Here's what we know:
* Working Dogs: Dogs were primarily used for practical purposes, such as guarding livestock, hunting, and assisting in warfare. There is extensive evidence of hunting dogs, guard dogs, and even "police" dogs used to track criminals.
* Religious Significance: Certain dog breeds, particularly the "Saluki" hound, were revered as sacred and associated with the god Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the dead. These dogs were sometimes mummified and buried in elaborate tombs.
* Domestication: Dogs were domesticated in Egypt around 10,000 BCE, suggesting a long-standing relationship between humans and dogs.
* Possible Companionship: While not documented in a modern sense, some evidence suggests dogs may have been considered companions. Depictions in tomb paintings show dogs interacting affectionately with humans.
In conclusion: While we don't have clear evidence of Egyptians keeping dogs as pets in the modern sense, they certainly lived with dogs and had a complex relationship with them. Dogs served a variety of practical, religious, and likely companion-like roles in ancient Egyptian society.