Beast

Dog


Latin name: Canis
Other names: Can, Canicula, Catulis, Chien, Chienne, Hound
Category: Beast

A young dog bound to a patient cures internal wounds

General Attributes

Dogs are unable to live without men. There are several kinds of dogs: those that guard their master's property; those that are useful for hunting wild animals or birds; and those that watch over sheep. A dog cures its own wounds by licking, and a young dog bound to a patient cures internal wounds. A dog will always return to its vomit. When a dog is swimming across a river while holding meat in its mouth, if it sees its own reflection it will drop the meat it is carrying while trying to get the meat it sees in the reflection.

Several stories are told about the actions of dogs. King Garamantes, captured by his enemies, was rescued by his dogs. When a man was murdered and there were no witnesses to say who did it, the man's dog pointed out the slayer in the crowd. Jason's dog was said to have refused to eat and died of hunger after his master's death. A Roman dog accompanied his master to prison, and when the man was executed and his body thrown into the Tiber River, the dog tried to hold up the corpse.

A dog that crosses a hyena's shadow will lose its voice. To pull up a mandrake root safely, a dog is starved for a day, then tied to the root; Its master puts meat out of the dog's reach and moves away; the dog lunges for the meat and pulls up the root.

One of the names of the dog (canicula, female dog) can in a similar form (caniculis) is also used for the rabbit.

Allegory/Moral

The dog's ability to heal wounds by licking them represents how the wounds of sin can be cured by confession. The dog returning to its vomit signifies those who make confession but then return to their sinful ways. The dog dropping the meat it has to try to gain the meat it sees is like foolish people who give up what they already have for the illusion presented by desire, and so lose what they have without gaining what they desire.

Uses Magical, Medical, Alchemical and Culinary

A puppy cut open and laid on the venomous wound from a serpent's bite will draw the venom out and heal the wound.

Hildegard von Bingen says, "The heat in its tongue confers healing to wounds and ulcers if it it touches them. If shoes are made from its pelt, feet become weak and painful." (Throop translation)