Did you know that back in the day, the church had its own peace officer? This cross between a policeman and a security guard was called a constable. And he had his own pew at the back of the church. The pew was elevated, allowing the connétable to keep an eye on the people present and intervene in case of bad behavior (like snoring during the sermon?) This pew, which dates from 1865-66, is still there today.
Another of the constable’s responsibilities? Dogs. Specifically, he had to make sure that none of these beasts entered the church. And not just for fear of them relieving themselves. Apparently, such a distraction was a harbinger of misfortune in the village… Does this explain why so many common expressions refer to dogs in a negative way, such as “un temps de chien” or “c’est vraiment chien”?