Dog Mythology and Folklore
In 1914, workers in a suburb of Bonn, Germany discovered an ancient grave that held the skeletons of a man, a woman, and a dog, as well as some decorated objects made with antlers, bones, and teeth. It turned out that the grave was from the Paleolithic era, which was roughly 14,000 years ago.
Decades later, an archaeologist and veterinarian named Luc Janssens was studying the remains from the grave while getting his PhD. As both an archeologist and a veterinarian, Janssens noticed something about the skeleton of the dog, notably his teeth, which no one noticed. He could tell that the jaw of the dog was actually the jaw of a puppy and that the puppy had suffered from canine distemper.
Janssens could tell that the puppy had most likely contracted canine distemper at 19 weeks of age but that he lived to a surprising 28 weeks, which would have almost been impossible for a young dog in the wild. However, the shared grave and important objects demonstrated that the puppy had been cared for by the Neolithic couple. The only way he would have survived such a life threatening illness for so long was with diligent, ongoing care.
Archeologists believe this grave is one of the first known examples of human beings having an intense emotional bond with dogs. Since then, humans have lived side by side with dogs throughout the ages. Hence, the dog is an important figure in the mythology and folklore of many cultures. Here are some of those stories:
Artwork and artifacts discovered in ancient Mesopotamian temples reveal that some of the ancient peoples Assyria, Akkadia, and Babylonia took part in dog cults. In fact, there is a temple in Isin, Mesopotamia (now southern Iraq) that is called é-ur-gi7, which translates to “dog house.”
In the temple, archaeologists discovered the skeletons of dozens of dogs, which means dog were likely sacrificed there. For the people of Mesopotamia, dogs were symbols of protection and healing, so they offered them to their gods.
The dog house temple was dedicated to the goddess Ninisina or her alternate, Gula. She was the goddess of physicians, medicine, and healing. In addition to the skeletal remains of dogs discovered in her temple, there were bronze statues and clay pots given to honor her, which depicted dogs. Some of the artifacts revealed that spiritual advisors would watch the behavior of dogs as signs from the Ninisina or Gula.
Detailed Dog Symbols and Meanings
What can we say about man’s (and woman’s) best friend? There aren’t enough ways to praise these wonderful creatures who make the world so much better simply because they’re in it. Here are details on dog meanings and symbols and what they might mean in your life:
The dog’s cousin, the wolf, opted to stay wild. But the descendants of dogs had a different idea. They chose to live near, and eventually with, people. Some might say the ancestor of the dog took the easier route. However, the lives of many dogs are certainly not easy. But the key difference between the wolf and the dog is that the dog chose to adapt to something new and different.
One remarkable example of a dog’s adaptability is the story of Sophie, an Australian cattle dog. To begin, Sophie, a natural herding dogs, learned to ride in a sailboat with her family, the Griffiths, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
On one sailing trip, the family hit very rough seas and Sophie was thrown overboard. The Griffiths searched and searched for Sophie but they never found her. They feared she had drowned and they finally gave up their search, brokenhearted for losing their beloved dog.
Miles away from where the Griffiths had hit rough seas, park rangers were on a routine patrol of the uninhabited island of St. Bees Island. While patrolling, they noticed a sickly dog on the island, something they had never seen.
While no people lived on St. Bees Island, it was inhabited by wild animals and some feral goats. The rangers tried to capture the strange dog but couldn’t capture her.
Months later, they were doing another routine patrol of the island when they saw the same dog, this time looking much healthier and having gained some weight. The rangers found some baby goat carcasses on the island and realized the wild dog must have been hunting them. On this patrol, they were successful at capturing the dog.
The rangers put out a bulletin that they had found a dog on the island, which by some miracle, the Griffiths read. Sure enough, the unknown dog was Sophie, their cattle dog.
In an awe-inspiring feat, after Sophie was thrown overboard she managed to swim nearly 6 miles (9.7 kms) to reach the island. When Sophie was reunited with her family, she didn’t miss a beat and seamlessly fell back into her normal routine of being the family dog.
The story of Sophie and the sheer adaptability of dogs in general should inspire all of us to have the confidence to handle the changes and challenges that come our way. The dog doesn’t focus on the scope of the challenge. Instead, they adapt to the situation and do what has to be done.
Dog symbolism in different religions
In Hinduism, dogs are considered holy animals and represent loyalty, faithfulness, and friendship. Some Hindu sects worship certain breeds as incarnations of their gods or goddesses. The most common breed used in this practice is Saint Bernard because it is said to resemble Yama, one of the twelve Adityas (sun deities).
Dog Spirit Animal | Dog Totem & Power Animal Dog Symbolism & Meanings
If you’re a dog lover and believe that ‘dogs’ and ‘unconditional lovers’ are synonyms, well, we get you! There are a lot of things one can learn from a dog. After all, they’re our best friends, aren’t they?
In this post, we’ll dive deep into the spiritual symbolism and meanings of dogs. We’ll also discuss what various religions and natives from different parts of the world symbolize dogs for. And finally, we’ll get to understand more about dog totems and omens. Let’s get started!
It’s an evident and widely known fact that dogs symbolize love. However, there are plenty of things a dog symbolizes besides love. Let’s have a look at these meanings, one at a time, shall we?
Dogs have a habit of working until the point of exhaustion. They are tenacious at whatever they do. Even when they’re following their loved ones, they do so persistently, wagging their tiny tails.
Also, the adjective ‘dogged’ in an English dictionary means to show tenacity. It’s not every day that an adjective is named after an animal.
So, if you feel connected to your dog spirit animal, it means that you need to persevere no matter what in whatever you’re planning to achieve.
Most humans these days believe that dogs are more faithful towards them than their own fellow species. Dogs are indeed charmingly faithful. They stay loyal towards their master and do their work diligently and faithfully, leaving no room for mistrust.
At points in life where you feel that people around you cannot be trusted and are possibly trying to swindle or take advantage of you, you might resonate with this aspect of dog totem.
If you’ve ever felt like a parent to your dog and overwhelmingly adored by their playfulness, well, welcome to the club!
Dogs are incredibly playful. Whenever their master catches a ball or a toy and enthusiastically calls their name to play a dog game, they eagerly start running after you, no matter what they’re doing.
And whenever they play, they put their heart and soul into the game, unless and until they’re tired and need a moment to catch their breath. So, what a dog symbolizes is such childlike essence, and they teach us to relax, have a moment of joy now and then, and a lust for life.
Most canines, including dogs, are known to prioritize their family needs and teamwork. That is why they find it easy to adapt in human households. The relation is whole-heartedly reciprocated.
Humans also see their pet dogs as their family members and shower them with affection and pay attention to their needs and want. So, dogs are symbolized for unity and family. They remind us how the relationships we build are the greatest gifts and how we should treasure them.
Dogs are indeed our friends. They don’t ask much in return and just want to love you and play with you. Be it sad or happy times; we love to spend time with our tail-wagging friends; we even talk to them sometimes, don’t we?
So, our relationship with dogs is a perfect example of a genuine friendship, a true companionship. No judgments, plenty of affection, good quality time, absolute authenticity, and always by your side during the hard times – the relation is truly epic.
So, dogs are symbolized for such companionship, and they remind us to have a similar equation with our friends. It means we should stop judging our friendly, shower them with affection, and embrace them, not only the good parts of them but the sad bits too.
Dogs are also symbolized for protection. Though cute and playful most of the time, they can suddenly become aggressive and hostile if they notice any harm coming their loved one’s way.
Many protective breeds and rescue dogs breed have the sole purpose of safeguarding. A breed called livestock guardian breed were bred with the sole purpose to protect livestock from their predator.
If you resonate with such protective breeds of dogs, it means that you’re someone who takes care of people around you. It reminds us to trust our guts when in times of danger and quickly activate our protective traits to safeguard our loved ones.
Dogs are known to have a big heart, a heart full of love and compassion. They don’t make many demands but are always there for their masters and family. They welcome their acquaintances with fast excited breaths and wagging-tails.
Even if humans let them down, these small animals have a huge heart to forgive and go back to being loving and caring in a fraction of seconds. So, dogs remind us to open our hearts more to others, to forgive, and to love.
Dogs have incredible senses. They smell something from a significant distance and hear noises and movements that humans are unaware of. Moreover, they are believed to determine the times of the day by detecting the change in the smell of surrounding air.
And, how dogs are used for detecting drugs and odors in a crime scene, you’re familiar with it, aren’t you?
Dogs are also believed to be excellent at understanding social cues. There’s a common saying that dogs can sense human’s fear, and thus one must act brave whenever there’s a stray dog nearby.
Also, dogs understand whenever their masters are feeling low or happy and act accordingly. So, dogs remind us to notice the subtle things and trust our initial gut feeling regarding someone or something. They remind us to expand our perception and see much deeper than what’s on the surface.
Dogs are also symbolized as divine messengers. Angels have no physical body and can take the shape of any being they want. So, they are often believed to take the forms of dogs and convey messages to humans.
Also, if your pet dog has died, and you’re seeing them often in the dream, pay closer attention to details, as angels might be trying to communicate you through dreams as your loving late pet.
Native American mythologies and folklores portray dogs in a beautiful light. They are symbolized for unconditional love, loyalty, and protection by Native Americans.
Dogs were believed to be owned by each tribe and were considered to be hunting companion, guardian, and guide to humans.
There’s also a prevalent belief among the natives that the great spirit spoke to them as animals, and thus, they must be treated with respect and love, as brothers and sisters.
So, in legends, whoever mistreated dogs were sure to meet with their worst fate, while those who respected and treasured them were rewarded with good fortune.
Ancient Celts symbolized dogs for their hunting skills. That’s the reason why hounds are portrayed as accompanying many Celtic gods, goddesses, and heroes. Dogs are also believed to keep the spirit safe in the underworld and escort them to their new life.
Celts also associated dogs with luck and healing. They also symbolized dogs as guardian figures. Moreover, one of the highest honors a warrior could receive in the ancient Celt was to be compared to a dog.
While Chinese people farm dogs for meat, they also symbolize them as an augur of good fortune. In many Chinese folklores, one can bind dogs being associated with bravery and faithfulness.
Japanese also consider dogs to be bringers of good luck. They further associate them with devotion and assiduousness. Japanese believe that dogs guard their shrines, preventing any evil spirits from entering.
Likewise, the Pungsan dog, symbolized for its purity and loyalty, is the national symbol of North Korea.
In Nepal, dogs are considered to be associated with the god of death, ‘Yamaraj’. Dogs are believed to play an integral part in judging the good deed and sins of souls in the afterlife, and thus, they are worshipped every year during Kukur Tihar.
Unlike the popular notion, dogs are depicted as diabolical creatures in African literature. They are often associated with darkness and death.
In ancient Egypt, dogs and humans were considered to be strongly connected, and dogs even followed their masters to their tombs, symbolizing lifelong companionship.
Bible doesn’t praise dogs as the rest of the world does. It mentions dogs as wild and unclean animals and is associated with negativity. However, Bible does symbolize dogs for compassion and healing as a dog is depicted to lick a poor man named Lazarus’s sores.
Buddhists believe that despite the differences between humans and dogs, if dead dogs are provided with respectful funeral rites, blessings, and prayers, they have the ability to reincarnate as a higher life form.