MyDogBreedsTurnspit Dog is originated from United Kingdom but Talbot is originated from France. Turnspit Dog may grow 39 cm / 15 inches shorter than Talbot. Turnspit Dog may weigh 36 kg / 79 pounds lesser than Talbot. Turnspit Dog may live 3 years more than Talbot. Turnspit Dog may have less litter size than Talbot. Both Turnspit Dog and Talbot requires Low maintenance.
It is amazing that this small dog’s popularity comes from him being used in the kitchens to roast meat. The British enjoyed eating their meat which they roasted on a fire.
These dogs were essentially regarded as a tool – a means to an end, and when kitchens were modernized, they were no longer needed, and they became extinct.
Referred to as the kitchen dog or cooking dog, the first mention of these little dogs was made in 1576. By 1850 the dogs had become scarce and by 1900 it seemed as though there were none left.
Known as the Talbot Hound, nobody really seems to have accurate records as to the origins of the Talbot dog breed but it seems to have originated in France.
It is believed that the Talbot, with his excellent nose, was a hunting dog, but he is now extinct.
It is thought that the dog descends from the beagle and the bloodhound. It came to England in 1066 and vanished towards the end of the 18th century.
The Turnspit was a small long-bodied dog, standing at between 20 to 30cm in height and probably weighed anything between 9 and 14kg in height.
The legs were somewhat crooked or bandy and Edward Jesse, who wrote ‘Anecdote of Dogs’ in 1846 described them as ugly dogs with a miserable look to them. That was probably due to him having to fit into the hamster-like wheel contraption that turned the meat being roasted in the kitchens.
They were low-bodied dogs, similar to a Dachshund or a Corgi with short, stocky legs, short floppy ears, and a short coat. The long tail curled over its back. It is believed that the coats were white, reddish-brown, gray or black.
The dog was certainly feisty, energetic and hard-working with not much being written about his temperament. He was a working dog, but given the chance, he would no doubt have been loving and loyal, longing for the chance just to be part of a human family and to be loved.
The Talbot hound was a large, white purebred dog. He stood at roughly 58 to 69cm and weighed between 36 and 50kg.
He had a large head and a short, smooth, coarse pure white coat. He has a long tail which he held upright and fairly long floppy ears. He was a slow but efficient scenthound.
It is believed that this strong, hard working dog was gentle, loving and loyal and that he would have made an excellent family pet.
They were the kind of dogs that needed lots of social interaction with his human family. His amicable nature would have meant him getting on well with children and other dogs.
Slow, it’s a dog that had low intelligence and he may have taken a long time to learn any simple tricks or commands. If he were around today he wouldn’t have been suited to city living as he was a vocal breed – having quite a selection of barks and howls to voice his opinion.
The Turnspit dog had a tough life, but would no doubt have made a wonderful little pet had he just been allowed to be a companion dog.
Make sure that when you buy a dog, you don't just put him in your backyard and forget about him. Give him the love and care he deserves.
The Talbot is extinct, but he was no doubt a docile, calm kind of dog that would have made a great family pet.
He would have been an ideal dog for first time dog owners too as he was a gentle, affectionate dog.They were tough, protective, stubborn but loving and loyal, and more’s the pity that this dog has disappeared.
The health and lifespan of a dog is influenced by quite a few things such as food, care, love, exercise and the type of breed it is. Generally smaller dogs live longer than big dogs, and mixed breed dogs live longer than pure breeds.
The Turnspit dog, if he had received the proper care, could have lived to between 10 and 15 years of age.
Stress can bring on a sudden drop in blood sugar. The Turnspit had reason to be stressed, working hard in horrible conditions. Dogs become weak and lethargic and can scarcely maintain an even gait. A sudden drop in blood sugar can cause a small dog to go into a fatal coma.
This ailment seems to occur more often with smaller dogs. The pancreas becomes inflamed and your dog has vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain and dehydration. Pancreatitis can come about because of trauma, metabolic disorders or infection.
Nobody can say what the health status of the Talbot dog was, but being a hunting dog, out in the open and getting plenty of exercise, he was no doubt a healthy dog. But all dogs can fall ill at some time or another with any one of the many dog illnesses there are -
Ear infections in dogs are quite common, but more so with dogs that have floppy ears.
You’ll see your pet scratching and pawing at his ears and shaking his head. There will in all likelihood be redness in your pets ears and you may even detect an abnormal odor.
There are quite a few things that can cause these ear infections in dogs such as ear mites, an excess of dirt and wax and bacteria.
Don’t allow your pet to suffer – get him to the vet. Your veterinarian will also show you how you can clean the ear for future times with a gentle cleanser. You have to be so careful not to rupture the ear drum, and some people prefer to get their vet to do this or professional groomers.
The Talbot could have suffered with ectropion – when the lower lids are turned out. Ectropion disrupts the function of the lower lid so that it can't protect the eye, and there is abrasion of the surface of the eye.
This condition can also bring on conjunctivitis. Get your pet to the vet for treatment and relief.
The lifespan of the Talbot was anything from 9 to 12 years of age, and one or two other health problems that could have shortened his life were dermatitis, cancer, hip dysplasia and eye infections.
A dog is man's best friend, but the Turnspit was essentially just a working dog and most likely didn’t receive the proper care he deserved.
Small dogs like these would have had basic needs. Their owners would have had to pay attention to the dog's health, because he needed to work.
We look at ways in which a small dog like the Turnspit should have been cared for -
One wonders if the Turnspit was allowed to eat any of the roast meat he worked so hard on to get ready. Every dog should have a regular meal.
Most adult dogs should be fed 2 meals of kibble a day. If the Turnspit wasn’t extinct he would have required a high quality ‘small dog breed’ commercial dog food. Home-made food would also be a requirement – some boiled chicken, brown rice and vegetables. Dogs want and appreciate simple, wholesome foods that won’t upset their digestive systems.
Along with good food, dogs need cool, fresh water constantly available to stay healthy.
Make sure he gets to the veterinarian if he is sick, but also for his vaccines to prevent him from getting some of the worst dog diseases there are.
Groom your small dog regularly. The Turnspit had a shortish coat and would have required a brush twice a week. Other grooming procedures for a small dog like the Turnspit would have been keeping his nails trimmed and checking the inside of his ears and his mouth for ear infections and dental disease.
The Talbot with his short hair would have been looked upon as a low maintenance breed and would have required a brush now and again.
Because of the floppy ears, they would have needed to be checked inside for infection.
The Talbot was a strong, hard-working kind of dog so if commercially manufactured dog food was available in that time, you would have ensured a good quality one for strong, energetic dogs.
At that time, Talbot dog owners tossed their dogs bits of raw meat. Home-made food like boiled chicken, brown rice, spinach, carrots and sweet potatoes without any exotic flavorings would have been an excellent diet.