The dog symbolizes loyalty and the strong bond between humans and animals. What is probably man's oldest companion is also often represented in mythology.

In many cultures, the dog is a companion of gods and guards entrances and gates that lead to the other world. A three-headed dog named Cerberus guards the gate to the lower world and makes sure that neither the living nor the dead pass through this gate.

Native American cultures in particular revere the wolf and dog (coyote) as sacred animals.