Although used by shepherds and occasionally kept as pets, in Bible times most dogs were semi-wild scavengers.

Exodus 11:7

The animal

Judges 7:5
Job 30:1
Exodus 22:31
1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19,23; 22:38

Dogs as scavengers

2 Kings 9:10,36
Psalms 59:6,14; 68:23
Jeremiah 15:3
Psalms 22:16,20

Dogs as dangerous and bloodthirsty

2 Peter 2:22
Matthew 7:6; 15:26-27

Dogs in the teaching of Jesus Christ

See also

Luke 16:21

pp Mk 7:27-28

Proverbs 26:11,17

Dogs in proverbs

Ecclesiastes 9:4
1 Samuel 17:43; 24:14

Dogs used as a term of abuse or low esteem

2 Samuel 9:8; 16:9
2 Kings 8:13
Isaiah 56:10-11
Philippians 3:2
Revelation 22:15

See also

4604 animals
7512 Gentiles, in NT