Introduction
The phrase “my dogs are barking” is a common idiomatic expression that means “my feet hurt.” It is typically used to indicate that someone’s feet are sore or aching, often from too much standing, walking, or running. The word “dogs” is slang that refers to a person’s feet, while “barking” means hurting or aching. So saying “my dogs are barking” is a colorful and conversational way of saying one’s feet are in pain or discomfort.
This idiom likely originated in the early 20th century from the English working classes, especially in London. The cockney rhyming slang “plates of meat” was used to refer to feet. Over time this evolved into “dog’s meat” and eventually “dogs” as slang for feet. Pairing this slang with “barking” meaning hurting or aching resulted in the phrase “my dogs are barking.” It became a commonly used informal expression, especially in Britain, to indicate sore feet.
Origin and History
The expression “my dogs are barking” can be traced back to journalist T. Dorgan, who worked for the New York Evening Journal in the early 20th century. Dorgan coined many colorful phrases, often using imagery of animals or body parts to convey meanings creatively. According to sources, Dorgan first used the phrase “my dogs are barking” in print in around 1910.
The phrase was meant metaphorically, with “dogs” referring to feet and “barking” referring to soreness or fatigue. So “my dogs are barking” painted a vivid word picture of one’s feet being tired or hurting after, for example, a long day of walking or standing.
While Dorgan is credited with popularizing this phrase, similar expressions can be found before his time. In the 19th century, phrases like “my trotters are talking to me” were used, with “trotters” being slang for feet at the time. So the notion of using imaginative language to describe foot pain has been around for over a century.
But it was Dorgan’s memorable version using “dogs barking” that really caught on. By the 1920s, the phrase was firmly established in the American vernacular as a colorful way to say one’s feet hurt.
Literal Meaning
The phrase “my dogs are barking” refers literally to the barking sound dogs make. When someone says their “dogs are barking,” they do not mean they actually own noisy canines. Rather, it is a figure of speech meaning that their feet hurt or are sore https://petcureoncology.com/how-to-tell-if-your-dog-is-in-pain/. This metaphorical usage links the discomfort and pain in a person’s feet to a dog’s tendency to bark when it is in pain or distress https://www.petmd.com/dog/behavior/why-do-dogs-bark. Just as a dog will vocalize with barks and whimpers when it is hurting, saying “my dogs are barking” uses this canine behavior to refer to the ache someone feels in their feet.
Metaphorical Use
The phrase “my dogs are barking” is commonly used as a metaphor to refer to having sore or hurting feet. Though the expression literally references dogs barking, it is used idiomatically to indicate foot pain or discomfort in humans.
When someone says “my dogs are barking,” they don’t actually mean that their canine pets are making noise. Rather, they are using imaginative, figurative language to describe the sensation of aching feet. The metaphor makes a comparison between the imagined sound of barking dogs and the throbbing or soreness felt in one’s feet.
This metaphorical use of “barking dogs” to describe foot pain is believed to have originated in the early 20th century in the United States, particularly in Southern regions. It became a colorful way to indirectly say that one’s feet hurt rather than stating it bluntly. The phrase likely caught on due to its humor and imagery.
Today, saying “my dogs are barking” is common slang for communicating foot discomfort or pain. It is generally understood, especially in informal contexts, that the speaker is referring to their own aching feet rather than noisy canines. This metaphor allows people to creatively describe body pain using an idiomatic phrase.
Reasons for Use
The phrase “my dogs are barking” serves as a colorful way to call attention to one’s foot discomfort or pain. By referring to their feet as “dogs” that are “barking,” the speaker uses metaphorical language to indirectly communicate that their feet are hurting. This turns an otherwise mundane complaint into a more vivid, memorable, and joking manner of expressing the sensation of sore or aching feet.
Some reasons why people opt for this metaphorical phrase rather than simply stating “my feet hurt” include:
- It adds humor and lightheartedness to the conversation.
- It avoids directly complaining or whining about pain.
- It conjures a silly visual image of tiny dogs yapping on one’s feet.
- The novelty grabs listeners’ attention.
- It shows creativity with language.
So in summary, “my dogs are barking” allows speakers to communicate foot pain in a figurative, humorous way. The evocative and absurd mental picture it evokes makes it an appealing alternative to plainly stating that one’s feet hurt.
Regional Differences
The idiom “my dogs are barking” appears to be more common in certain regional dialects of English, especially in the Southern United States. According to sources, the phrase seems to have originated in the south and is still frequently used in that region today. Some examples:
– According to the website Your Foot Palace, “my dogs are barking” is common terminology in reflexology and foot massage, especially in the south. https://yourfootpalace.com/my-dogs-are-barking-translation-my-feet-hurt/
– On Quora, several users note hearing the phrase mainly from relatives or others in the Southern U.S. One commenter says it was commonly heard in Texas. https://www.quora.com/When-and-where-did-the-saying-The-dogs-are-barking-which-means-ones-feet-are-hurting-originate
While the idiom may not be as widely known outside of the south, it does appear in national media at times as well. But the regional origins seem clear based on current usage.
Related Expressions
There are several other animal-related phrases and expressions that are also used to indicate body pain or discomfort in humans:
Horses’ feet: This phrase refers to having painful, sore feet and may stem from issues common in horses’ hooves. Horses can experience a variety of hoof ailments that lead to foot pain, such as navicular disease, laminitis, and abscesses.[1]
Barking spiders: This whimsical phrase is thought to have originated in Australia and is used humorously to refer to flatulence or gas pains. The imagery suggests noisy “barking” gastrointestinal distress.[2]
Other animals like crabs, frogs, and monkeys are also sometimes invoked in sayings about body pain, continuing the tradition of using animal imagery to express discomfort.
Use in Pop Culture
The expression “my dogs are barking” has been used in various forms of pop culture over the years. In music, the phrase was included in songs by artists like Lil Wayne, Busta Rhymes, and Nelly to reference tired or aching feet. On television, the idiom has popped up in shows like The Simpsons, with Homer Simpson complaining “my dogs are barking” after a long day at work.
The phrase has also been used in movies like Anchorman, with Will Ferrell’s character Ron Burgundy exclaiming “Wow, my dogs are really barking today!” after a rough news broadcast. Across pop culture, “my dogs are barking” has become a humorous way to express fatigue or foot pain in an informal and silly manner.
Medical Explanations
The saying “my dogs are barking” refers to the sensation of pain or discomfort in the feet that feels similar to the sound of a dog barking. There are several medical conditions that can cause this type of foot pain and lead someone to use this expression.
One common cause is nerve damage or neuropathy in the feet. This can happen from diabetes, chemotherapy, vitamin deficiencies, infections, and other conditions. Damaged nerves misfire and send abnormal signals to the brain that are perceived as pain, tingling, or burning in the feet. This can create a feeling like having sore feet that “bark” with every step.
Arthritis and joint issues in the feet can also make it feel like your “dogs are barking.” Medical conditions like osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout cause inflammation, stiffness, and pain in the joints. As the protective cartilage breaks down, bone rubs against bone creating severe discomfort that some describe as their feet barking at them.
Problems with the bones, ligaments, and soft tissues in the feet are another source of this barking sensation. Issues like plantar fasciitis, bunions, hammertoes, and fallen arches put pressure on nerves and tissues that relay signals of pain and irritation. This can make the feet feel like they are barking in complaint.
In essence, saying “my dogs are barking” expresses that sensation of pronounced discomfort, irritation, and pain centralized in the feet as if they are loudly vocalizing their distress. A number of medical conditions can generate these signals leading someone to feel like their feet are angrily barking at them.
Conclusion
In summary, the expression “my dogs are barking” refers to having sore or aching feet, usually from standing or walking too much. While seemingly unrelated to actual dog barking, this phrase likely emerged as a metaphorical way to describe painful or tired feet.
The saying appears to have originated in parts of the American South in the early 20th century, though its exact origins are unclear. It joins many other colorful idioms in the English language that use figurative language to describe physical sensations.
While not as common today, people continue using “my dogs are barking” and similar expressions to paint a vivid picture of their sore feet. The phrase endures as an amusing way to convey this universal human experience and the need to rest one’s weary feet after too much time upright. Its quirky metaphor reminds us how easily we can relate our own feelings to images of man’s best friend.