The Extraordinary Adventures of the Newfoundland Dog

Go coast-to-coast to uncover the lore behind one of Canada's most famous dog breeds: the Newfoundland!

French version coming soon!

Those Canadian explorers we mentioned:

David Thompson and Alexander Mackenzie did not make their way through the Canadian wilderness alone. They traveled in parties, and were led by Indigenous guides. When Mackenzie crossed North America, his party of voyageurs and guides included the Dene chief Awgeenah. Awgeenah (who is also known as Mistapoose and Nestabeck) guided Europeans to the coast more than once. Before travelling with Mackenzie, Awgeenah led Matonabbee and Samuel Hearne along the Coppermine River to the Arctic Ocean.

Landseer:

English artist Sir Edwin Landseer was particularly fond of painting animals in service to people. He's best known for his paintings of horses, dogs and stags, and for the lion sculptures in Trafalgar Square. His paintings of black and white Newfoundland dogs, especially those depicted as water rescue dogs, were among his most popular—so much so, that the black and white variety of Newfoundlands became known as Landseers. In the Dominion of Newfoundland, only black or black and white Newfoundlands were considered proper members of the breed.

The Defence of Hong Kong:

Our attempt to keep this episode focused on Newfoundland dogs (like Sgt. Gander) meant leaving out much about Hong Kong, a significant battle in WWII which began so soon after Pearl Harbour that it's often overshadowed and overlooked. First, we would like to note a correction: technically, the attack on Hong Kong did not take place an entire day after Pearl Harbor, but 6 hours later (the international date line is the cause for this common confusion). The Royal Rifles of Canada and the Winnipeg Grenadiers sailed from Vancouver to the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong in late October, 1941, and while the invasion in early December didn't come as a complete surprise, there had been a feeling of optimism—life in the colony had continued as usual in the weeks leading up to the attack. The British commander was offered an opportunity to surrender prior to the attack, but sent his response just 15 minutes later. A one-word answer: "no." The British believed there would be no battle, and it was a mistake that would cost the Canadians dearly. The Canadian battalions sent to battle were largely inexperienced, but fought bravely, and there were numerous acts of heroism like that of Gander the dog. Sergeant-Major John Osborn similarly threw himself on a grenade that could not be returned at the enemy, smothering the explosion and saving the lives of nearby soldiers. On Christmas Day, 1941, the colony surrendered to Japan. Approximately 290 Canadian soldiers were killed defending Hong Kong. Those who survived the battle became prisoners of war and endured torture by their Japanese captors. Approximately 264 died in POW camps, bringing the human toll to 554. More on the battle here: https://bit.ly/2BnvqKw

Sgt. Gander was posthumously awarded the Dickin Medal for Gallantry (essentially the Victoria Cross for animals) on Oct. 27, 2000. The ceremony was attended by 20 surviving members of Gander’s regiment. In 2015, the commemorative statues were unveiled in Gander, and members of the Royal Rifles attended once more.

S.S. Ethie:

There may be more fiction than truth to aspects of this tale. The story as we describe it was broadcast around the world at the time, and has been repeated ever since. But, some sources suggest it may have been another breed, and it may not have brought a rope to (or from) the ship. The strange thing is, a few years earlier, a Newfoundland dog performed this exact feat with ANOTHER shipwreck in Kent, England. In any case, we think the anecdote sets up a running theme amongst many Newfoundlands in history: heroism. You can read about dozens of other heroes in Robert Parsons' book 'The Newfoundland Dog: True Stories of Courage, Loyalty, and Friendship.' Lewis & Clark: Lewis & Clark crossed the continent years after Alexander Mackenzie, and they ALSO had a Newfoundland dog with them, named Seaman. He was a crucial part of their voyage, retrieving meals and standing guard. The pair were inspired to purchase their dog by Mackenzie.

Place names:

For storytelling purposes, we occasionally refer to locations from a contemporary perspective. We will always side with simplicity, flow, and clarity in order to make the episodes as engaging as possible.

Bonus:

Stay tuned to the end for a bonus story about Labrador Retrievers!

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT:

Midnight. December 1919. A blizzard is raging off the shores of Newfoundland — and it has the SS Ethie in its grips. All through the night and into the morning, the ship is battered by howling winds and mountainous waves. Snow lashes the crew as they fight to keep the Ethie afloat.

This is where they lost that battle. The ship ran aground here in what's now Gros Morne National Park. You can still find the wreckage on the beach a century later.

But no one died in the wreck of the SS Ethie. And according to legend, that was thanks to one very special dog. A Newfoundland dog.

We don't know how much of the tale is true, but according to the stories they've been telling for 100 years, a big Newfoundland swam bravely out to the sinking ship and brought a rope back to shore.

The crew was able to send all the passengers to safety along that lifeline, starting with a baby they placed carefully into a mailbag. 92 lives saved by the canine's heroics. The dog was given a touching gift: a brand new silver collar, emblazoned with one big bold word:

 Hero.

This is the story of the heroic breed of dog that helped build our country.

This is Canadiana.

By the time the Ethie was wrecked, this breed had already been living on the island of Newfoundland for centuries. They’ve been here so long no one's entirely sure where they came from — how they were first bred or evolved.

Some say their ancestors were the wild wolves of Newfoundland, or might even have included the domesticated hunting dogs of local First Nations.

Others like to say they’re descended from the big black bear dogs the Vikings brought with them across the Atlantic a thousand years ago, when the Norse built a settlement here at L'Anse Aux Meadows on the tip of Newfoundland.

But most seem to think they were probably bred by the first European fishermen and whalers who came to Canada — sailors from places like the Basque Country who spent their summers fishing the waters off the coast of Newfoundland in the very early 1500s, establishing seasonal ports like the one here at Red Bay in Labrador.

These dogs were perfect for life on the frontier. They're big and strong and brave. Smart and loyal. They have webbed feet and a thick, waterproof coat, so they’re fantastic swimmers. Like their cousins the St. Bernards, they’re famous for rescuing people.

And when European explorers and settlers first ventured beyond the East Coast, heading deep into the continent, the dogs were there at their side.

A Newfoundland named Jack Sharp was here on the Niagara frontier with Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe as he set sail across Lake Ontario to found the city of Toronto.

Another hauled sleds through the wintry wilds of Manitoba with the famous fur trader David Thompson, dodging polar bears on the shores of Hudson Bay. 

And a third crossed the Rockies with Alexander Mackenzie, warning the party when wolves drew near, as the Scottish explorer became the first European ever to cross North America.

Newfoundlands had travelled from their East Coast home all the way to the far side of the continent. And in the decades to come, the hardy dogs became a familiar sight for Canadian settlers, a breed that helped build this country, embedded in the national imagination.

And just a couple of decades after the shipwreck of the Ethie, another Newfoundland dog would make an even more dramatic rescue.

His name was Gander. He was the mascot of the Royal Rifles of Canada — named after the Newfoundland town where the unit was stationed. And when the soldiers headed off to war, they brought their canine companion with them. He even got a promotion: he was now SERGEANT Gander.

The Royal Rifles had been sent to Hong Kong. And the day after Pearl Harbour, the Japanese invaded the British colony. It was the first time Canadian forces had fought a land battle in the entire war — and they were outnumbered 4 to 1. But… they had Sergeant Gander on their side.

He helped fight off three assaults, one after the other, as the instincts bred into him through his ancestors kicked in. And when a grenade was tossed at a group of Canadian soldiers, he leapt to their defence.

Sergeant Gander raced out, picked up the grenade, and carried it away from his comrades,

[blast]

His final act of bravery. He gave his life to save seven men.

Sergeant Gander was awarded his own medal for gallantry. And here, at the Hong Kong Veterans Memorial Wall in Ottawa, you'll find his name included among all the other Canadians who died in that bloody battle.

Today, Sergeant Gander still keeps watch over his hometown. This statue was erected in the heart of Gander just a few years ago. And the day it was unveiled, they used the same word to describe him they've used for so many Newfoundlands over the years.

They called this dog a hero.