DOG
The Palestinian dog is analogous to the Indian stray dog.
At the beginning of the history of the people of Israel, they are seen roaming the streets and on the outskirts of the cities (Ps. 59:6, 14), feeding on what was thrown to them (Ex. 22:31), licking the blood poured out (1 Kings 22:38; Ps. 68:23) and devouring the corpses (1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 2 Kings 9:35, 36).
Sometimes dogs gather together to attack men (Ps. 22:17, 21).
He trained, from ancient times, to help the shepherd protect the flocks against wild beasts and thieves (Jb. 30: 1). Sometimes, once tamed, it followed its owner from place to place (Tob. 5:11; 11:4), staying with him in the house, eating the crumbs that fell from the table (Mark 7:28).
Jesus speaks of the dogs licking the sores of the poor, at the door of the rich (Lk. 16:21).
The ancients used dogs for hunting. They were considered unclean because of their eating habits and customs. Calling someone a dog was a grave insult (1 Sam. 17:43; 2 Kings 8:13).
The term dog is used as a metaphor to designate those who are incapable of appreciating the great and the holy (Mt. 7:6), the cynics, and the propagators of false doctrines (Phil. 3:2). Like a dog that returns to its vomit, they return to the sins that they had made a profession of abandoning forever (2 Pet. 2:22; cf. Prov. 26:11).
“The price of a dog” (Deut. 23:18) is believed to be an allusion to sodomy.
The Jews of later times called pagans “dogs” because, according to the Law, they were impure.
Jesus himself uses this term to express, in a contrasting way, his doctrine of grace (Mt. 15:26; Mark 7:27). Finally, in Revelation those excluded from heaven are called dogs (Rev. 22:15).