dog² n Cp OED ~ sb 7 'name given to various mechanical devices'; EDD 12 for sense 4.
   1 Improvised sled made for transporting wood.
   [1770] 1792 CARTWRIGHT i, 67 Two men sawed spruce and fir on Nescaupick Ridge; two sawed larch by Watson Brook; one squared timber, and two made dogs to haul home the boards upon.
   2 Iron hook used to haul 'seal pelts' aboard vessel; SEAL DOG.
   1933 GREENE 172 The steam is already on the winches, so on coming close the whip is thrown, the hook of the 'dog' replaces that of the gaff and up onto the deck the stubby white body [white-coat] goes.
   3 A piece of wood with hooks in it for retrieving a shot bird from the water; TODGER.
   1966 HORWOOD 42-3 He had a wooden dog—a cross made out of wood, with rows of large fish hooks fastened to both sides of its beam, and a light heaving line attached to the upright. You spin a wooden dog around your head until it achieves a great velocity, then let it go so that the line flies out before you. You can throw it pretty well the distance a normal gunshot travels, and use it to retrieve birds from open water. C 75-135 ~ a small piece of wood with a lot of hooks on it. If you kill a bird you heave out the dog and hook it in the bird and haul it in.
   4 Piece of wood placed in a rope during sawing with a pit-saw to prevent timber from tipping.
   T 196/9-64¹ You get up there and you put a dog—that was a big piece of wood—you put it in the rope so as he wouldn't tip on that end.

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