The different mythologies that coexist in current and previous cultures have many points in common. Goddesses, fairies, protective, evil or mysterious creatures… One of the creatures that fascinate us the most, due to their powerful symbology, are mythological dogs. And it is that the furry four-legged ones have not only known how to be man’s best friends. This animal has had great significance throughout history in various civilizations. Some have been feared and many others adored. The character or personality of these depend on each town, and the symbols that are associated with each figure. Throughout this article, we are going to introduce you to the most curious mythological dogs of all civilizations. Are you ready to meet them? Well, join us!
7 mythological dogs you should know
1. Xolotl
We open our list of mythological dogs with Xólotl, who is the God of sunset, spirits, god of fire, bad luck and twins in Toltec mythology. Legends say that it protects the Sun when it travels through the Underworld throughout the night. This story is quite similar to the journey Ra takes to explain the phases of the day.
This Aztec deity was terribly afraid of death and continually slipped out of his hands. To avoid the sacrifices, Xolotl transformed himself several times without success until he was finally caught and killed. This mythological dog gives its name to the breed traditionally known as the Mexican hairless dog, or the Xoloitzcuintlesandn honor this Aztec deity. Name literally translated as monstrous dog, since Xólotl was the companion of the dead during their way to the underworld.
2. Huehuecoyotl
Huehuecóyotl is another of the most fascinating mythological dogs, although not as well known. He is about the cheating Mexica god of music, dance and song. He is depicted as a curious dancing coyote, with human hands and feet. It is the most prankish and festive deity that has life in the family of the Mexica gods of Tezcatlipoca.
3. Argos
The next of the mythological dogs that we will talk about is Argos. He appears in the Odyssey, the great epic poem written by Homer. In this play, Argos is the dog of Odysseus who in turn is the protagonist of the story. It appears at the end of the adventure, when the protagonist arrives home after spending twenty long years on the high seas. To avoid his enemies, Odysseus re-enters his country disguised as a beggar with the aim of making them not recognize him.
The faithful and admirable animal, already very old and weak, recognizes its former master after spending twenty years without seeing him, thus demonstrating the affection he had for the hero. When he sees the dog so sick, he is moved and cries for his condition. Argos ends up dying at the feet of his master, glad to have been able to see him one last time before dying. This beautiful example is one of the oldest about how strong a relationship between man and his pet can be.
4. Worg
The next of the mythological dogs that you should meet is the mighty Direwolf. If you are looking for a mythological dog that impacts with a really impressive image, then this will be among your favorites. Direwolf is similar to a wolf, although greater strength, fierceness, appearance and size. This creature comes from Norse mythology, and represents the big and powerful wolf.
5. Laelaps
We continue going through different mythologies to tell you about Laelaps, the next of the mythological dogs, whose legend comes from Greek myths. His name means stormy wind. Laelaps is a legendary dog, who went hunting and always returned with his caught prey. It was a gift that Zeus made to Europe and that later passed into the possession of his son Minos; he gave it to Procris and later the dog became the property of Cephalus
6. Cerberus
Probably, the Can Cerbero is one of the best known mythological dogs. Terribly monstrous in appearance, since According to legend, it had three enormous heads and a tail formed by a serpent. This dog was owned, nothing more and nothing less than Hades, god of the ancient Greek Underworld. The animal had a clear function that it should never stop doing and it was to be the guardian of the gates of the underworld, it should not let anyone out or in. This chilling legend does not seem to be new, since in Norse mythology there was already a dog named Garm who had a mission similar to that of Cerberus.
Cerberus appears in numerous adventures, in which he faces heroes as important as Heracles himself, Orpheus or Hermes. In some of them he is victorious and prevents his enemies from accessing the underworld, while in others he is outwitted in one way or another. One of the curiosities that you may not know is that the heads of were known as veltesta, tretesta and drittesta or left head, third head and right head. Our most soccer fans will also know that the goalkeeper or goalkeeper of a team is usually called the goalkeeper since he is the guardian of the goal.
7.panhu
We advance in the mythological dogs, going this time to the remote confines of Chinese and yao mythology, belonging to the yao tribe of Vietnam. There we find a vital dog, foundational even of the beliefs in this part of the world. Panhu’s story is absolutely fascinating. Legend has it that it was a dragon dog that was transformed into a man for love, and thus married a princess. With her he had six sons and six daughters, who would found the twelve clans of Chinese mythology.
As you will see, mythology is extremely entertaining and interesting. There are thousands of creatures that take place in it. Some, powerful gods, others, fairies, nymphs and sirens. There are also scary monsters, and even a place for pets. For dog lovers like us, It is a delight to read and learn about the important role that dogs have played throughout history.
As always, we would love for you to give us your opinion about these mythological dogs. Did you already know them? Which of them did you like the most? Go ahead and leave us all your opinions in a comment. We will be happy to read you! And if you are passionate, like us, about the fantastic universe of mythology and its most mysterious creatures, don’t miss out on this selection of the best short Greek myths. We find ourselves with an upcoming super curious topic!