The Bible does not speak highly of dogs because during the time it was written, dogs were usually scavengers and likely to be disease-carriers. We would think of them as wild dogs. However, in the case of the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15:26-27, the dog would have been a pet and was permitted to eat the crumbs at meal-times. In our culture, dogs are most frequently pets and should be treated with kindness and love.