diff --git a/docs/about/deprecated.rst b/docs/about/deprecated.rst
index a72fedba5f..93affe3669 100644
--- a/docs/about/deprecated.rst
+++ b/docs/about/deprecated.rst
@@ -81,11 +81,6 @@ the process listing. This is replaced by the new ``password-secret``
 option which lets the password be securely provided on the command
 line using a ``secret`` object instance.
 
-``-watchdog`` (since 6.2)
-'''''''''''''''''''''''''
-
-Use ``-device`` instead.
-
 ``-smp`` ("parameter=0" SMP configurations) (since 6.2)
 '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
 
diff --git a/docs/about/removed-features.rst b/docs/about/removed-features.rst
index a4aa3dca69..63df9848fd 100644
--- a/docs/about/removed-features.rst
+++ b/docs/about/removed-features.rst
@@ -403,6 +403,11 @@ Sound card devices should be created using ``-device`` or ``-audio``.
 The exception is ``pcspk`` which can be activated using ``-machine
 pcspk-audiodev=<name>``.
 
+``-watchdog`` (since 7.2)
+'''''''''''''''''''''''''
+
+Use ``-device`` instead.
+
 
 QEMU Machine Protocol (QMP) commands
 ------------------------------------
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/sbsa_gwdt.c b/hw/watchdog/sbsa_gwdt.c
index e49cacd0e2..7aa57a8c51 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/sbsa_gwdt.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/sbsa_gwdt.c
@@ -24,11 +24,6 @@
 #include "qemu/log.h"
 #include "qemu/module.h"
 
-static WatchdogTimerModel model = {
-    .wdt_name = TYPE_WDT_SBSA,
-    .wdt_description = "SBSA-compliant generic watchdog device",
-};
-
 static const VMStateDescription vmstate_sbsa_gwdt = {
     .name = "sbsa-gwdt",
     .version_id = 1,
@@ -287,7 +282,6 @@ static const TypeInfo wdt_sbsa_gwdt_info = {
 
 static void wdt_sbsa_gwdt_register_types(void)
 {
-    watchdog_add_model(&model);
     type_register_static(&wdt_sbsa_gwdt_info);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c b/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c
index 1437e6c5b6..b132546516 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/watchdog.c
@@ -31,51 +31,6 @@
 #include "hw/nmi.h"
 #include "qemu/help_option.h"
 
-static WatchdogAction watchdog_action = WATCHDOG_ACTION_RESET;
-static QLIST_HEAD(, WatchdogTimerModel) watchdog_list;
-
-void watchdog_add_model(WatchdogTimerModel *model)
-{
-    QLIST_INSERT_HEAD(&watchdog_list, model, entry);
-}
-
-/* Returns:
- *   0 = continue
- *   1 = exit program with error
- *   2 = exit program without error
- */
-int select_watchdog(const char *p)
-{
-    WatchdogTimerModel *model;
-    QemuOpts *opts;
-
-    /* -watchdog ? lists available devices and exits cleanly. */
-    if (is_help_option(p)) {
-        QLIST_FOREACH(model, &watchdog_list, entry) {
-            fprintf(stderr, "\t%s\t%s\n",
-                     model->wdt_name, model->wdt_description);
-        }
-        return 2;
-    }
-
-    QLIST_FOREACH(model, &watchdog_list, entry) {
-        if (strcasecmp(model->wdt_name, p) == 0) {
-            /* add the device */
-            opts = qemu_opts_create(qemu_find_opts("device"), NULL, 0,
-                                    &error_abort);
-            qemu_opt_set(opts, "driver", p, &error_abort);
-            return 0;
-        }
-    }
-
-    fprintf(stderr, "Unknown -watchdog device. Supported devices are:\n");
-    QLIST_FOREACH(model, &watchdog_list, entry) {
-        fprintf(stderr, "\t%s\t%s\n",
-                 model->wdt_name, model->wdt_description);
-    }
-    return 1;
-}
-
 WatchdogAction get_watchdog_action(void)
 {
     return watchdog_action;
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/wdt_aspeed.c b/hw/watchdog/wdt_aspeed.c
index 31855afdf4..d753693a2e 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/wdt_aspeed.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/wdt_aspeed.c
@@ -202,11 +202,6 @@ static void aspeed_wdt_write(void *opaque, hwaddr offset, uint64_t data,
     return;
 }
 
-static WatchdogTimerModel model = {
-    .wdt_name = TYPE_ASPEED_WDT,
-    .wdt_description = "Aspeed watchdog device",
-};
-
 static const VMStateDescription vmstate_aspeed_wdt = {
     .name = "vmstate_aspeed_wdt",
     .version_id = 0,
@@ -416,7 +411,6 @@ static const TypeInfo aspeed_1030_wdt_info = {
 
 static void wdt_aspeed_register_types(void)
 {
-    watchdog_add_model(&model);
     type_register_static(&aspeed_wdt_info);
     type_register_static(&aspeed_2400_wdt_info);
     type_register_static(&aspeed_2500_wdt_info);
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/wdt_diag288.c b/hw/watchdog/wdt_diag288.c
index 9e8882a11c..76d89fbf78 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/wdt_diag288.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/wdt_diag288.c
@@ -19,11 +19,6 @@
 #include "migration/vmstate.h"
 #include "qemu/log.h"
 
-static WatchdogTimerModel model = {
-    .wdt_name = TYPE_WDT_DIAG288,
-    .wdt_description = "diag288 device for s390x platform",
-};
-
 static const VMStateDescription vmstate_diag288 = {
     .name = "vmstate_diag288",
     .version_id = 0,
@@ -138,7 +133,6 @@ static const TypeInfo wdt_diag288_info = {
 
 static void wdt_diag288_register_types(void)
 {
-    watchdog_add_model(&model);
     type_register_static(&wdt_diag288_info);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/wdt_i6300esb.c b/hw/watchdog/wdt_i6300esb.c
index f99a1c9d29..5693ec6a09 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/wdt_i6300esb.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/wdt_i6300esb.c
@@ -457,11 +457,6 @@ static void i6300esb_exit(PCIDevice *dev)
     timer_free(d->timer);
 }
 
-static WatchdogTimerModel model = {
-    .wdt_name = "i6300esb",
-    .wdt_description = "Intel 6300ESB",
-};
-
 static void i6300esb_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
@@ -493,7 +488,6 @@ static const TypeInfo i6300esb_info = {
 
 static void i6300esb_register_types(void)
 {
-    watchdog_add_model(&model);
     type_register_static(&i6300esb_info);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/wdt_ib700.c b/hw/watchdog/wdt_ib700.c
index 91d1bdc0da..b116c3a3aa 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/wdt_ib700.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/wdt_ib700.c
@@ -128,11 +128,6 @@ static void wdt_ib700_reset(DeviceState *dev)
     timer_del(s->timer);
 }
 
-static WatchdogTimerModel model = {
-    .wdt_name = "ib700",
-    .wdt_description = "iBASE 700",
-};
-
 static void wdt_ib700_class_init(ObjectClass *klass, void *data)
 {
     DeviceClass *dc = DEVICE_CLASS(klass);
@@ -153,7 +148,6 @@ static const TypeInfo wdt_ib700_info = {
 
 static void wdt_ib700_register_types(void)
 {
-    watchdog_add_model(&model);
     type_register_static(&wdt_ib700_info);
 }
 
diff --git a/hw/watchdog/wdt_imx2.c b/hw/watchdog/wdt_imx2.c
index c3128370b5..e776a2fbd4 100644
--- a/hw/watchdog/wdt_imx2.c
+++ b/hw/watchdog/wdt_imx2.c
@@ -291,14 +291,8 @@ static const TypeInfo imx2_wdt_info = {
     .class_init    = imx2_wdt_class_init,
 };
 
-static WatchdogTimerModel model = {
-    .wdt_name = "imx2-watchdog",
-    .wdt_description = "i.MX2 Watchdog",
-};
-
 static void imx2_wdt_register_type(void)
 {
-    watchdog_add_model(&model);
     type_register_static(&imx2_wdt_info);
 }
 type_init(imx2_wdt_register_type)
diff --git a/include/sysemu/watchdog.h b/include/sysemu/watchdog.h
index d2d4901dbb..745c89b02b 100644
--- a/include/sysemu/watchdog.h
+++ b/include/sysemu/watchdog.h
@@ -25,20 +25,8 @@
 #include "qemu/queue.h"
 #include "qapi/qapi-types-run-state.h"
 
-struct WatchdogTimerModel {
-    QLIST_ENTRY(WatchdogTimerModel) entry;
-
-    /* Short name of the device - used to select it on the command line. */
-    const char *wdt_name;
-    /* Longer description (eg. manufacturer and full model number). */
-    const char *wdt_description;
-};
-typedef struct WatchdogTimerModel WatchdogTimerModel;
-
 /* in hw/watchdog.c */
-int select_watchdog(const char *p);
 WatchdogAction get_watchdog_action(void);
-void watchdog_add_model(WatchdogTimerModel *model);
 void watchdog_perform_action(void);
 
 #endif /* QEMU_WATCHDOG_H */
diff --git a/qemu-options.hx b/qemu-options.hx
index d8b5ce5b43..df4b8c8f1a 100644
--- a/qemu-options.hx
+++ b/qemu-options.hx
@@ -4330,7 +4330,7 @@ SRST
 
     ``-action panic=none``
     ``-action reboot=shutdown,shutdown=pause``
-    ``-watchdog i6300esb -action watchdog=pause``
+    ``-device i6300esb -action watchdog=pause``
 
 ERST
 
@@ -4448,35 +4448,6 @@ SRST
     specifies the snapshot name used to load the initial VM state.
 ERST
 
-DEF("watchdog", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_watchdog, \
-    "-watchdog model\n" \
-    "                enable virtual hardware watchdog [default=none]\n",
-    QEMU_ARCH_ALL)
-SRST
-``-watchdog model``
-    Create a virtual hardware watchdog device. Once enabled (by a guest
-    action), the watchdog must be periodically polled by an agent inside
-    the guest or else the guest will be restarted. Choose a model for
-    which your guest has drivers.
-
-    The model is the model of hardware watchdog to emulate. Use
-    ``-watchdog help`` to list available hardware models. Only one
-    watchdog can be enabled for a guest.
-
-    The following models may be available:
-
-    ``ib700``
-        iBASE 700 is a very simple ISA watchdog with a single timer.
-
-    ``i6300esb``
-        Intel 6300ESB I/O controller hub is a much more featureful
-        PCI-based dual-timer watchdog.
-
-    ``diag288``
-        A virtual watchdog for s390x backed by the diagnose 288
-        hypercall (currently KVM only).
-ERST
-
 DEF("watchdog-action", HAS_ARG, QEMU_OPTION_watchdog_action, \
     "-watchdog-action reset|shutdown|poweroff|inject-nmi|pause|debug|none\n" \
     "                action when watchdog fires [default=reset]\n",
@@ -4498,7 +4469,7 @@ SRST
 
     Examples:
 
-    ``-watchdog i6300esb -watchdog-action pause``; \ ``-watchdog ib700``
+    ``-device i6300esb -watchdog-action pause``
 
 ERST
 
diff --git a/softmmu/vl.c b/softmmu/vl.c
index e62b9cc35d..b8788e765a 100644
--- a/softmmu/vl.c
+++ b/softmmu/vl.c
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@
 #include "hw/isa/isa.h"
 #include "hw/scsi/scsi.h"
 #include "hw/display/vga.h"
-#include "sysemu/watchdog.h"
 #include "hw/firmware/smbios.h"
 #include "hw/acpi/acpi.h"
 #include "hw/xen/xen.h"
@@ -181,7 +180,6 @@ static Chardev **serial_hds;
 static const char *log_mask;
 static const char *log_file;
 static bool list_data_dirs;
-static const char *watchdog;
 static const char *qtest_chrdev;
 static const char *qtest_log;
 
@@ -2329,12 +2327,6 @@ static void qemu_process_sugar_options(void)
         }
         object_register_sugar_prop("memory-backend", "prealloc", "on", false);
     }
-
-    if (watchdog) {
-        int i = select_watchdog(watchdog);
-        if (i > 0)
-            exit (i == 1 ? 1 : 0);
-    }
 }
 
 /* -action processing */
@@ -3107,14 +3099,6 @@ void qemu_init(int argc, char **argv, char **envp)
                     default_monitor = 0;
                 }
                 break;
-            case QEMU_OPTION_watchdog:
-                if (watchdog) {
-                    error_report("only one watchdog option may be given");
-                    exit(1);
-                }
-                warn_report("-watchdog is deprecated; use -device instead.");
-                watchdog = optarg;
-                break;
             case QEMU_OPTION_action:
                 olist = qemu_find_opts("action");
                 if (!qemu_opts_parse_noisily(olist, optarg, false)) {
