Dog Language

Woof! No, we're not talking about dog-speak, but rather we're speaking about your dog. Are there terms related to dogs that have you confused? Hopefully this list will help. If not, please contact us with your term and we'll try to define it. Please note that some of the definitions are humorous -- they are marked with a :-) -- so please don't take them seriously!

• Action -- The way a dog moves.
• Apron -- Long chest hair beneath the neck. Frill.
• Badger -- A type of hair coloring that consists of a fine blending of brown, grey, black, and white.
• Beard -- Thick, long hair on the underneath part of the muzzle.
• Belton -- A type of hair coloring that is a mixture of white and another color.
• Bird Dog -- A dog that tracks birds by scent in the air (not on the ground).
• Blaze-- White makring between the eyes and down the nose.
• Bloom -- The shine of a healthy coat.
• Blue -- Almost black.
• Blue Merle -- A type of hair coloring that consists of a blending of blue, grey, and black hairs.
• Brace -- A pair of dogs.
• Brindle -- A type of hair coloring and patterning where there is an even mixture of black hair in lines over a brown, grey, or tan coat.
• Burr -- The inside of the ear.
• Canines -- Pointed molars in the upper and in the lower jaws.
• Chiselled -- A head that is very clean-cut between the eyes.
• Chops -- Jowls.
• Coursing -- Hunting, usually of hare.
• Cross Bred -- A dog with parents of different breeds.
• Dam -- The female parent.
• Dew-claw -- An extra toe on the inside of the leg that is often, but not always, removed.
• Dewlap -- Loose, pendulous skin beneath the throat.
• Ectropion -- A condition that results in inward-turning eyelids.
• Entropion -- A condition that results in outward-turning eyelids.
• Eyeteeth -- The upper canines.
• Fault -- Any trait of a dog that conflicts with its breed's standard.
• Field Trial -- An outdoors competition in which dogs are judged for their ability to track, point, and/or retrieve.
• Flare -- A blaze that widens towards the skull.
• Frill -- Long chest hair beneath the neck. Apron.
• Gait -- This term is used to describe how a dog is moving -- the manner and the rhythm. Some gaits: walking, trotting, and running.
• Gazehound -- See Sight Hound.
• Greyhound -- A type of hunting dog with exceptional eyesight and speed.
• Griffon -- A dog with coarse hair similar to a terrier.
• Hardheaded -- That's what a terrier is! :-)
• Harlequin -- A type of coloring pattern that is patchy, usually black on a white background.
• Hip Dysplasia -- A condition where the hip joint is not formed properly. The socket is shallow and the head of the femur is not well rounded.
• Hound -- A dog that hunts by sight or by scent.
• Hund -- German for dog.
• Husky -- A cross-bred sled dog.
• Linty -- A soft-textured coat.
• Lion -- Tawny.
• Liver -- A deep brown.
• Mantle -- The dark hair on the shoulders, back, and sides.
• Mastiff -- A large, strong dog with drooping ears and pendulous lips.
• Merle  -- Blue grey with black flecks.
• Milk Teeth -- Baby teeth (the first teeth).
• Pedigree  -- The written record of a pure-bred dogs ancestry (lineage).
• Pile -- Soft, dense undercoat.
• Point -- The stance a hunting dog takes to indicate the location of game. The dog remains completely still while holding the stance.
• Retriever -- A hunting dog that can be trained to pick up shot game.
• Ruff -- Long, thick hair around the neck.
• Setter -- A type of dog that has long hair and that freezes when it spots game, only moving when commanded to flush out the game.
• Sheep Dog -- A dog trained to guard and herd sheep.
• Shepherd Dog -- A sheep dog.
• Sight Hound  -- A hound that tracks its prey by sight (rather than smell). Examples are Borzoi, Greyhounds, and Irish Wolfhounds.
• Sire -- The male parent.
• Site Hound -- A puppy that spends all day surfin' the web. :-)  Not to be confused with a sight hound.
• Spitz -- A type of northern dog that has a wedge-shaped head with erect, pointy ears, a thick coat, and a powerful build.
• Terrier -- A small dog bred to hunt rodents, rabbits, and other small game.
• Withers -- The highest point on a dog's body (except for the head), it is located behind the neck.

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