You have the dog and the gear, so the only thing left to become an authentic pet parent is to pick up the vocabulary! Dog ownership is a world of slang, nicknames, and verbal shorthand, a whole new language you must learn to communicate effectively with your community of canine lovers.
If you already walk the walk, we’ll show you how to talk the talk of a devoted owner with this essential guide to dog lingo.
What Is Doggo Lingo?
DoggoLingo, or “DoggoSpeak,” is an internet language that emerged in the 2010s. We commonly see new terms appear in memes or social media posts from loving dog owners to add silly humor and fun to the conversation.
Mispronunciations, dog memes, silly prefixes or suffixes, and onomatopoeias comprise much of the DoggoLingo dictionary. The vocabulary is constantly evolving, but many words are gaining enough renown to earn a spot in Merriam-Webster’s ever-changing dictionary.
The 23 Doggo Lingo Terms to Know
1. Awoo
Pronunciation:
Ah-WOO
Definition:
A dog’s howling to indicate fear, stress, or excitement
In a Sentence:
“When she really likes it, she’ll awoo while she eats her food.”
Image Credit: BIGANDT.COM, Shutterstock
2. Blep
Pronunciation:
Blep
Definition:
A noun or verb referring to a dog sticking out a small portion of their tongue between closed lips
In a Sentence:
“You can tell when he’s happy because he’ll let a little blep show.”
According to some DoggoLingo purists, “blep” is a term for cats, while “blop” is the dog equivalent.
3. Boi
Pronunciation:
Boy
Definition:
A playful misspelling of boy referring to a male dog
In a Sentence:
“This pup is such a clever boi.”
4. Boof
Pronunciation:
Boof
Definition:
Low, anxious vocalizations often coming before a bark
In a Sentence:
“A few quick boofs are all I need to know my dog is ready to go outside.”
Image Credit: Zivica Kerkez, Shutterstock
5. Boofer
Pronunciation:
BOO-fer
Definition:
A massive dog
In a Sentence:
“My friend’s St. Bernard was quite the boofer.”
“Woofer” is a well-accepted alternative to “boofer.”
6. Boop
Pronunciation:
Boop
Definition:
To gently tap a dog’s nose with your finger or hand
In a Sentence:
“Our dog’s nose is so cute; we can’t resist giving it a boop.”
7. Bork
Pronunciation:
Bork
Definition:
A fun alternative for “bark”
In a Sentence:
“My dog will bork all day and night if she spots that cat nearby.”
Image Credit: PAN Michal, Shutterstock
8. Chimkin
Pronunciation:
CHIM-kin
Definition:
A humorous way to pronounce “chicken”
In a Sentence:
“If he’s really good, I’ll give my boi some boiled chimkin after his walk.”
9. Chonky
Pronunciation:
CHAWN-kee
Definition:
A large, possibly overweight dog
In a Sentence:
“I don’t know what she was eating, but that boofer was CHONKY!”
10. Doggo
Pronunciation:
DOG-oh
Definition:
An affectionate nickname for a dog
In a Sentence:
“After lunch, we’re thinking about taking the doggo for a stroll.”
Image Credit: DibasUA, Shutterstock
11. Doin’ (Someone) a Frighten
Definition:
To scare someone, usually the speaker
In a Sentence:
“My boy sure was doin’ me a frighten when he ran out the door like that.”
The comedic phrase appeared in the “Stop It, Son, You Are Doing Me a Frighten” meme in 2015. In the series, the repeating borking of another dog causes startled dogs to respond with the phrase.
12. Floof
Pronunciation:
Floof
Definition:
A word referring to an incredibly fluffy dog, like an Olde English Sheepdog or Spitz-type dog, or the thick fur on their bodies
In a Sentence:
“My Pom is all floof, the perfect snuggle buddy!”
13. Fren
Pronunciation:
Fren
Definition:
A cute way of saying “friend,” usually referring to a canine best bud
In a Sentence:
“I couldn’t ask for a better fren than my dog!”
Image Credit: Bachkova Natalia, Shutterstock
14. Fur Baby
Pronunciation:
Fer BAY-bee
Definition:
A pet parent term for their canine family member
In a Sentence:
“My fur baby is so picky; she’ll only eat homemade meals.”
15. Heckin’
Pronunciation:
HEK-in
Definition:
To an extreme degree
In a Sentence:
“I saw this heckin’ fast Whippet at the flyball event.”
As a semi-curse word in DoggoLingo, heckin’ is sometimes censored as h*ckin.’
16. Hooman
Pronunciation:
HOO-man
Definition:
A meme-worthy term referring to a dog’s owner
In a Sentence:
“I may be her owner, but my dog’s favorite hooman has always been my dad.”
Image Credit: trofalenaRV, Shutterstock
17. Mlem
Pronunciation:
Mlem
Definition:
A noun or verb referring to a dog sticking out a large part of their tongue, often in a more intentional manner than a blep
In a Sentence:
“Whenever my dog will mlem, it is my cue to feed him.”
Mlem is meant to mimic the sound of a dog sticking out their tongue. The onomatopoeia has been in regular use since 2013.
18. Pupper
Pronunciation:
PUH-per
Definition:
A small dog, typically a puppy, though it can apply to any beloved dog
In a Sentence:
“We’ve got to pick up the pupper from daycare later.”
For even more flair, you can lengthen this to “pupperino” when referring to a cute dog.
19. Smol
Pronunciation:
Smawl
Definition:
An adjective for an adorably undersized dog
In a Sentence:
“Who could resist giving this smol pupper some snuggles?”
“You can tell my boy’s getting nervous when he licks his snoot like that.”
21. Sploot
Pronunciation:
Sploot
Definition:
A dog’s body position with their belly on the ground and all legs spread out in front and behind them
In a Sentence:
“She was so exhausted after the walk; my fur baby did a sploot as soon as she walked in the door.”
Sploot may come from the word “splat,” referencing how dogs look like they landed in position. Alternatively, it could stem from the word “split,” as pups look like they are doing the doggy equivalent of the human gymnastic move.
22. Yapper
Pronunciation:
YAP-per
Definition:
A larger-than-life little dog that likes to vocalize
In a Sentence:
“My Chi is the biggest yapper ever, especially when guests arrive.”
Image Credit: nadisja, Shutterstock
23. Zoomies
Pronunciation:
ZOO-mees
Definition:
A frantic, energized state where a dog runs around the house or spins rapidly in circles
In a Sentence:
“My dog had such a bad case of the zoomies, I thought he was going to burn a hole in my carpet!”
"Zoomies" isn’t unique to DoggoLingo and has been used since at least the early to mid-2000s. The more scientific term for zoomies is frenetic random activity periods (FARPs).
Conclusion
The DoggoLingo dictionary is still a work in progress as global dog fans form the ever-growing lexicon. Keeping up can be hard work, but it is necessary for anyone trying to contribute to the online community of adoring owners. Study up on these essential parts of dog slang to ensure you fit right in and are never misunderstood.
Nicole has loved animals of all sizes her whole life so it's no wonder she has dedicated her career to helping them through what she loves best: learning, writing, and sharing knowledge with others. She’s the proud mom of two dogs, a cat, and a human. With a degree in Education and 15+ years of writing experience, Nicole wants to help pet parents and pets around the planet to live happy, safe, and healthy lives.
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