[CONCEPT, 1875/1880] The Cynosphere, First in the 'Powered by Animals Series'

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The Cynosphere, a dog-powered tricycle, emerged in France around 1875-1880 as an experiment in animal-powered transportation, it was designed by a French engineer named Huret.

The design of the Cynosphere was both innovative and bizarre. It featured a tricycle layout with a small front wheel for steering and two large rear wheels, each resembling a circular cage.

Inside these wheels, dogs ran on treadmill-like tracks—described as a “squirrel cage” mechanism—propelling the vehicle forward. The operator sat in a sulky-style seat between the rear wheels, steering with the front wheel and motivating the dogs by dangling food or, in some cases, a cat as a crude throttle.

The name “Cynosphere” likely derives from the Greek word kyon (dog), with “sphere” possibly alluding to the wheel shape or the enclosed treadmills, though this remains speculative.

Mechanically, the Cynosphere faced significant challenges. The uneven torque produced by the dogs—whose efforts were rarely synchronized—made steering imprecise and cumbersome.

Critics, including early animal welfare advocates like The Society for the Protection of Animals, decried it as inefficient and cruel, arguing that the dogs’ confinement and exertion were unjustifiable for such a flawed machine.

The Cynosphere was briefly built and tested, as confirmed by the 1875 photograph, but its real-world application remained limited. Ethical backlash and the rapid rise of steam-powered vehicles hastened its decline, relegating it to obscurity by the late 19th century.

One intriguing rumor surrounds a supposed “ladies’ version” of the Cynosphere, allegedly powered by poodles. According to a single account from Ozebook (Website is Dead), this variant went into production but suffered from inconsistent power output—described as “flat spots in the power curve”—due to the poodles’ uneven performance. However, this claim lacks corroboration from other historical records, such as the Popular Science article, casting doubt on its veracity.

Links: https://improbable.com/2010/02/16/dog-powered-vehicle-1880/?amp=1