House dog, little dog

Definition

relatively small light brown domestic animal, feeding on anything from household refuse to animal carcasses and excreta; Canis familiaris putiatini; associated with all sorts of uncleanness, aggression, greediness, low status (diminutive of {L:κύων<SDBG:κύων:000000>}[a] dog, {D:4.34}, but in the NT the diminutive force may have become lost, though a component of emotive attachment or affection is no doubt retained and thus the reference is presumably to a house dog)