Dog in Myth, Mythology and Folklore
by In Eurasia around 12,000 B.C.—or much earlier, according to some theorists—the dog became the first animal to be domesticated by human beings. Cats continue to appear wild even when raised in the family living room. Sheep and cattle generally stay together in herds, even under human direction. In the continual war between man and nature, only dogs appear to be on our side.
Our commercial culture today can sometimes make fantasies so vivid that reality seems . . . well, almost irrelevant. Among the most familiar canines on television is Spuds McKenzie, who is used to advertise light beer. In 1990, Spuds made People magazine’s list of the world’s ten best-dressed men. Not only does Spuds pitch a product that is not at all for dogs, but the canine model for this distinctly masculine persona is actually a bitch.
Not everybody likes dogs, but those who do are very passionate about them. Dogs often appear helpless, yet they are usually pretty able to take care of themselves. This combination of vulnerability and strength makes dogs, for good or ill, so very “human.”
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