PetzloverSt. John's Water Dog is originated from Canada but Turnspit Dog is originated from United Kingdom. St. John's Water Dog may grow 23 cm / 10 inches higher than Turnspit Dog. St. John's Water Dog may weigh 27 kg / 60 pounds more than Turnspit Dog. St. John's Water Dog may live 3 years less than Turnspit Dog. Both St. John's Water Dog and Turnspit Dog has almost same litter size. Both St. John's Water Dog and Turnspit Dog requires Low Maintenance.
The breed known as the St. John’s water dog is an extinct landrace breed. They were domestic dogs found in Newfoundland and at times were called the lesser Newfoundland. There is not much information available about the other breeds that went into its development. Hypothetically it is believed they are a mix of the Irish, Old English and Portuguese dogs bred to work.
It is also thought that other breeds in their family tree, descending from them, include the Golden Retriever, the Flat-Coated Retriever, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the Labrador and the Curly-Coated Retriever. The Newfoundland is also related to the St. Johns Water Dog through the line of Rafeirio do Alenteios that Portuguese fisherman brought to the island.
The breed was exported to England in the 19th century and early 20th. There the breeds of retrievers were developed. In Canada during this time frame restrictions were placed on dog ownership in order to encourage people to raise sheep. At the same time England imposed a long quarantine on all animals coming into the country in order to get rid of rabies. These two factors contributed greatly to the extinction of the breed. It seems the last two dogs were seen in a remote area in the 1980’s. All attempts to save the breed failed.
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.
St. John’s Water Dog is strong, medium sized and stocky. They looked more like English Labs than American Labs. They had a thick, short coat, loved swimming, had a lot of endurance and rudder tail. It was also described as a thin, black dog with short hair. They had white patches on their chest and feet. His nose was thin and tapered, his legs powerful, his chest muscular. The breed is quick, swims, runs quickly and is a fighter as well.
Never accepted by any major kennel club except as a foundation breed. They became extinct.
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.
3.Adaptability large need fence, they are not large dogs but they need outdoor space
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.
There is no documented history of any genetic or hereditary illnesses in the breed. However, it seems rational to believe they suffered from ailments similar to Labradors and newfoundland though they are smaller dogs.
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.
1Feeding the puppy – Don’t overfeed – they have a propensity toward obesity. Feed high quality, high protein 3 x a day.
2.Feeding the adult – Don’t overfeed. Feed a high quality, high protein 1-2 x a day.
4. Games and Exercises – They need space to run and they love to explore. They would also love to be near water where they could swim. Good at dock diving, field trials, flyball and frisbee.
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.