The practical sewing machine emerged around 1860. The were powered by the operator for some time, although industrial machines were often put on belt drives connected to steam power until electric motors became more common 50 years later. But the 30 to 50 watts needed for operation could come from a dog and a variety of power power adapters emerged. Here is a French invention noted in 1882...
Dogs were used for a variety of purposes - different sized breeds allow you to select from a few tens of watts to a few hundred (albeit for short periods). Probably the most famous were the spit dogs that were used to turn racks of meat a fireplace. It seems like a nasty way to treat a dog.
They are still used for powering vehicles - dog sleds and carts, although it is mostly recreational these days. Some people seem to have little sense of how much power their dog can deliver..
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