Are they just black Saint Bernards or Great Pyrenees?
No, the Newfoundland is a separate breed, but many people compare him with the Saint Bernard and to the all white Great Pyrenees. Newfoundlands actually come in solid black, and in black and white (Landseer). The Newfie’s head is a bit more square with a somewhat steeper “stop” and deeper muzzle than the Pyr, but less of a severe “stop” and pendulous muzzle that the Saint. While the other two breeds are similar in ancestors, the Pyr has more herding instinct and the Saint is more of a dry-land rescue dog than the Newf. The Newf is the one who excells in water rescue and is a bit more mellow in temperament than the other two. In fact, the Newfoundland was bred to the Saint Bernard in the mid nineteenth century with the goal of improving the coat and working ability of the Saint. The long haired Saint is a product of this infusion of Newfie blood, as all Saint Bernards prior to that time had short hair. The experiment was discontinued when the long coats were found to accumulate ice more
