The Egyptian god Anubis had a canine head, and this may be one reason why dogs in the Bible are never mentioned in a good light. Pigs were unclean, both ritually and as food (Lev 11:7), but dogs were the embodiment of gluttony, scavengers sent by God to tear and devour.

Biblical Meaning of a Dog

In the art of the Middle Ages dogs are presented as the symbols of fidelity and protection. Also, the Bible says that all our sins can be healed after we confess them, which is represented by a dog who is licking our wounds in order to cure them

The Dog spirit animal is a powerful symbol of unconditional love, loyalty, and protection. To understand what they symbolize, we must look into dogs in art history. The dog symbolism in art is related to safeguarding, devotion, fidelity, and strong faith.

The biblical bestiary The biblical bestiary is more a zoo than a farm. Dogs in the biblical text are nei- ther domestic animals nor pets. They are stuck halfway between wild animals and those useful to man.