An Insider's Guide To Internet Dog Terminology

Now that dogs are officially more popular than cats on the internet, it's time we all learned the language of our new overlords. Not dogs' own language, per se, but the appropriate language with which to talk about them.

Two dogs barking
credit: Imgur

Like anything internet-based, there is much debate around the exact origins of these terms. However, it seems that many of them likely stem from posts on 4chan, Reddit, or Tumblr.

Here's a guide to some of the most-used dog slang on the internet. This list is by no means exhaustive.

Doge: a dog. This term was used originally to describe a Shiba Inu.

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Doggo: a dog. Important note: while this can technically be a dog of any size, it is most often used to denote a dog of medium to large size.

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Floof: a very fluffy dog (or occasionally, other animal).

Pupper: in contrast to "doggo," "pupper" usually means a dog of smaller size. See this important Reddit thread about the difference between pupper and doggo.

Woofer: a very large dog, like an Irish Wolfhound or a Great Dane. Larger than a doggo and much larger than a pupper.

Smol: small.

Bork: the sound a dog makes. A more accurate representation than the word "bark."

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Boop: to affectionately touch with one finger, as in "boop the snoot." (See below.)

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Snoot: a dog's nose, usually that of a dog with a longer snout.

Blep: when a dog's tongue is sticking out just a little bit.

Doin me a __: This is how dogs speak when they are concerned, frightened, worried, etc. Proper usage is "doin me a concern," "doin me a frighten," or "doin me a worry."

Heckin: How a dog swears, and how to swear when talking about a dog. As far as I can tell, this now-ubiquitous swear word was coined by We Rate Dogs creator Matt Nelson.

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As the internet evolves, so too does the language of dogs. By the time this article goes up, there may very well be a whole new set of words. Whatever happens, just remember: doggos come in many shapes and sizes, but they are all good dogs.