Hopefully this won’t seem too morbid but it is rather interesting to read about how dogs died and at what age around the turn of the century. One source for such information are the doggy papers of the era as they regularly reported deaths, usually after receiving a letter from the owner, although cause of death and age were not always given. Here is a group of death notices from 1886.
Fox terrier death in Forest and Stream, January 21, 1886.Beagle death in Forest and Stream, February 11, 1886.Pointer and beagle deaths in Forest and Stream, February 18, 1886.Black and tan setter death in Forest and Stream, March 25, 1886English setter death in Forest and Stream, March 25, 1886English setter, Irish setter and St. Bernard deaths in Forest and Stream, April 29, 1886Black and tan terrier, fox terrier and Irish setter deaths in Forest and Stream, May 20, 1886Gordon setter death in Forest and Stream, May 27, 1886Pointer death in Forest and Stream, June 10, 1886Collie and pointer deaths in Forest and Stream, June 17, 1886Two Black and tan setters and a bulldog death in Forest and Stream, June 24, 1886Cocker spaniel and English setter deaths in Forest and Stream, July 15, 1886Two English setters and a pointer death in Forest and Stream, July 22, 1886.More on the pointer death from the previous image, same source.St. Bernard, Cocker spaniel and English setter deaths in Forest and Stream, July 29, 1886.More on the English setter death from the previous image, same source. The parenthetical Homo referenced in the text indicates a nom de plume.Pointer death in Forest and Stream, August 5, 1886Irish setter death in Forest and Stream, August 12, 1886Mastiff death in Forest and Stream, September 2, 1886Fox terrier death. Citation: “English”. (1886, September 9). Newport fox-terrier show. Forest and Stream, pp. 130-131Cocker spaniel death in Forest and Stream, September 16, 1886Two cocker spaniels and a pug death in Forest and Stream, September 30, 1886Beagle death in Forest and Stream, October 7, 1886Black and tan setter and St. Bernard deaths in Forest and Stream, October 21, 1886Pointer death in Forest and Stream, November 18, 1886Beagle death in Forest and Stream, December 16, 1886
Please let me know if you would (or would not) be interested in additional posts chronicling reported dog deaths. Sometimes I get in the weeds and forget that not every vintage dog detail that interests me fascinates everyone.
I also wonder about the lives of dogs before modern vet care including vaccines. We have distemper outbreaks here in Texas that shut down animal shelters and I’ve had a foster dog that lived through distemper.
You’ve given us such imaginative & creative research for a long time — you really must write a book
Thank you. I am working on one right now! Live look: https://youtube.com/shorts/-HvbpsjB9z4?feature=share
I also wonder about the lives of dogs before modern vet care including vaccines. We have distemper outbreaks here in Texas that shut down animal shelters and I’ve had a foster dog that lived through distemper.