Final answer:
The Pekingese was the dog breed that originated as companions to Chinese emperors before becoming the official dog of the House of Orange in 1572, noted for alerting Prince William to assassins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The breed of dog that was originally the companions of Chinese emperors and later became the official dog of the House of Orange in 1572 is known as the Pekingese. This occurred after one of these dogs allegedly alerted William the Silent, Prince of Orange, to the presence of assassins, thus saving his life. These dogs, valued for their loyalty and intelligence, were highly regarded within the Chinese imperial court. The Pekingese breed has a legacy that aligns with the Chinese cultural reverence for lions, as they were bred to resemble the mythical lion-like creatures found in ancient Chinese art and mythology, believed to have protective qualities.
The history of dogs intertwined with human history is not something unusual. As we see from the text reference, dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have been one of the earliest domesticated animals, with their origins tracing back to wolves. Domesticated for various purposes over millennia, dogs have played significant roles in different cultural and historical contexts, including their revered status in ancient China to their symbolic adoption into European nobility.