Is touching a dog forbidden (haram) or disliked (makruh)?

It is forbidden to keep a dog unless there is a need for it, such as for hunting, farming, or guarding livestock. Otherwise, the owner's reward will decrease by one or two Qirats every day. A dog's impurity is considered a severe impurity, which can only be purified by washing seven times, one of them with earth. As for touching a dog, if it is without moisture, the hand is not impured. But if there is moisture, the hand becomes impured and must be washed seven times, one of them with earth. If a dog licks from a vessel, it must be washed seven times, one of them with earth.