Dog Words: There Are No Bad Dogs, Just Bad Dog Words

Why are there so many negative references to dogs? Look at this short list and then look at that cute little doggy in the picture:

doggoned
dogma
dogmatic
dogbolt
to dog someone
dogger
to turn dog on someone
sitting in the doghouse
dogfaced
dog's life
going to the dogs
dogs of war
haven't got a dog's chance
doggerel
dog in the manger
don't dog on me
yo, sup dog?
you dog you
dog-eared
dog days
dog-eat-dog world
dogie
boonDOGgle
he's one hot dog

And dog references aren't just in English. Every language has some negative references to the noble canine. No one says, "You haven't got a cow's chance in hell" or complains about a snakematic professor or accuses anyone of turning cat on them. Well, there used to be "cool cats," but now they're just plain, "Dog" or "Yo Dog."

I think it's a classic case of transference of anger. You can't kick your life or your boss, so you kick the next person below you; and if no one is below you at work or play, you kick your relatives, and if they don't let you kick them anymore, you have no choice to but find someone else to kick. And who's the likely candidate? Your dog. You kick your dog because you know your dog will forgive you. Try kicking your cat or your bird and see if they'll come back at you with their tails wagging and their tongues hanging out ready to kiss your hand. It's not happening. Right, so you kick the dog. And, when you can't kick the dog because you don't have a dog, you make up expressions that dog the dog.

I know what you're thinking. "Juno, they're only words." Sure, that's what everyone says. But, I still don't get it. Why the dog words? I mean, okay, there are some nice dog words: dogwood, dog love (whoops, that's puppy love), chilidog (the meatless kind, I hope), dogberry, endogens, steroidogenic, but most dog words aren't so nice.

You know what the most popular dog names are? Max, Maggie, Buddy, Jake, Sadie, Lady, and Charlie. See, they're not Boondoggle or Dog-Eared or Dogma; they're people friendly names.

I could go on and on about this, but I'm willing to let sleeping dogs lie.

Best wishes, Juno