Talk:Dog watch

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When I was in the USN I was told that the reason for "dog" watch was to break the sequence so that the same men didn't end up on the bad (or good) watches regularly. They referred to it as "dogging" the watch. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 66.234.201.7 (talk • contribs) 01:15, September 23, 2005 (UTC)

• Must say, none of these etymologies ring true to me. PeteVerdon 23:29, 27 March 2006 (UTC)

• Here in Australia, the "dog watch" is the night shift, starting anywhere from 2100 to 2300 hours and ending near dawn. Being a Canadian interested in linguistics, I've asked several Australians if they know why it is called the "dog watch" but their answers are typically light-hearted and frequently nonsensical.

I would be interested to hear other theories as to this phrase's origins.Spinthia 13:26, 18 June 2007 (UTC)

• Yes "dog watch" is the night shift, however, I've been told that in many factories and mines in Australia, "dog watch" was/is a short non-productive shift at night-time, usually for maintenance and cleaning purposes, or if equipment like machinery and ovens could not be turned off between (productive) shifts the workers on dog watch would keep an eye on the equipment to keep it running safely. That doesn't explain the etymology, just one use of the term. AndrewAllen (talk) 21:25, 29 November 2017 (UTC)

• Dog watch is "cur tailed" is a pun from Dr Maturin when asked the etymology of "dog watch" in one of the Jack Aubrey series. I dont recall which book it was, but it is definitely from Patrick O'Brien. 122.106.29.14 (talk) 12:18, 30 January 2008 (UTC)

• The "cur-tailed" joke does not originate with O'Brien, it appears in Cradock "Whispers from the Fleet" (1908) (http://www.archive.org/details/whispersfromflee00cradiala) (British RN) and even in Thomas Nickerson's account of the loss of the Essex, written in about 1876 but not discovered until 1960 and not published until 1984 (American whaling fleet). There may be other instances as well, I will try to find them if I can. May I modify the article to indicate that this expression appears in several sources? ReedHedges (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 11:34, 29 November 2010 (UTC).

• The dog watch is still used but only in situations where there are three watch sections. Port and starboard and four section and above with the exception of sections divisible by three didn't need it. Mike H. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 67.185.149.61 (talk) 20:20, 14 May 2008 (UTC)

• The story about Sirius is nonsensical, since the time of rising of Sirius varies from time to time during the year. It can't be true. I will delete it. Agemegos (talk) 10:04, 27 May 2010 (UTC)

• According to Thompson's *Economic and Social History of the Middle Ages* the "Dog Watch" originated in St. Malo in 1170. Each night, when the burgers went to bed, huge Irish Mastiffs were setloose in the town till dawn. The dogs are in the City's coat of arms. The practice was discontinued in St. M. in 1770 Now, how on earth did this practice get transferred to the navy and refer to the four hour period prior to the first watch?DuescrutinyDuescrutiny (talk) 23:53, 21 June 2010 (UTC)

• THE SAILOR'S WORD BOOK (http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26000) , one Admiral William H. Smyth, published 1867, q.v. DOG-WATCH. "The half-watches of two hours each, from 4 to 6, and from 6 to 8, in the evening. By this arrangement an uneven number of watches is made—seven instead of six in the twenty-four hours; otherwise there would be a succession of the same watches at the same hours throughout the voyage or cruise. Theodore Hook explained them as cur-tailed." The writer and humourist Hook died 1841, earlier than the other gentlemen mentioned, but it looks like this is a somewhat widespread witticism. Yunuswesley (talk) 00:15, 2 August 2014 (UTC)