The Newfoundland dog is now almost extinct. In the United States the animals have vanished completely. and had 1t not been for MT. Edwin Nichols, of South Kensington. England. they would have died out in that country as well. In the latter country they were for many years extremely popdiar and the animal that formed the model for Landseer's famous painting became the progenitor of the famous Landseer strain of Newfoundlands. Five years ago. with the exception of few animals of the old Landseer stock, the breed had van ished from Great Britain.
 It was then that MT. Nichols deter mined that a breed that had figured so conspicuously in English literature and art should not disappear through sheer neglect, gathered together the scattered remnants of the old Landseer pack. and is now sole breeder of Newfoundlands in the world. The dogs bred from his ken nels have all the characteristics of the old breed. head broad and massive, with lat skull and somewhat square muzzie; ears small in proportion to the body; coat straight, dense, and capable of resisting water; color. black, black and white. and white and bronze; weight. 100 pounds for males. 85 pounds for females; tail, car ried gayly, but not curled over back. Such is the Newfoundland of today; the last of his race.
 Few in Land of Origin.
 The Newfoundland dog is almost ex- unct, even in the land of its origin. Jo-
  his book entitled, "Newfoundland' the Oldest British Colony" says :-fhere are very few fine specimens of the Newfound' land dog now on the island. The dogs most common and numerous are wretched mongrel race. cowardiy, they lsh. and g1ven to sheep killing. Starva- ton and neglect has killed out the old breed. which thrives better anywhere except on this island, the place of it's origin. The life-sdFing stations anu l. ghthouses are importing dogs or the Leonberg breed from Germany to i'll the places of the Newfoundland breed, which with few exceptions. have become extinct all over the island" Why this valuable dog should have De, come extinct, even in his native island. where they were almost necessity, is a mystery. The coast of Newfoundland | $ a storm-swept region, where ship wrecks are both common and frequent. l and the Newfoundland dog was an ani- | nal D, 'uliarly adapted and Inclined TO | the work of saving shipwrecked persons | rom drowning. Prot -cted by h.s dense | and shaggy coat of hair. swimming in | .he cold water was d delight rather than | a hardship for these dogs. and the re- ports of the keepers of Hfe-siyfng sta- ions along this coast for the years prior | o the Civil War show every year wher" many lives were saved by these faithful md intelligent animals But the people of Newfoundland did not | appreciate the value of these dogs. and