Yes. In India, cats are considered sly, but dogs are dirty. That is Saiva Saints, the Tevaram Nayanmars often describe themselves as lowly dogs (naayinEn, naayEn, ...) in their pleadings to Siva. A beautiful book, with an essay by Dr. Wendy Doniger is: Stella Snead, Animals in four worlds: sculpture from India, UChicago p. 1989 N. Ganesan