 And then in verse 26, he answered the woman by saying, it's not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dog. To the Jew, the Gentile was like that of a dog, worldly, dirty, and distant from the ways of God. And here Jesus softens the blow a bit, softens the word a bit, using the phrase, what, little dogs, like that of a pet, if you would. It was more of a term of endearment, like that of a pet in our home, offering some hope.