Understanding Dog Idioms, Sayings, Phrases, And Expressions

Dog idioms have wagged their way into our language, adding a fun and spirited twist to how we talk.

On this page, you’ll sniff out a variety of popular dog idioms, complete with their meanings, origins, synonyms, and example sentences.

Whether you’re curious about phrases like “barking up the wrong tree” or eager to learn about expressions like “it’s a dog-eat-dog world,” this guide will help you fetch some canine charm for your vocabulary.

Perfect for writers, language lovers, or anyone wanting to add a playful bite to their words, our collection of dog idioms will make your communication style pawsitively engaging.

Unleash the fun and explore how dog-inspired expressions brighten our conversations, and dig up the delightful stories behind these tail-wagging phrases!

Common Dog Idioms & Expressions – Meaning, Origin, And Example Sentence

Every Dog Has Its Day

Synonym: Everyone gets their chance
Meaning: This idiom dates back to the 16th century and was popularized by William Shakespeare in his play Hamlet. The idea is that everyone, no matter their status or luck, will have a moment of success or recognition.
Example Sentence: Don’t worry if things aren’t going your way right now. Every dog has its day, and your time to shine will come.

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

Synonym: Avoid stirring up trouble
Meaning: This phrase has been around since the 14th century and is attributed to Geoffrey Chaucer in Troilus and Criseyde. It suggests that one should avoid stirring up trouble by leaving a situation as it is, especially if it could lead to unnecessary problems.
Example Sentence: I thought about bringing up the argument from last week, but I decided to let sleeping dogs lie.

Top Dog

Synonym: Leader
Meaning: This idiom originated from dog fighting or racing, where the “top dog” was the winning or dominant dog in the competition. It now refers to someone who is in charge or the best in a particular field.
Example Sentence: After years of hard work, she finally became the top dog in the company.

Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Synonym: Misguided effort
Meaning: This phrase comes from hunting dogs who would mistakenly bark at the base of a tree where they thought their prey was hiding. It’s used to describe someone who is pursuing a mistaken or misguided course of action.
Example Sentence: If you think I’m the one who leaked the information, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

Dog Eat Dog World

Synonym: Ruthless competition
Meaning: This idiom reflects the idea of intense competition, where people are willing to harm others to get ahead, similar to the concept of “survival of the fittest.” The phrase likely evolved from the literal image of dogs fighting each other for food.
Example Sentence: In the business world, it’s a dog-eat-dog world—you have to be tough to survive.

Dog Days

Synonym: Hottest days of summer
Meaning: This phrase originates from the ancient Greeks and Romans, who associated the hottest days of the year with the star Sirius, known as the “Dog Star.” These “dog days” were believed to be a time of lethargy and inactivity.
Example Sentence: August is always tough for outdoor work because of the dog days of summer.

You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

Synonym: Hard to change old habits
Meaning: This idiom has been around for centuries and suggests that it’s difficult to get someone to change their habits, especially if they’ve been doing something the same way for a long time.
Example Sentence: Don’t bother trying to get Grandpa to use a smartphone—you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Sick As A Dog

Synonym: Extremely ill
Meaning: This idiom dates back to the 17th century and reflects the idea that when dogs get sick, they can become very ill, hence the comparison to someone feeling extremely unwell.
Example Sentence: I caught the flu last week and was sick as a dog for days.

Work Like A Dog

Synonym: Work hard
Meaning: This idiom comes from the idea of dogs working tirelessly, especially in roles like herding or guarding. It means to work very hard or put in a lot of effort.
Example Sentence: I had to work like a dog to finish that project before the deadline.

Dog And Pony Show

Synonym: Elaborate presentation
Meaning: This idiom likely comes from the traveling circuses or small-time shows that would feature trained dogs and ponies as the main attractions. It now refers to an event or presentation that is highly polished or flashy, often more about show than substance.
Example Sentence: The sales pitch was just a dog and pony show—they spent more time on the flashy presentation than on the actual product details.

Dog Tired

Synonym: Exhausted
Meaning: This idiom means to be extremely tired, similar to how a dog might feel after a long day of running or working. The origin is unclear, but it likely comes from the image of a dog that has exhausted itself through hard work or play.
Example Sentence: After moving all day, I’m dog-tired and just want to go to bed.

Go To The Dogs

Synonym: Deteriorate
Meaning: This phrase suggests that something is deteriorating or declining, much like the idea of something being thrown away to the dogs. It originated in the 17th century when scraps and leftovers were often thrown to stray dogs.
Example Sentence: If you don’t finish your homework, I’m going to throw you to the dogs.

Like a Dog With A Bone

Synonym: Persistent
Meaning: This idiom describes someone who is very focused and persistent, refusing to give up on something, much like a dog that won’t let go of a bone.
Example Sentence: He’s like a dog with a bone when it comes to solving problems—he just won’t let it go until he finds a solution.

Tail Wagging The Dog

Synonym:  Reversed priorities
Meaning: This phrase refers to a situation where a smaller or less important part of something controls the whole, similar to the idea of a dog’s tail (a smaller part) wagging the entire dog. It’s often used in contexts where the priorities seem to be backward.
Example Sentence: In that company, the marketing department controls everything—it’s a case of the tail wagging the dog.

Dog Eared

Synonym: Worn out
Example Sentence: Her favorite book is so dog-eared you can tell she’s read it a hundred times.
Meaning: This idiom describes a book or document that has been well-used, with pages that are worn or folded down at the corners, like a dog’s ear.

A Dog’s Breakfast 

Synonym: Messy situation
Meaning: This British idiom refers to a mess or something that is disorganized, much like how a dog might eat its food sloppily.
Example Sentence: The report was a dog’s breakfast—completely disorganized and hard to follow.

Running With The Big Dogs

Synonym: Competing with the best
Example Sentence: If you want to succeed in this industry, you’ve got to be ready to run with the big dogs.
Meaning: This idiom means to compete or associate with people who are powerful or important, often in a challenging or high-stakes environment.

In The Doghouse

Synonym: In trouble
Example Sentence: He’s in the doghouse with his wife for forgetting their anniversary.
Meaning: This phrase means to be in trouble or in disfavor, similar to how a dog might be sent to its doghouse as punishment.

Dog Eat Dog World

Synonym: Competitive environment
Example Sentence: It’s a dog eat dog world in the financial industry—you have to be tough to survive.
Meaning: This phrase describes a highly competitive environment where people are willing to harm others to succeed, much like a situation where dogs might turn on each other.

Dog’s Life

Synonym: Unhappy existence
Example Sentence: He says he’s been living a dog’s life since he lost his job—struggling just to get by.
Meaning: This phrase refers to a difficult, miserable, or unhappy existence, reflecting the idea that a dog’s life can be harsh or filled with hardships, especially in earlier times when dogs were not pampered as they are today.

Throw To The Dogs

Synonym: Abandon or sacrifice
Example Sentence: The company threw its former CEO to the dogs after the scandal, even though he wasn’t the only one responsible.
Meaning: This idiom means to abandon someone or something to a bad fate, often to save oneself or because they are no longer needed. The imagery is of someone being thrown to aggressive dogs, left to fend for themselves.

Tail Between One’s Legs

Synonym: Embarrassed or humiliated
Example Sentence: After being called out for his mistake, he walked out of the room with his tail between his legs.
Meaning: This phrase describes someone who is ashamed or defeated, much like a dog that tucks its tail between its legs when it’s scared or reprimanded.

Call Off The Dogs

Synonym: Stop the attack
Meaning: To stop criticizing, attacking, or pressuring someone.
Origin: This idiom originates from hunting, where dogs would be called off when the chase was over or no longer necessary.
Example Sentence: Once he agreed to the terms, the lawyers called off the dogs and settled the case.

It’s Raining Cats And Dogs

Synonym: Pouring
Meaning: Raining very heavily.
Origin: The exact origin is unclear, but one theory is that it comes from 17th-century England when heavy rains would wash dead animals, like cats and dogs, into the streets.
Example Sentence: We had to cancel the picnic because it was raining cats and dogs.

Dog Eared

Synonym: Worn out
Meaning: Refers to something, typically a book, that is shabby or worn, with corners of the pages turned down.
Origin: The term originates from the practice of folding the corners of pages to mark a place in a book, resembling the floppy ears of a dog.
Example Sentence: Her favorite novel was so dog-eared that it was clear she had read it countless times.

Hound Someone

Synonym: Harass
Meaning: To persistently pursue or harass someone, often in an annoying or aggressive manner.
Origin: The phrase comes from the behavior of hounds relentlessly chasing their prey, symbolizing persistence and pursuit.
Example Sentence: The paparazzi hounded the celebrity, following her everywhere she went.

Bark Is Worse Than Their Bite

Synonym: All talk, no action
Meaning: Someone’s threats or aggressive behavior are not as dangerous or harmful as they seem.
Origin: This idiom compares a barking dog, which sounds threatening, to the reality that it may not actually bite, implying that people can be more bark than bite.
Example Sentence: Don’t worry about the boss’s yelling; his bark is worse than his bite.

Puppy Love

Synonym: Infatuation
Meaning: A young or adolescent love that is intense but often short-lived and immature.
Origin: The term “puppy love” suggests the innocent, naive affection often seen in young people, much like the playful affection puppies show.
Example Sentence: Their relationship was just puppy love, sweet but unlikely to last.

The Underdog

Synonym: Dark horse
Meaning: A person or team that is expected to lose or fail, especially in a competition or conflict.
Origin: The term comes from dogfighting, where the weaker or lower-positioned dog in a fight was known as the underdog. It now symbolizes anyone facing difficult odds.
Example Sentence: Despite being the underdog, the team managed to win the championship.

Junkyard Dog

Synonym: Aggressive person
Meaning: A person who is tough, aggressive, and unafraid to fight dirty.
Origin: The phrase likely comes from the image of a fierce dog guarding a junkyard, ready to attack anyone who comes near.
Example Sentence: He’s known as a real junkyard dog in negotiations, never backing down from a fight.