Talbot (dog) facts for kids
Talbot Hound, 1445 depiction
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| Origin | Uncertain, possibly Belgium / France (Normandy) or England |
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| Breed status | Extinct |
| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |
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The Talbot was a type of hunting dog that was common in England during the Middle Ages. Pictures from that time show it as a small to medium-sized dog. It was usually white with short legs, strong feet, a deep chest, and a thin waist. It also had long floppy ears and a very long, curled tail. In one famous picture at Haddon Hall, it looks quite fierce. The Talbot dog is now extinct, meaning it no longer exists. However, many people believe it is an ancestor of today's Beagle and Bloodhound breeds. We are not sure if it hunted by smell (a scenthound), by sight and speed (a sighthound), or if it was a dog used for digging out animals (a Terrier). We also don't know what kind of animals it hunted, like deer, foxes, or wild boars.
Contents
History of the Talbot Dog
In the Middle Ages, "Talbot" was a common name for a single dog. For example, it was used in a story by Geoffrey Chaucer before the year 1400. It was also listed as a good name for a hound in a 1575 book about hunting.
By the 1600s, the Talbot was clearly a specific type of dog. Large, heavy, and slow hounds were called 'talbot-like'. The 'true talbot' was said to be 'milk white'. In a poem from 1735, a writer named William Somervile talked about using 'lime-hounds' (dogs on a leash) to catch thieves in Scotland. He was talking about Bloodhounds, but he said the white Talbot was the best example of this kind of dog.
We are not sure where the name or the dog came from. Around 1449, the king called John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury "Talbott, our good dogge." This might have been a joke about his name or a link to his family's heraldic badge (a special symbol). In a book from 1445, John Talbot is shown with a short-legged, long-eared white dog behind him. This dog helps to show who he is in the picture. This dog looks very much like another picture from the 15th century at Haddon Hall. That picture was made after a man named Henry Vernon married Ann Talbot, who was the daughter of John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury.
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The Talbot and the Greyhound were the only types of hounds used in English heraldry (family symbols). It is possible that the Talbot started as a symbol or a heraldic dog. Mentions of this symbolic Talbot seem to be older than any mentions of a real dog. The Talbot appears in many coats of arms, including later ones for the Earls of Shrewsbury. In these, two Talbots are shown holding up the shield.
It is quite possible that the name "Talbot" then started to be used for any large, heavy, white scent hound. From there, it helped create a specific breed or type of dog. The Talbot was similar to the Bloodhound in size. Bloodhounds were even described as "white" in the 1500s and 1600s.
Since the first mentions of the Talbot dog are much later than those of Bloodhounds, it is unlikely that the Talbot was an ancestor of the Bloodhound.
The Talbot dog seems to have existed as a breed, a little different from the Bloodhound, until the late 1700s. After that, like two other large breeds it might have been related to (the Northern Hound and the Southern Hound), it disappeared. Some early dog shows tried to have classes for Talbots, but no dogs entered, so the classes were removed.
Cultural Connections
Pub Signs
"The Talbot" or "Talbot Arms" is a very common name for pubs or inns in England. The signs usually show a large white hound with floppy ears, sometimes with spots. Pub signs often showed the symbols or badges of the local lord who owned the land. Since the Talbot family owned many areas across England, their dog symbol would have been well-known. These signs helped people who could not read to find the inn. One inn called The Talbot in Iwerne Minster, England, had a sign with a black dog. This was likely the symbol of the Bower family, who owned that area for a long time. The "Talbot Inn" in Mells, Somerset is linked to the symbols of the Horner family. Their symbol showed three white Talbots on a black background. This might have been a play on their name, as hunting dogs are controlled by blowing horns.
Sudbury's Town Symbols
The town of Sudbury, Suffolk, has a white Talbot hound sitting upright as part of its official symbols. The top part of their symbol shows a Talbot's head. This dog is also used as a logo for a local school and many sports clubs in the area. The dog is always shown with its tongue sticking out. This refers to Simon Sudbury (who lived from about 1316 to 1381). He was an important leader in England and was born in the town. His own family symbol also had a Talbot hound. You can see it carved in stone at Canterbury Cathedral.
Other Uses
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The Carter family's symbols also include a Talbot dog. The Earls Waldegrave have two Talbots holding up their shield. The Talbot Hound was also the symbol for Weston Road High School in Stafford, England. It was on their school supplies and uniforms. It was removed when the school changed. The Talbot also appears as a supporter (holding up the shield) in the symbols of the Marquess of Sligo.
In the United States
Hampton High School in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, is the only high school in the United States that uses the Talbot as its mascot.
Images for kids
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Talbot Hound, 1445 depiction
See also
In Spanish: Talbot (perro) para niños
