Breed library

Landseer

Puppy landseer - 3 months old
File:Landseer - Puppy - 3 months.jpg by OdinetPietra, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0); source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Landseer_-_Puppy_-_3_months.jpg. License: CC BY-SA 4.0.

Breed overview

The Landseer is a dog that originated in Germany and Switzerland. It is a black-and-white descendent of the Newfoundland that is recognized as an independent breed in continental Europe.

  • Breed type: dog breedBreed reference breed kind.

Breed facts

  • The Landseer ECT is descended from dogs used by fishermen in the Newfoundland and Labrador region of Canada.
  • In the Victorian era black-and-white Newfoundland dogs were more popular than the solid black coloration, and they were the subject of a number of 19th-century artists including Sydenham Edwards, Philip Reinagle, Samuel Jones, and most famously Edwin Landseer, whose name was used to describe black-and-white Newfoundlands as early as 1896.
  • In the 20th century the solid black coloration became more popular and supplanted the bi-colored animals, so much so that in the 1930s a concerted effort was made to recreate the dogs seen in the paintings of Landseer.
  • The efforts of these breeders resulted in the Landseer breed.
  • In Great Britain and North America, Landseer coloured dogs are a variety of the Newfoundland breed that is identical in conformation and origin to the black variety of Newfoundland.

Size and appearance

The Landseer's black and white coloration arises from the piebald colour allele found in Newfoundlands; while the piebald gene is considered recessive, heterozygous individuals usually display small white markings. Developed to look like the illustrations of Edwin Landseer and others, the ECT Landseer also differs in shape from the Newfoundland: it is taller with longer legs and less bulk, and a longer, more tapered head - its coat is said to be curlier whilst the Newfoundland's is said to be wavier.

  • Body mass reference: 54 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 54 kg. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Body mass reference: 68 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 68 kg. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Body mass reference: 45.359 - 68.039 kgAdult breed reference quantity from the article infobox. Original value 100 - 150 lb. Unit conversion where applicable: 1 inch = 2.54 cm; 1 pound = 0.45359237 kg. Original field and references are retained in the revision-pinned article evidence.
  • Height reference: Up to 72 cmBreed reference height. female, maximum.
  • Height reference: 67 cm or moreBreed reference height. female, minimum.
  • Height reference: Up to 80 cmBreed reference height. male, maximum.
  • Height reference: 72 cm or moreBreed reference height. male, minimum.
  • Coat length: long
  • Height category: very_tall
  • Height category: tall
  • Weight category: giant

Personality and behavior

Care planning: record what your dog enjoys, how they greet visitors, and how they respond to new places. Add notes after walks and training so you can see their habits over time. Where this profile includes behavior research, use the same named measures when comparing your shortlist.

Exercise and activities

Care planning: build a weekly routine with walks, play and time to explore. Enter the minutes and sessions that work for your dog, then compare the weekly total with your available time. Keep notes about the activities your dog enjoys and adjust the routine together.

Training and enrichment

Care planning: choose one everyday skill to practice and keep a record of each session. Note the cue, the reward your dog enjoys and what went well. Rotate familiar games and new activities, and use your notes to choose the next small step.

Coat and grooming

Care planning: use the coat details above to discuss a grooming routine with your groomer. Record brushing sessions, baths and appointments in the app. Add the tools you use and your preferred schedule so the whole household can follow the same routine.

  • Coat length: long

Health and lifespan

Care planning: keep your dog's veterinary records, health-check dates and agreed care plan together. Add reminders for appointments and record changes you want to discuss at the next visit. Use the linked breed organizations and original references to explore their current health resources.

Living with this breed

Care planning: compare this profile's adult dimensions, coat care and available activity information with your household's routine. Make a shortlist, plan who will handle daily care and save the questions you want to ask a breed club, rescue or breeder.

Compare breeds

Compare supported adult height and weight ranges, matching research measures and sourced coat and care categories.

Add Landseer to a comparison

Breed history

The Landseer ECT is descended from dogs used by fishermen in the Newfoundland and Labrador region of Canada. It is believed these dogs are descended from water dogs and livestock guardian dogs imported by Portuguese and Basque fishing vessels. In the Victorian era black-and-white Newfoundland dogs were more popular than the solid black coloration, and they were the subject of a number of 19th-century artists including Sydenham Edwards, Philip Reinagle, Samuel Jones, and most famously Edwin Landseer, whose name was used to describe black-and-white Newfoundlands as early as 1896.

Clubs and further reading

Sources

  1. Landseer (dog breed) - WikipediaWikipedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted excerpts from Wikipedia contributors, Landseer (dog breed), revision 1369419215. CC BY-SA 4.0. Formatting, citations and selection changed. Source history: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Landseer_%28dog_breed%29&action=history
  2. Wikidata structured breed dataWikimedia contributors Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC0 1.0. Wikidata contributors (CC0).
  3. National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.PLOS ONE / Figshare Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY 4.0. Bohland, Kyle R.; Lilly, Meghan Leanne; Herron, Meghan E.; Arruda, Andréia G.; O’Quin, Jeanette M. (2023). National C-BARQ breed and all-breed means from USA.. PLOS ONE. Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289356.s003 CC BY 4.0. Selected rows and field names adapted; values unchanged.
  4. File:Landseer - Puppy - 3 months.jpgWikimedia Commons Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: CC BY-SA 4.0. File:Landseer - Puppy - 3 months.jpg by OdinetPietra, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0); source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Landseer_-_Puppy_-_3_months.jpg.
  5. Palipaws everyday care planningPalipaws Retrieved 2026-10-14.License: Palipaws original factual summaries. Palipaws. Original care-planning text, separate from breed measurements and licensed article summaries.