Is the dog ritually impure?

Question : A questioner asks: Is the ritual impurity of the dog in its saliva, in its fur, or in both?

Answer : Some scholars held that the severe ritual impurity is in the dog's saliva only. This is based on the statement: "If a dog drinks from the vessel of one of you..." and that the rest of its impurity is like other impurities; so its urine, feces, and sweat are like other urines, feces, and impure sweat. However, the well-known position among the Hanbali scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) is that the rest of its impurities are like the impurity found in its saliva and spittle. They said that the impurity of urine and feces is more repugnant than the impurity of saliva. It is known that the complete Shari'ah does not establish a ruling for something and deny that ruling for something more deserving of it. This analogical reasoning adopted by the Hanbali scholars is closer to the truth and more cautious: that we treat all the impurities of dogs as being on the level of what? On the level of what? On the level of their saliva. Yes.