As a pet owner, we know all too well that our pups are just some of the cutest things on earth. Sometimes, the adorableness goes on overload that we just don’t have words to describe how it makes us feel. In some cases, these adorable moments also give birth to new words that perfectly encapsulate the irresistible charm of our fur babies. Here are some dog-related words and slangs pet owners are using nowadays.
1. Sploot
A sploot is a dog’s adorable way of stretching as its belly rests on the floor and its back legs are stretched out instead of under it. Like the way the word sounds, it’s when your pups plop down on the floor in the cutest of manner. It’s one of those moments that you can’t help but grab your phone immediately so you can capture just how adorable they look.
2. Doggo
One of the rather older terms most people use, this word simply means “dog.” It’s simply a cuter version of “dog” and is commonly used as a term of endearment for your fur babies when they behave so nicely. But while this word sprang from the term “dog” it may also be used to describe other animals such as “water doggos” referring to seals, or “cluck cluck doggos” for chickens.
3. Snoot
This word isn’t originally slang, and is actually an official word that can be found in the dictionary. It pertains to a snout or a nose, and although we humans don’t normally use this term to refer to our noses, it’s a perfect word to describe a pup’s nose. Almost like a combination of the sounds of “sniff”, “snoop”, and “snot” which, to be totally honest, are common words that can be associated with our mutts’ noses.
4. Toe Beans
As dog owners, we’ve probably fallen in love one too many times over the cuteness of those pads under our puppies’ paws, especially when they’re still so tiny. We’re all guilty of caressing those pads and enjoying just how smooth they are. Well, now there’s also an equally adorable term for that — toe beans. And if you come to think about it, they do look like a bunch of beans near the toes of your pups. What a cute and appropriate name, right?
5. Boop
Doggos crave quite a bunch of attention so it’s not rare for them to stick their cute snoots into your faces. And when this happens, you won’t be able to resist the urge to tap their noses accompanied by the cute sound of the word “boop.” And that is exactly what this word means, and where it originated.
6. Zoomies
You all might think that this term refers to doggos wanting some attention while you’re in a zoom meeting, but it’s not. Zoomies are something all of us are familiar with. It’s that sudden burst of energy our pups get causing them to just keep running around, zooming from one end of the living room to another. We don’t really get what gives them the zoomies, but we enjoy watching them have a go at it anyway.
7. Derp
Unlike most words on this list, the term ‘derp’ is not limited to cats and dogs. It can also be an alternative for such expressions of stupidity as “duh” or “dur.” In recent years, derp has become associated with clumsy, clueless, or the silly-looking, dumb expression cats and dogs make. A pet with a tongue perpetually hanging out of its mouth, like Marnie or Lil Bub, is the textbook definition of being derpy.
8. Mlem
Mlems and bleps, though very closely related, aren’t exactly the same. While blep is a passive state of being, mlem is active. It’s what happens when a dog flicks its tongue in and out of its mouth, whether to slurp up water, taste food, or just lick the air in a derpy fashion.
9. Blep
Have you ever caught your fur baby sticking its tongue out, but not really sticking its tongue out? You know those moments when they are lying on the floor and have just the tip of their tongues out as if trying to taste the air around? Well, there’s a term for that and it’s called a “blep.” It’s more common among cats, but dogs also do this and when they do, it’s just the most adorable thing to see.
10. Bork
A word for bark. Often, in this fascinating dog-terminology world, words are created by switching out one vowel for another. In this case, the “a” was simply changed to an “o.” Dogs no longer bark, they bork. If you listen closely to a talkative dog, it actually sounds like they’re saying “bork.”
11. Floof
Some dogs barely have any fur; others have coats so huge that hair appears to make up the bulk of their body weight. Floofy animals will famously leave a wake of fur wherever they sit and can squeeze through tight spaces despite their enormous mass. Samoyeds, Pomeranians, and Persian cats are all prime examples of floofs.
12. Teef
This is another one that is pretty self-explanatory. Teef or teefies are when your pet shows off their teeth to you. See the pattern here? It might be a smile or just an awkward look they give you when their lip gets stuck on their teeth.
13. Boof
In addition to borking, dogs also boof. A boof is a lower, deeper bark — where they may not even open their mouth if slightly intimidated or if they know they will get yelled at for being loud.
14. Smol
Some pets are so tiny and cute that calling them small doesn’t cut it. Using the word “smol” to describe a dog means that they are a super little puppy and extra cute.
15. Pupper/Pupperino
Pupper is just like doggo, but it is used to describe a puppy. Some people also use it to describe full-grown dogs that they find extra adorable.
16. Awoo
When your dog howls, this is the sound that humans use to represent the howl — think “Awoooooooooooo!” It can also be used as a verb, such as “My doggo sure knows how to awoo!” It’s a lot of fun!
17. Chonky
If your dog is on the chunky side, you might refer to him as thicc or chonky, but you use it in an absolutely loving way.
18. Absolute Unit
Think of the biggest, fluffiest, most large-and-in-charge pet you’ve ever seen. That is an absolute unit. The term was invented to describe exceptionally giant, majestic, or otherwise exceptional animals — but its usage doesn’t end there — you can also use this term for almost anything from pizza to cars. But don’t let the seriousness of the phrase fool you. Absolute units aren’t mean or aggressive, just epically large.
You want to hug an absolute unit like a St. Bernard — all St. Bernards are absolute units.
Now that you’ve learned some of the newest dog-related words, go and start using them to refer to your pets and their quirky habits. You’ll be surprised how many of your paw parent friends are into these trendy slangs too.
