"Man's best friends" are known to be docile, clever, obedient, courageous and alert.

From ancient times, our ancestors raised dogs for their roles not only to protect their homes and help with the hunting, but also to ward off bad luck and safeguard the happiness of the household. According to "Dongguksesigi", which means "the stories of the new year of the eastern country," our ancestors put paintings of unicorn-lion, chicken, dog, and tiger in various corners of their houses. The paintings of dogs were also posted in granaries as dogs are known to keep thieves at bay.

In addition to such customs, anecdotes about dogs, handed down orally, reflect our consideration of dogs as a loyal and courageous animal. For instance, a Sapsal dog, an indigenous, shaggy breed, was burned to death while trying to save its owner, who was in a drunken stupor, from a fire by relieving itself on the flames to put them out. Another story tells of a Jindo dog that found its way back to its previous owner, after having been sold to a new owner in a distant town.