Poor Fido. Sick as a dog

I had so much fun with the “love” theme in February, that I’m going for a theme in March, too. This month- it’s all about animals. If you’ve got an animal-related idiom, put it in the ol’ comment box below or put it in over on the contact page. I’ve already got more than I can squeeze into this month, but if you suggest some, then I can pick the most fun and interesting ones. We can save the others for a few years from now when I’m running out of ideas.

Photo Credit: www.jr247.net via Stock.Xchng

I haven’t been a dog-owner in a while and I’d forgotten what sick doggies are like, but our newest furbaby Ginger reminded me a few minutes into our car ride home from the shelter, and again a few minutes after that, and again a few minutes after that… and so on. Gratefully, her tummy has adapted very well now to my car and she rarely gets sick. But, when she does get sick- it’s this foamy, watery mess and there’s so much of it! I don’t say that to gross you out, but to help you get a better grasp on what it might be like to actually be as sick as a dog.

The idiom seems to have been around for a very long time, which makes finding it’s true start a bit hard. But, we do know that it was listed in Cambridge Dictionary of American Idioms (I’ll take issue with that in a second) as having been around since at least the 1500′s. I’d buy that, that it’s been around that long, but I don’t buy the American roots- if that’s what that title means (American Idioms- as in started in America?, maybe it’s just for idioms commonly said here). Because being sick in America usually means you’re feeling ill, but being sick in British-speaking places means you’re vomitting. According to my search sources anyway. (UK friends, feel free to chime in.) And reading “sick” as a dog as “vomitting” like a dog makes a heck of a lot more sense if we’re talking about the drama of a sick dog.

First, there’s the lying around. Then there’s no eating or drinking. Then the panting. Then that gagging and heaving. At last, we’re left with a very gross mess. If your dog is an angel about it, she’ll do it someplace easy to clean-up, like that floor protector under my desk chair. But, if she can’t be an angel, or just isn’t one, then it can be in your shoe, or right outside your bedroom door, or on that new area rug you just bought. THAT is what being as sick as a dog is.

Many of these sources are citing 1705 as the first time that idiom was used in print, but no one has the name of the source or its author. But I think it’s fair to say it was definitely in use before then.

Speaking of dogs, I need to go take mine out. I hope you enjoyed this. I look forward to digging (ha, ha) into more animal-idioms this month with you.

Sending a shout-out to Origin of the Word’s fan club president, Catrina Bradley for a slew of suggestions, this post’s among them.