Why is St. Dominic often depicted with a dog in Roman Catholic iconography?

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St. Dominic is often depicted with a dog in Roman Catholic iconography because of a legend that says his mother, Blessed Jane of Aza, dreamed of a dog carrying a torch in its mouth while she was pregnant with Dominic. According to the story, the dog in Jane’s dream ran around the world setting everything on fire with the torch. Afterward, Jane visited the monastery in Santo Domingo de Silos (Spain) and asked a monk there to explain her dream. He told her that it meant the child she was carrying in her womb was destined to become a great preacher who would set the world on fire with his words.