Dogs are beloved pets of people around the world. It comes as no surprise that these beautiful animals have spawned countless dog idioms in the English language.
Dog idioms can help us sound more natural in conversation. Let’s use them to boost our English vocabulary. It’s a dog’s life is an idiom that refers to an unenjoyable life. What’s a doggy bag? It’s a container you get from a restaurant to bring home leftovers. Lots more below!
Dog idioms
As mentioned above we will be checking out lots of dog idioms today. As an English teacher myself (Eliott) I have seen firsthand that if learners just read an idiom once they aren’t going to recall it. The steps below highlight how to learn idioms:
For example, it’s a dog’s life:
- If possible, hear it spoken. If not, look below
- Read it aloud and repeat it
- Then repeat it in a sentence
- Note it down with a pencil
- Write out an original sentence
- Keep it in a notebook for future review
Try to imagine the context of what is being said – imagine the situation. Then, make your own sentences using the new idiom. Speaking, writing, and using them will allow you to remember them well, instead of just reading them from a page. We will also be checking out some dog quotes today, while we are on the subject of dogs. They can help us expand our English vocabulary.
| It’s a dog’s life | Doggy bag | Every dog has its day | Dog and pony show | Dog eat dog world |
| Puppy love | Dog days (of summer) | Top dog | Dog-eared | You can’t teach an old dog new tricks |
| All bark no bite | Gone to the dogs | In the dog house | dog-tired | Let sleeping dogs lie |
It’s a dog’s life: The first of our dog idioms
When people say “it’s a dog’s life” they are describing a life that is difficult or boring. It is one of our sadder dog idioms today! It comes from the way some just have to just sit in a kennel all day long, and don’t get to do fun or interesting activities. Here’s an example sentence:
This week all I have done is go to the office and do the housework. Not much fun. These days it’s a dog’s life for me.
Doggy bag: a hungry dog expression!
This is something you receive from a restaurant when you would aren’t able to finish all your food. A doggy bag is just a bag or box that the restaurant gives you with the leftovers in it. The origin of this idiom is pretty clear: people bring the food they couldn’t finish home and give it to their beloved pooch!
Example: I brought home a doggy bay from the steak house, the portions were just too big!
Every dog has its day: The most positive of our dog idioms!
This is an optimistic saying that means each person has a chance in their life of getting luck or success. When people tell you every dog has its day, they are saying to you that you should be patient and that your time will come. What a nice thought. Here is every dog has its day sentence:
Emma finally won the promotion she’s been chasing for years. It just goes to show, every dog has its day.
Dog and pony show: You’re not showing off are you?
This English phrase means we put on an elaborate or showy display, in order to promote something – usually a business campaign. You will sometimes hear this idiom used in business English. It can also be used to describe someone’s personal performance that is extravagant or over the top. Here is a dog and pony show example:
The company’s presentation was a real dog and pony show. I think they managed to sign up lots of new clients today.
Dog eat dog world: This addition to our dog idioms can be used in business
A highly competitive, cut-throat business, or social environment – that’s what a dog-eat-dog world means. I believe it comes from the way dogs might have to eat each other or anything else if they were facing tragic starvation.
Example: The restaurant chain forced two local eateries to close. It really is a dog-eat-dog world in business these days.
Puppy Love
This is an intense but ultimately shallow romantic feeling towards someone. The term poppy love is often used when we are describing relationships between adolescents.
The relationship between Emma and Jake is definitely a case of puppy love.
Dog days (& the dog days of summer)
Dog days can be said to be the hottest period of summer, the full idiom goes like this: the dog days of summer. Also, it can be used to describe a period of decline or transitioning into a run-down full state.
Example 1: These are the dog days for the electronics manufacturer.
Example 2: We are definitely in the dog days of summer. It’s so humid today!
Top dog: An alpha addition to our dog idioms
The top dog refers to the person who is the boss, or in control in a social group for example at work or on a team, or in a group of acquaintances. It is used to refer to the dominant person. It comes from the hierarchy in wild dog families. One dog is the leader, the head of the pack.
Top dog sentence examples:
- Despite being the top dog of the team, Jake is actually a really friendly and kind person.
- Someday, I’d like to be the top dog and own my very own company!
Rag and bone man: A sales-related member of our dog idioms
A “Rag’n’Bone Man” is a person who goes around neighborhoods trying to sell clothes or other used household goods, it could be anything from furniture, pictures, or knickknacks. It is a form of self-employment. This is particularly common in the UK, although not so much these days.
Example: The Rag and Bone man came by this afternoon and I picked up a new dictionary from him, would you believe it?
Dog-eared: A scruffy canine idiom
If something is dog-eared, we mean that it looks scruffy, and in a bad condition. If we own a book for several years and use it each day, it is likely to become dog-eared. It most probably originates from the way some dogs ears look unruly and unkempt.
Example: Marty brought out a dog-eared photo of his pet cat – he has kept it for 12 years!
Old dog expressions: You can’t teach an old dog new tricks
This aged contribution to today’s dog idioms is very common. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks is a saying we use in English to refer to an older person (or someone old in relation to others, as “old” is a somewhat fluid term) who is unable to adapt and do things that are common nowadays. Easy examples of this include an elderly gentleman being unable to operate a smartphone easily, or failing to understand how to use an ATM. Also, if they have a “don’t know, don’t care” attitude, then this English idiom is especially suitable for them!
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks sentences:
- Gerald couldn’t figure out how to operate the sat-nav, despite my easy instructions. It just goes to show that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks!
- Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? I’ve just learned how to build a website, and I am 78!
By the way, if you want to know more and more English phrases, a website I find very handy is The Phrase Finder, here you can see one of today’s idioms, “top dog”.
All bark no bite: A meek addition to our dog idioms!
This idiom is used to talk about someone who gives plenty of warnings or threats but fails to deliver on them. They say they will punish you, but don’t! It is also often used as a way to reassure someone. They look scary but actually aren’t. You can tell your friend not to be afraid of the teacher because he is “all bark and no bite” Another variation of this dog idiom is “his bark is worse than his bite”. Here is all bark and no bite in a sentence:
Don’t be afraid of aunt Carol. She looks fierce but she is all bark and no bite. You just need to get to know her and then you’ll see.
Gone to the dogs: A rather depressing dog idiom
This is idiom is used to talk about a place that has become rundown – the area may have suffered from depopulation or lack of employment opportunities. People also say “go to the dogs” to refer to the present or future. For instance, “This neighborhood will go to the dogs if we don’t take good care of it”.
Gone to the dog’s example: Many people have said that Detroit has gone to the dogs, although recently it is being rejuvenated.
In the dog house: A slightly comical contribution to our dog idioms
If someone is “in the dog house” they are in trouble with their spouse! For instance, if the husband stayed out late one night, and his wife got cross about it, we could say, “He is in the doghouse today”. It is usually a temporary state and he will be forgiven soon.
Example: Jack is in the doghouse this week. He came home drunk and made a big mess in the living room.
Dog-tired: An exhausted dog idiom
When we are dog-tired, it means that we are truly exhausted. We have no energy left. We might use this idiom after a long day at work or school, or after doing intense exercise. When were you last dog-tired? How about joining it to one of our other dog idioms? I am dog tired every day, I really feel that I am living a dog’s life recently. (You need a vacation!)
Example: Theo has been dog-tired lately. Is he all right?
Let sleeping dogs lie: a philosophical branch to our dog idioms
This is almost a proverb, rather than an idiom. It means we should do nothing. When you hear this spoken, the person is advising you not to interfere with someone or some kind of issue. If we get involved, we may cause trouble. It means that currently there is no problem, but if we act, we may make trouble. Let this dog idiom be a good guide for your life!
Let sleeping dogs lie sentence
I know that Liam has been a little late to school this month, but it is maybe better to let sleeping dogs lie. If you approach him about it, his tardiness might get even worse.
Work like a dog
Working like a dog means working really hard. Imagine spending the entire afternoon weeding your garden. Or spending a whole evening doing English grammar homework. You have definitely worked like a dog. The origin of this idiom may come from the past, when dogs were commonly used as working animals. In fact, many dogs are still used as working animals – just picture a guide dog, guard dog, or sniffer dog. They work hard. Credit to them.
Example: Ophelia worked like a dog last night to learn her English speech by heart.
Dog idioms for everyday conversation
When did you last take a doggy bag home? Do you know anyone who lives a dog’s life? I hope you don’t, we should all live lives full of happiness and enrichment. Have you struggled at work due to it being a dog-eat-dog world? I hope not! Are any of your English notebooks dog-eared? Why not laminate them to protect them? Today we have practiced dog idioms to level up everyday conversation skills.
I hope you have enjoyed reading these animal expressions. Remember, there are plenty more idioms to be found here at Natural English Central. Thanks for reading!