St. John's water dog

St. John's water dog

Nell, a St. John's water dog, c. 1856
Origin	Newfoundland/ Canada
Breed status	Extinct. Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major kennel club.
Traits Color Black with white tuxedo markings
Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris)

The St. John's water dog, also known as the St. John’s dog or the lesser Newfoundland, was a landrace (a dog bred for a purpose, not pedigree or appearance) of domestic dog from Newfoundland. Little is known of the types that went into its genetic makeup, although it was probably a random-bred mix of old English, Irish and Portuguese working dogs. The number of St. John's water dogs started declining by the start of the 20th century. By the early 1980s, the variety was extinct.

The St. John's water dog was the ancestor of the modern retrievers, including the Flat Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Golden Retriever, and the Labrador Retriever. The St. John’s dog was also an ancestor to the large and gentle Newfoundland dog, probably through breeding with Mastiffs brought to the island by the generations of Portuguese fishermen who had been fishing offshore since the 15th century.

During the 19th and early 20th centuries, St. John's dogs were exported from Newfoundland to England. These dogs were cross bred with other dogs to create the retrievers.

St. John's dogs were medium-sized, strong, and stocky – more closely resembling modern English Labradors than American Labs. They had characteristic white patches on the chest, chin, feet, and muzzle. This colouration occasionally manifests in modern labs as a small white chest patch – known as a "medallion" – or as a few stray white hairs on the feet. The classic tuxedo markings of the St. John's dog commonly manifest in Lab mixes.

Writings as early as the 17th century mention hardy medium-sized black dogs that accompanied Newfoundland fishermen in their boats, and retrieved distant lines or nets of fish, hauling them back to the boat. The dogs were described as having a short thick coat, rudder-like tail, high endurance, and a great love of swimming.