Turnspit dog facts for kids
This picture from 1853 shows what a Turnspit dog looked like.
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| Origin | United Kingdom |
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| Breed status | Extinct |
| Domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) | |
The Turnspit dog was a special kind of dog. It had short legs and a long body. These dogs were trained to run on a wheel. This wheel was called a turnspit or dog wheel. Their job was to turn meat so it would cook evenly over a fire.
Sadly, this type of dog is now extinct. People first wrote about them in 1576, calling them "Turnespete." They were also known as the Kitchen Dog, the Cooking Dog, or the Underdog. In the 1700s, a scientist named Carl Linnaeus gave them the Latin name Canis vertigus. This means "dizzy dog."
The breed eventually disappeared. People thought these dogs were very common. So, they did not keep good records about them. Some people think the Turnspit dog was like a Glen of Imaal Terrier. Others believe it was related to the Welsh Corgi.
How They Helped in the Kitchen
Turnspit dogs were bred to run on a wheel. This made sure the meat cooked perfectly. It was hard work for the dogs. So, families often had two dogs. They would take turns running in the wheel.
A writer named John George Wood wrote about these dogs in 1853. He said that machines eventually replaced the dogs. Just like machines changed how people spun thread, they also changed how meat was roasted.
Before machines, cooking meat was a big job. Someone had to watch it all the time. They needed to make sure it cooked evenly. Later, people invented "smoke-jacks." These machines used hot air from the chimney to turn the spit. This was a big improvement.
But smoke-jacks did not work in all kitchens. So, Turnspit dogs were still needed. A large round box or wheel was attached to one end of the cooking spit. It looked a bit like a hamster wheel. The dog would run inside this wheel. This made the spit turn.
Because the work was so tiring, families usually had at least two dogs. The dogs would switch places regularly. These smart dogs knew when it was time for their break. If their partner did not come to relieve them, they would jump out. Then, they would make their friend take over the job!
Turnspit dogs also had another job. People sometimes took them to church. They would sit on people's feet to keep them warm. There is a funny story from a church in Bath. A bishop was giving a sermon. He said, "It was then that Ezekiel saw the wheel..." When he said "wheel," several Turnspit dogs ran out the door!
Even Queen Victoria liked these dogs. She kept retired Turnspit dogs as pets.
What They Looked Like
People described Turnspit dogs in different ways. They were often called "long-bodied, crooked-legged and ugly dogs." They sometimes had a "suspicious, unhappy look." A veterinarian from the 1800s, Delabere Blaine, thought they were a type of spaniel. Many pictures show them with a white stripe down their face.
In 1809, William Bingley wrote about their appearance. He said Turnspits were known for their long bodies. They also had short, often bent legs. Their fur was usually a dark gray with black spots. Sometimes, they were completely black with white fur underneath.
Another writer, H.D. Richardson, described them in 1847. He said they were a mix of breeds. He thought they were closest to terriers. He noted their small size and long backs. Their front legs were bent, first inward, then outward. They often had spotted fur.
Their crooked legs might have come from very old ancestors. A book from 1910, Dogs And All About Them, mentions dogs in ancient Egypt. Among them was a small terrier or Turnspit type. It had short, crooked legs. These dogs were special pets in Egyptian homes. They wore collars and were even embalmed when they died.
Scientists have found that the gene for short, bent legs in many dog breeds comes from one ancient change.
See also
In Spanish: Turnspit (perro) para niños
