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Kongelige Bibliotek, Gl. kgl. S. 1633 4º, Folio 18r
Kongelige Bibliotek, Gl. kgl. S. 1633 4º, Folio 19v
Dogs are commonly referred to as "man's best friend." As a dog mom to my toy poodle, Snowball, I might be slightly biased in agreeing with this statement. However, throughout history, dogs have always been closely depicted among humans as companions and even protectors.
In medieval bestiaries, dogs typically had one of three roles: a guard serving their master, hunters of other animals, or sheep herders. Many images and stories often portrayed dogs alongside their masters, as bodyguards, rescuing their human companions from danger or defending them in trial. Dogs are depicted in a way that reveals their raw emotional connection to humans. There is one medieval story where a Roman dog, upon his master's execution in which he was thrown into the Tiber River, desperately attempts to keep the corpse afloat (Badke). This exemplifies both a dog's empathetic tendencies and dependency on humans.
As for the moral significance of the dog, there are varying interpretations. The Bodleian Bestiary mentions that "a dog's tongue will heal a wound if he licks it" and that "it returns to its vomit and eats it again." Both of these actions carry a tenor alluding to confession. The licking of its wounds suggests how sin can be resolved through confession, while returning to its vomit represents those who fall back into sin even after confession. In another interpretation, the bestiary uses the dog's action of losing his obtained meat in attempt to pursue a shadow, to warn humans against greed and losing what one already has in the face of an illusion.
Museum Meermanno, MMW, 10 B 25, Folio 16v
This image quite closely parallels what is conveyed by text. There are two different stories unfolding in this image. On the left, the dog is identifying the man who killed his master. Similarly, the Bodleian Bestiary text details how a man was murdered by a soldier, his dog being the only witness. As spectators came, the soldier attempted to conceal himself by blending into the crowd, but the dog did not rest, attacking the murderer and forcing him to confess to his deed. On the right, the dog is clinging to his deceased master, evidently distressed. This closely resembles the story of when a dog's master was executed and it "followed him to the scaffold, barking loudly" before proceeding to take all the food it had been given to his master instead. Both the text and the accompanying image emphasize the dog's loyalty and bond to its master.
This clip from A Dog's Journey is a modern day representation of dogs. Taking place in the 21st century, this depiction surprisingly does not stray very far from 12th century medieval depictions of dogs and their relationship to humans. Although Bailey (the dog) can speak in this movie, which more closely resembles beast fables, the overall story and representation of the dog aligns well with that of medieval bestiaries. Here, upon realizing that CJ (the child) is in danger, Bailey's protective instincts kick in and he jumps to defend her. Likewise, there are numerous images in bestiaries that illustrate King Garamantes' dogs coming to his rescue when he was being captured by enemies. Although existing almost a millennium apart, the general attribute of these dogs' bonds with humans is quite striking.
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