Dog Cart History

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Dog Cart History

The History of Dog Carts

Part 2: Dog Carts and Working Dogs

Part 3: Dog Carts and the Middle Ages

Vixen's Mistress, Vixen, and Vintage Child's Dog Sulky

Introduction

This page is the result of my search for documentation of dogs pulling wheeled vehicles in the Middle Ages and Renaissance, specifically 410 CE to 1601 CE. I belong to a Middle Ages re-creation group called the Society for Creative Anachronisms (SCA) and I wish to document dog carts prior to 1601 CE. I gathered some documentation prior to 1601. There is a dog cart illumination in the c. 1340 manuscript commonly called the Smithfield Decretals (BL MS Royal 10 E iv, folio 110v) . In the process, I learned about the history of dog carts post 1601. If you know of any source documentation for the Middle Ages, please feel free to contact me.

There is a lack of dog cart history on the internet, especially pre 1880. This page is to help fill the void. My other areas of interest are dog carts in North America and any dog cart prior to 1870. This site will not cover European milk carts after 1890. This site only lists the highlights of my research. I do have more information.

Some definitions:

Cart: Vehicle with two wheels and one axle connecting the wheels

Wagon: Vehicle with four wheels and two axles

Dog Cart: In this article a “dog cart” is used as a generic term for any wheeled vehicle pulled by a dog or dogs. There is also a type of horse cart called a “Dog Cart” that was designed to transport hunting dogs in ventilated compartments under the seats.

Part 1: Dog Carts for Children

Dog carts come in two categories; toy and work vehicles. Miniature equine carts, wagons, and carriages were given to children. Dogs or pet goats were hitched to them. A cart, which fits a goat, will also fit a medium to large dog. For a child, owning a dog cart was the equivalent of owning a pedal car or bicycle.

In 1608 the seven year old future King Louis XIII of France was given a miniature carriage to which he hitched his two dogs, Patuat and Lion. (Reigning Cats and Dogs, page 10, by Katharine Macdonagh, 1999, ISBN: 0-312-22837-6)

C. 1653, Jan Baptist Weenix painted a dog and miniature carriage in a portrait of a mother and her three daughters. The youngest daughter is seated in the carriage. The carriage has four wheels and is red with gold gilt trim. Pride and Joy, page 225, ed. by Jan Bapist Bedaux and Rudi Ekkart, 2000, ISBN: 0-8109-6730-8

In 1675, Jan H. Steen painted a boy and his dog hitched to a toy wagon.

In 1730, the third Duke of Devonshire commisioned a goat/dog carriage for his children. (Chatsworth House Collection)

The Bartholomew Fair in London circa 1730 offered miniature cart rides for children which used dogs as the draft animal. (London by John Russell, page157, 1994, ISBN: 0-8109-3570-8)

In 1888, 11 year old Frank Laurence saves his father's life by driving his two dogs and dog wagon over 2 miles to fetch the doctor. The round trip took 20 minutes. His dogs, Caesar and Prince, were black collie mixes which stood 26 inches at the shoulder. (Harper's Young People, 'Caesar, and A Few Words On Dog Training', by W. Sergeant Kendall, pages 480 - 481. May 8. 1888. Published by Harper and Brothers, New York.)