The right to bear Scottish Coat of Arms is hereditary, although one not an heir can acquire their own arms. The general rules may be found at A Note on Scots Heraldry and The Heraldry Society of Scotland. If you require more detail try A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry. The Lord Lyon determines who is entitled to a Coat of Arms.

The following is a reconstruction of the Dog/Doeg/Doge/Dogge/Doig crests and coats of arms. These are arms of the Dogs of the Vale of Menteith in Kilmadock and Kincardine parishes in Perthshire, but the origin of the Dogge with three fishes requires more research. The handwriting presents the double problem of heraldic terms and an early script, so some words are uncertain.

Earliest Doig Coat of Arms

John Dog of yt Ilk registered a coat of arms in 1468 (Lord Lyon's records, Ref. FAL224), described as: Gules, a chevron Argent between two cinquefoils in chief Ermine and a sword erect in base Argent.

DOG OF THE ILK

Doig Coat of Arms at 43 Perry Street, Greenwich Village, New York City, located below the roof line.

The building was built in 1850 and renovated in 1967, the crest thought to be added during the renovation.

To see original article click HERE.

Click photo to enlarge

The elements of coats of arms appear on early Dog graves in the Kilmadock Kirkyard. Note the shape of the shields and the consistent use of a sword and dagger.

No Illustration	Moray S. Mackay, Doune Historical Notes, (Stirling: Forth Naturalist and Historian, 1953), p. 48 reports: "What has been taken to be the oldest of the [Dog] stones, and the one on which the Christian name Thomas was deciphered fifty or more years ago, is shaped like a quadrangular coffin lid, the foot being narrower than the head. It shows a tall cross on a plinth of two steps with leaf-like ornament at the ends of the arms and at the top. To the viewer's right of the cross there is a long sword, pointing downward, with the guards of the hilt also pointing down. To the left, there is a dagger, less than half the length of the sword, with curved guards. The inscription round the edge of the stone is much worn, and has been the subject of many guesses in the past." [This may be Sir Thomas Dog (c.1400-c.1478), Prior of Inchmahome.]
	Margrate Cunnyghame (c.1549-1618), spouse to Paul Dog of Dunrobin (c.1535-c.1628). Dagger and sword.
	James Dog (1551/2-1620), Elder of Ballengrew, Mair of Fie, and Chamberlain of Menteith. Sword and dagger. The initials are probably JD.
	[Walter] Dog (1564/5-1631), Portioner of Murdieston. Sword and Dagger. The initials are probably WD.
	Jacobus Dog Jr. (1590/1-1619), son of Jacobus Dog Sr. of Dunrobin (c.1564-1634). Dagger, sword, and [?]. The initials are probably JD.

Plaque in gated enclosure in the Kilmadock Kirkyard.

John Drummond (c.1632-1692) and Elizabeth Dog (c.1638-1689). John was the son of Harie (Harold) Drummond, 8th Laird of Deanston, and Helen Atcheson. Elizabeth was the daughter of David Dog of Ballengrew and Marion Dog. The Dog coat of arms is on the right with the sword, Calvary cross, dagger, and initials of Elizabeth Dog.

The following are from a letter from William Govane of Drumquhassle urging John Doig, merchant and sometime Provost of Brechin (c.1653-1727), to assume the designation of Dog of Dunrobin, "that ancient and honourable family," and enclosing five sketches of Coats of Arms of various branches of the Dog family - dated 16 March 1710. 

Dog of Dunrobin gules within a border argent a cheveron of the second betwixt two sinquefoyles of the second in chief and in base a dager propper or. [Red within a silver border, chevron between two cinquefoils at the top, and below a gold dagger, point up.]

Dog of Balengrew gules a cheveron argent betwixt two sinquefoyles of the second in chief and in base a dager propper or. with a helmet setting his degree and a dere flying above a wrath with this motto in the escroll: Diligentia ditat. [Red with silver chevron between two cinquefoils at the top and below a gold dagger point up, with a helmet "setting his degree" and a "dere" (Falcon) flying above a wreath with this motto in the scroll: Diligentia ditat (diligence enriches, or frugality).]

Paul Dog of Balengrew who was sone [son] to the ... heretrex of Gartencaber. Or upon a pale argent a cros croslet betwxt a dager impropper sable on the dexter and sword improper sable on the sinister and for motto by virteu I won them and by honnor I keep them. [Gold background on the left and right with silver in the center one third, black cross-crosslet between a black dagger, point down, on the right, and black sword, point down, on the left, and for motto "By virtue I won them and by honor I keep them."] Note: The sword and dagger appear to be reversed in the sketch, and the cross-crosslet appears with a stepped base like a cross-calvary.

Alternately, from William Nimmo, The History of Stirlingshire, (Glasgow: Morrison, 1880), Chapter XXVI:
James [Macfarlane] married Mary Keith, daughter to John Keith, younger son to the Earl Marischal, by whom he had Hugh, his successor, who married Elizabeth Doig, daughter, and ultimately sole heiress to Paul Doig of Ballingrew, a very ancient Perthshire family. Hugh, by this marriage, had, besides William his heir, a numerous issue both of sons and daughters. The armorial bearing of the family is ... for Doig of Ballingrew; crest, a demi-savage proper, holding in his right hand a sheaf of arrows, and pointing with his left hand to an imperial crown, or. Motto – "This I’ll defend."

Dog of Dunrobin bears gules au chevron argent two cinquefoils in chief wt sword in base. [Red field with a silver chevron and two cinquefoils in top position with a sword below.]

Doge of Menteif [Menteith] incumberant, Argent a rache passant collared Or, on a chief Gules a rose between two lozenges Argent". A rache is probably a Ratch-hound or Beagle as they are known today. The 'incumberant' would indicate that the Doig was a tenant or possibly the Minister of the local church. [Translation and illustration by Anthony Maxwell]

Burke, John, Encyclopædia of Heraldry, (London: Bohn, 1844):
Doeg. Gu. a chev. betw. two  cinquefoils in chief and a sword paleways in base ar. 
Crest – a hand holding a thistle. 
Motto – Malo mori quam fœdari. [I would rather die than be disgraced.]
Doge (Doge, Scotland). Gu a chev. ar. betw. two roses or, and a cross pattée of the second. [Red with a silver chevron between two roses (cinquefoils) and a spreading cross below.]

Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, (London: Harrison, 1884):
Doeg (Ballingrew). Gu. a chev. ar. betw. two cinquefoils erm. in chief and a sword paleways in base of the second.
Doeg (Scotland). Gu. a chev. betw. two chinquefoils in chief and a sword paleways in base ar. hilted and pommelled or.

-----, The Book of Family Crests, (London: Washbourne, 1856):
Doeg, a hand holding a thistle.
Doig, a falcon, wings expanded and inverted, belled, ppr.

The location of this Doig family is uncertain. From the third entry below it may belong to the Dodds family and be misallocated to Dogge.

Burke, John, Encyclopædia of Heraldry, (London: Bohn, 1844):
Dogge. Vert, three fishes haurient or, spotted gu.

Burke, Sir Bernard, The General Armory, (London: Harrison, 1884):
Dogge. Vert three fishes haurient or, spotted gu. [Green; three gold fishes placed upright, spotted red.]

The General Armory, The General Armory: Dabbins-Dyxton, Page 289
Dod, Dods, Dodds, or Dogge. Vert three dogfishes ar. Crest – Two hands conjoined, one in armour grasping another ppr. Both couped, supporting a branch of palm and a thistle.

To check: Doeg – Quartered by McFarlan [Bolton's American Armory, Page 49].

Doig is listed as a sept of Clan Drummond. You may visit the website HERE.