These dog sayings cover everything from old idioms your grandparents used to fresh catchphrases for your next walk. Below you will find classic dog phrases with short meanings, short and funny lines, barking dog sayings, top dog lines, playful “men are dogs” quotes and dog walking catchphrases.
Best Dog Sayings (Top Picks)
Short on time? These are the dog sayings people love to quote, post and pass along.
- Every dog has its day.
- Let sleeping dogs lie.
- A house is not a home until it has a dog in it.
- Be the person your dog thinks you are.
- Life is better with a wagging tail beside you.
- Good dogs make good days.
Classic Dog Idioms and Phrases (With Meanings)
These are the dog related phrases English speakers use every day, each with a quick plain-English meaning.
- Let sleeping dogs lie: leave a situation alone if stirring it up would only cause trouble.
- Barking up the wrong tree: looking for something in the wrong place or blaming the wrong person.
- You can’t teach an old dog new tricks: it is hard to change someone’s long-held habits.
- Every dog has its day: everyone gets a moment of luck or success at some point.
- His bark is worse than his bite: someone sounds harsher than they really are.
- Raining cats and dogs: raining very heavily.
- Dog-eat-dog: fiercely competitive, with everyone looking out for themselves.
- In the doghouse: in trouble with someone, usually a partner or boss.
- Sick as a dog: very ill.
- Dog-tired: completely worn out.
- Work like a dog: work very hard for a long time.
- Top dog: the person in charge or the winner.
- Underdog: the one expected to lose a contest.
- Puppy love: a sweet, short-lived crush, often between young people.
- The tail wagging the dog: something small or minor controlling something much bigger.
- Dog and pony show: an elaborate presentation put on mainly to impress.
- Like a dog with a bone: unwilling to stop talking about or chasing something.
- Go to the dogs: get steadily worse.
- A dog’s breakfast: a messy, badly done job.
- Shaggy dog story: a long, rambling story with a pointless or silly ending.
- Call off the dogs: stop attacking, criticizing or chasing someone.
- Dog days of summer: the hottest, laziest stretch of summer.
- Dog-eared: pages with corners folded down from heavy use.
- Fight like cats and dogs: argue all the time.
Short Dog Sayings
Short dog sayings fit a caption, a mug, a sign by the door or a quick text to a fellow dog person.
- Sit. Stay. Love.
- Paws for a moment.
- Home is where the dog is.
- Dog hair, don’t care.
- All you need is love and a dog.
- Wag more, worry less.
- Fur real, I love you.
- Muddy paws, full heart.
- One good dog changes everything.
- Happiness has four legs.
Funny Dog Sayings and Catchphrases
These funny dog catchphrases capture the snack thieves, couch hogs and drama queens we share our homes with.
- I came, I saw, I chewed it.
- Who’s a good boy? Still me. Always me.
- My dog thinks “no” is just the opening offer.
- Dinner is at six. My dog starts reminding me at four.
- I’m not spoiled, I’m well loved and slightly entitled.
- Somebody said “walk” and now nobody gets any peace.
- The couch is mine. You may borrow a corner.
- My dog’s love language is your sandwich.
- Professional napper, part-time doorbell.
- “I am his Highness’ dog at Kew; Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?” — Alexander Pope
Good Dog Sayings for Dog Lovers
Warm, good dog sayings for cards, frames and anyone who knows exactly what a dog adds to a life.
- A good dog doesn’t ask for much, just you, a walk and a little bit of your dinner.
- Dogs leave paw prints on the floor and on the heart.
- No one greets you at the door quite like your dog.
- A dog’s love doesn’t keep score.
- Some angels have fur and a terrible habit of stealing socks.
- The best therapist is the one waiting by the door with a leash.
- Thank you, [Name], for loving my dog almost as much as I do.
- A tired dog is a happy dog, and a happy dog makes a happy home.
- Dogs teach us that the simple things are the big things.
- “If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.” — Mark Twain
Love a good laugh about life with dogs? Keep the smiles going with our collection of funny dog quotes for every pet parent.
Barking Dog Sayings and Quotes
Barking dog quotes for loud pups, noisy neighbors and the old wisdom that noise isn’t always a threat.
- A barking dog seldom bites.
- Barking at the mailman is a full-time job, and my dog never misses a shift.
- Not every bark needs an answer.
- My dog barks at leaves, squirrels, shadows and, occasionally, nothing at all.
- Loud dog, soft heart.
- He barks to say hello, he barks to say goodbye, and he barks in between just to stay in practice.
- Some dogs bark at danger. Mine barks at the vacuum.
Top Dog and “Running With the Big Dogs” Sayings
Confident sayings about being the top dog, perfect for motivation, team chats or a bold little terrier.
- If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.
- Small dog, big attitude.
- Be the top dog in your own life.
- Big dogs don’t need to bark to be noticed.
- It’s not about the size of the dog. It’s about the size of the heart.
- Run with the big dogs, but never forget the porch that raised you.
- Today I’m the underdog. Tomorrow I’m the top dog.
Every Dog Has Its Day Quotes
Hopeful twists on the classic “every dog has its day,” for anyone waiting on their own good moment.
- “Let Hercules himself do what he may, The cat will mew, and dog will have his day.” — William Shakespeare, Hamlet
- Every dog has its day, and today is yours.
- Keep going. Every dog has its day, and yours is on the way.
- Every dog has its day, but my dog seems to have every day.
- Patience, little pup. Your day is coming.
- Every dog has its day, [Name]. Go enjoy yours.
Men Are Dogs Quotes (The Playful Kind)
Lighthearted “men are dogs” quotes meant for laughs with friends, never as an insult to anyone.
- Men are dogs? Fine. Loyal, happy to see you and easy to please with snacks.
- My husband and my dog both nap after dinner and both swear they were “just resting their eyes.”
- If men are dogs, I’ll take the golden retriever kind.
- He follows me from room to room just like the dog. I’m not sure which one is the copycat.
- Some say men are dogs. My dog says that’s an unfair comparison for dogs.
- Both of them come running the second they hear a bag of chips open.
Dog Walking Catchphrases
Dog walking catchphrases for walkers, joggers, pet sitters and anyone posting from the trail.
- Leash on, worries off.
- Stop and sniff the roses. Literally.
- Rain or shine, it’s walk time.
- Every walk is an adventure when you have a nose like that.
- Walking my dog, or is my dog walking me?
- Same route, brand new smells.
- Miles of smiles on the end of a leash.
- One more lap around the block, the dog insists.
Keep the Dog Sayings Coming
From “let sleeping dogs lie” to “leash on, worries off,” dog sayings keep showing how deeply dogs are woven into the way we talk and live. Save your favorites and share them with your fellow dog lovers.
Want more words for your pup? Browse our best dog quotes of all time, grab a quick line from our short dog quotes, or find the perfect post with our dog captions for Instagram.