The dog, thought to be a Staffordshire terrier, was found dead in a wooded area of Kirkcaldy, Fife, on April 25, apparently doused in flammable liquid.
Police said the man had been charged with a number of other offences.
He is currently in police custody, the BBC reported.
Police and the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) described the attack as a sickening act of cruelty which would have seen the dog suffer considerable pain.
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There was a strong response after the initial police appeal over the incident and officers thanked the public for their assistance.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) charity offered a 1,000-pound reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Scottish SPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn had condemned the incident as an extremely sickening case of animal cruelty.