Dogs worked in kitchens

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

Before there were modern kitchens, there were open-fire facilities where cooks roasted, braised, and boiled their food. But those cooks weren’t always human: In the 16th century, British breeders actually created a breed of dog designed to turn the wheels of spits in kitchens. Known as Canis vertigus (“dizzy dog” in Latin), the “turnspit dog” ran in a hamster-like contraption that kept meat-roasting spits turning … and turning … and turning.

Short and sturdy, turnspit dogs were often given Sundays off so they could accompany their owners to church. But the hardy dogs couldn’t survive the drop-off in demand that accompanied more modern kitchens, and the breed has since gone extinct.

[Injun Ryder, SASS #36201L]

Custer cleaning up at Thanksgiving!

 

[Pat Riot]

1 hour ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said:

Before there were modern kitchens, there were open-fire facilities where cooks roasted, braised, and boiled their food. But those cooks weren’t always human: In the 16th century, British breeders actually created a breed of dog designed to turn the wheels of spits in kitchens. Known as Canis vertigus (“dizzy dog” in Latin), the “turnspit dog” ran in a hamster-like contraption that kept meat-roasting spits turning … and turning … and turning.

Short and sturdy, turnspit dogs were often given Sundays off so they could accompany their owners to church. But the hardy dogs couldn’t survive the drop-off in demand that accompanied more modern kitchens, and the breed has since gone extinct.

That’s really too bad. Interesting info. Thank you Marshal. 
 

I wonder if there would be a use for them today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(I started to make a joke about “spinning” but decided not to do it) 

[Subdeacon Joe]

Thanks!  That led me to 

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/05/13/311127237/turnspit-dogs-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-vernepator-cur

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

 

[Pat Riot]

15 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

Thanks!  That led me to 

 

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/05/13/311127237/turnspit-dogs-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-vernepator-cur

I recall in elementary school I had a teacher that was fascinated by 18th Century life and the common everyday things people did then. I remember her telling us about dogs being taken to church as foot warmers, but also, they were taken to church to show others that no work was going on in the home kitchen on the Sabbath. 
I do not recall her mentioning “kitchen dogs” though, but she may have. I was in 3rd grade at the time. 
Amazing the things one can remember sometimes. 
 

Thanks Joe