Extinct Breeds: Five breeds that are gone, but not forgotten
Talbot
The talbot was a common hunting hound in England during the Middle Ages. Some believe it was brought over from Normandy by William the Conqueror, although there is no definitive evidence to support this. A small to medium-sized dog with a white coat, short legs, long drooping ears and a long curled tail, the talbot featured in much of the art of the period (as well as on the signs of public houses) and, along with the greyhound, was uniquely used in heraldry.
An ancestor of beagles and bloodhounds, the breed disappeared around the late-18th century. Its legacy lives on in the names of many English inns and pubs: the “Talbot Arms”.
Old English bulldog
Believed to be descended from ancient war dogs such as the old mastiff or the alaunt, the old English bulldog was used for bull baiting and dog fighting in London in the early-19th century. The passage of the Cruelty to Animals Act in 1835 led to a decline in the sport, which eventually led to its extinction. Despite dog fighting becoming illegal, the activity continued for many years and in order to create a superior fighting dog, breeders created a cross between the old English bulldog and old English terrier. This new breed, called the “bull and terrier”, was a precursor to the Staffordshire bull terrier, English bull terrier and American pit bull terrier and speeded the end of the old English bulldog.
Turnspit dog
With a long body and short legs, the turnspit dog was bred to run on a wheel, called a turnspit or dog wheel, that allowed meat to cook evenly over a fire. Mentioned in Of English Dogs in 1576 under the name “Turnespete”, it was also known as the kitchen dog, cooking dog or underdog.
As technology progressed, the job became obsolete and the breed became rare by the 1850s and extinct by 1900.
Cumberland sheepdog
The Cumberland sheepdog was similar to the Welsh sheepdog and old working collie types and is thought to be an ancestor of the Australian shepherd. Black with a white blaze and a heavy, dense coat, the Cumberland was believed to be the favourite breed of the 6th Earl of Lonsdale.
It existed in his family for more than 100 years, but by the start of the 20th century, it had been absorbed by the border collie.
Alpine spaniel
Famed for their thick coats and large size, Alpine spaniels lived in the bitterly cold climate of the Swiss Alps, where they were used in mountain rescues by the Augustinian Canons, who ran hospices in the region around the Great St Bernard Pass. Sadly, disease wiped out this breed in the mid-19th century. However, modern-day St Bernards are their genetic descendants as a result of cross-breeding with Newfoundlands, and proudly bear the name of the place of their ancestors.