Does this dog have a buddha-nature? No.
Doctrinally Pure Land Buddhism teaches an outer buddha, Zen an inner buddha. Practically both teaches to rely completely on buddha. Complete reliance on buddha means not relying on my concepts, my views. That is because believing that I can solve it is wrong. People tend to mistake this for giving in to one's impulses, however, that is pretty much the opposite of not giving in to my ideas. That's why with such faith one also has to understand that this samsara is the place of suffering. This samsara is nothing but my hanging on to looking for happiness in impermanent things. The buddha, being inconceivable, is eternal. Relying on what is inconceivable is indeed non-reliance. Not trusting anything is neither opposing nor embracing but letting go without the intention of letting go. So it is also called the self-liberating of defilements. This no effort is definitely the greatest effort, because there's always the view one has to do something.
Somebody asked, "All buddhas have a teacher, don't they?"
The teacher said, "They have."
"Who is their teacher?"
"Amita Buddha! Amita Buddha!"
(Recorded Sayings of Zhaozhou, 269)
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