The Secret Language of Dog People

Published March 22, 2012

Chris Fertnig

Admit it - you use a ton of weird words when you talk to your dog.

My husband and I have an embarrassing secret language we use when we talk to our dogs. We never do it in front of other people. We know that we sound ridiculous. But we don't stop. We can't stop. Why? Because our dogs are cutesel rittle ritsies with rittle toofies in their moufs! Because they love to pay-pay with their toy-toys! If they walk through the mud, we make sure to wipe their pawsels and footsels. If they're *really* dirty they get a baffie baff. And at the end of the day, when they're ti-ti from all the pay-pay and chewing on boney maronies, they go to their beddie-bed and go to seepie-seep. Did that make you retch? No? That means you do it too! I did an informal poll on Facebook and discovered that not only do most dog owners have a secret goofy dog language, but that many of the words we use are similar! Here are just a few examples:

  • Stummy: tummy
  • Snuffers: kiss
  • Crunchies: treats
  • Prit prit/prebby: pretty
  • Nummers: meals
  • Baffers: bath
  • Peep: sleep
  • Wittle: little
  • Friz: Frisbee

There's no end to the weird words we all use, as well as the derivative nicknames for our dogs (but that's another post.) Care to share your wacked-out dog words with the world?

Author's profile photo
Victoria Schade Victoria Schade has been a dog trainer for over eleven years. During that time she has worked on…

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Comments (13)

May (Unverified)
For some reason, yum yum or yummies for supper or breakfast time.
Patricia Moran (Unverified)
I laugh to see how many of the same "words" we share with our animals. My dog, Daisy, had a long nose that she would nudege, or "boop" us with, therefore, a dog nose became a "booper".
Anonymous (Unverified)
I do the same things with my cats (who think they're dogs) I tell them they made a "dinky" in the litter box (stinky). I tell them it's "behfie" time (breakfast). I also use the word "wittle" and I ask if they're "tie-wode" (tired). I have others, but these are the ones I can think of now.
southside dog owner (Unverified)
Sorry, but you people are weird. I’ve owned dogs for 40 years and never heard of this drivel.
Anonymous (Unverified)
I am w/Southside. I have never heard of this drivel and I have worked in the pet industry. It's as creepy as the people that dress up their dogs in clothing and costumes. I treat my dogs w/the respect and the love they deserve. Watching a human baby talk w/a dog is a real turn off.
Anonymous (Unverified)
When it's snowy outside and our dogs come in all cold and with snowballs in their fur I call them "pupsicles" and now my husband does too. :)
Anonymous (Unverified)
Big-time walkiees,chickie time (when he smells chicken),make doo doo for mommy,chewies,crunchies, behind the ear skritchees!