h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Best guess. It looks at first impression a Victorian creation, but looking carefully it could very old possibly old enough to have been around when Rome was founded. Perhaps Egyption they were dog lovers

Possibly a chariot mascot or more likely a child's toy the little stick underneath could make it jump.

Conclusion after much thought Egyption

Gosh, you're good! Put that man on Antiques Roadshow!

Thanks, the condition is good, If it is significantly old its been in dry storage the conclusion it pointed to was Egypt.

I'm not as clever as Bob but I did notice that the front was a dog, but the back end seemed almost human and the front paws weren't paws but cleft hooves.

It has a very nice face, considering how long ago it was sculpted.

So what does the "mechanical" part do?

Opens its jaws - and sticks it tongue out, I think.

isn't that stick thing mounted in the wrong location/direction?

Here's what the museum's description says:

'This leaping hunting dog can be made to open and close its mouth using the lever beneath the chest. Originally secured by means of a thong tied through the hole in the back of its neck and two in the throat, the lever was later attached with a metal dowel in the right shoulder. When the mouth is opened, two teeth and a red tongue are visible.'

the sculpturer has "put" it's do-hicky in the wrong place

You can get a do-hiky joke into any thread