There is also in England two other sorts of Dogs, the figure of the first is here expressed, being apt to imitate all things it seeth, for which cause some have thought that it was conceived by an Ape; for in wit and disposition it resembleth an Ape, but in face sharpe and black like a Hedgehog, having a short recurved body, very long legs, shaggie hair, and a short tail: this is called of some these being brought up with Apes in their youth, learn very admirable and strange feats, whereof there were great plenty in Egypt in the time of King Ptolemy, which were taught to leap and play, and dance, at the hearing of musick, and in many poor mens houses they served in stead of servants for divers uses.

These are also used by Players and Puppet-Mimicks to work strange tricks, for the sight whereof they get much money: such an one was the Mimicks dog, of which Plutarch writeth that he saw in a publick spectacle at Rome before the Emperor Vespasian.

Edward Topsell "The History of Four-footed Beasts, Serpents and Insects"(935: p.127-128)

Still, I believe that I should not pass over one xample at least of a dog's learning, of which I myself was a spectator at Rome. The dog appeared in a pantomime with a dramatic plot and many characters and conformed in its acting at all points with the acts and reactions required by the text. In particular, they experimented on it with a drug that was really soporific, but supposed in the story to be deadly. The dog took the bread that was supposedly drugged, swallowed it, and a little later appeared to shiver and stagger and nod until it finally sprawled out and lay there like a corpse, letting itself be dragged and hauled about, as the plot of the play prescribed. But when it recognized from the words and action that the time had come, at first it began to stir slightly, as though recovering from a profound sleep, and lifted its head and looked about. Then to the amazement of the spectators it got up and proceeded to the right person and fawned on him with joy and pleasure so that everyone, and even Caesar himself (for the aged Vespasian was present in the Theatre of Marcellus), was much moved.

Plutarch "Whether Land or Sea Animals are cleverer", 19 (934: 19, p.405)