Dog's in Biblical Times

DOGS There are two kinds of dogs that are referred to in the Bible. First, There is the wolf-like, short-haired creature, that stands guard over the tent or the house, and which barks fiercely at strangers that come that way. He will eat whatever garbage is tossed to him, and in the evening he is usually heard barking about the city (cf. Psalm 59:6). Sometimes he is allowed to be under the table ready to receive scraps given to him (cf. Matthew 15:27). Second, there is the shepherd dog that goes out with the shepherd to help him in rounding up the sheep. Job speaks of these animals as "the dogs of my flock" (Job 30:1). Because dogs were so often regarded as mere scavengers, the Bible does not use the word "dog" as Westerners are accustomed to think of this animal. The price of a dog was never brought to the house of the LORD (Deuteronomy 23:18). To call anybody "a dog" was to consider him as very low down indeed (Revelation 22:15). The attitude of the Orientals toward dogs needs to be kept in mind in interpreting the Scriptures that refer to them. [Manners And Customs of Bible Lands]