Australian Slang For Dog (Helpful Content!)

Generic Australian slang terms for dog include common terms like “mutt” or “pooch”. More specifically Australian slang terms include things like “Bitzer” for a mongrel dog, “Bluey” for a working cattle dog, and “Kelpie” for an Australian sheepdog. More modern slang terms used commonly in Australia include “doggo” and “woofer” or “pupper” for puppy.

Depending on the context, then, an Australian might use a variety of different slang terms for a dog.

It could be that they are specifically calling the dog a mongrel or a mutt to scold it, or just as a term that someone who doesn’t like dogs might use.

Other than that, most terms that you’ll hear anywhere in the English-speaking world have also taken hold in Australia.

Let’s find out more.

In This Article

What do Australians call dogs?

Australians have a wide range of names for dogs and the precise term they use is going to be context dependent.

Perhaps the most generic and universally applicable terms are things like “mutt” or “pooch”.

These don’t necessarily carry any specific connotations, they don’t refer to a specific breed or kind of dog, and they aren’t mean or denigrating.

These terms, of course, are also widely used outside of Australia and aren’t even really thought of as being attached to any one country.

They are more or less universal English slang terms.

“Where has that mutt gotten to?” for example.

There are a few specifically Australian slang terms for dog, though.

“Bitzer” is a very commonly used slang term in Australia to refer to a mongrel dog.

That is to say, this is a term you would use for a feral dog, one that doesn’t live with people but out in the wild or urban areas, and is perhaps very sickly and unhealthy.

It is, in that sense, more or less interchangeable with the word “mongrel”.

“There are bitzers all around there, be careful,” for example.

A “Kelpie” is a common slang term for the specific breed of dog known as the Australian sheepdog.

As the name implies, these dogs were indeed originally bred for herding sheep though they are now commonly kept as pets even off the farmland.

A “bluey” is also a name for a working dog in Australia, specifically the Australian cattle dog breed.

Again, these were originally bred for the purpose of farm work but are now popular just as household pets.

There are many other generic slang terms that have become popular in recent years like “doggo” though these are not nearly as widely used and limited to the younger generations.

Let’s find out where these terms come from.

Why do Australians say “mutt”?

The word “mutt” is fairly common in the English speaking world, though it definitely has its own uniquely Australian character in Australia.

It’s relatively old; unsurprisingly given how common it is, though the origin is not precisely clear.

It was in use by at least 1898 of dogs and probably much earlier, and especially referred to stupid dogs.

The word was also used of a stupid person, and this was probably a shortening of “muttonhead”.

This was derived from “meathead”, meaning someone with nothing going on in their head.

When exactly it became common in Australia is obviously very hard to say.

It was more common in America though also used in Britain, so it could have spread to Australia from either of these places over the course of the 20^th Century.

Why do Australians say “bitzer”?

“Bitzer” is more or less synonymous with mutt or mongrel, indicating a stupid, dirty or otherwise less-than-perfect dog.

The origin, though, is unknown. It’s thought that it could be from “bits” and “er”, referring to the fact that mongrel dogs are not purebred but unknown combinations of many other kinds of feral dog.

The Z spelling may have been influenced by breeds like the Shih Tzu, though as I say none of this is certain.

It may also have been in imitation of the German word Betze, although this specifically meant “bitch”.

We just don’t know!

Why do Australians say “pooch”?

Pooch is another fairly generic English language slang term, but one you’ll certainly hear in Australia.

This one is a bit of a nicer slang term that people mostly use about dogs in an endearing way.

This is another one that was originally American, and is first attested in 1917.

It is also of unknown origin though before this it was a name that people would give to dogs.

There are several possible origins for the term, including the Alaskan native word for whiskey, or the Harvard coach “Pooch” Donovan who was in the news a lot at this time.

What else do Australians call dogs?

Today, the internet has spawned a great many new slang terms for dog that have taken hold among certain groups in Australia.

These include things like “doggo”, “pupper” and “woofer”, which are all meant as cutesy, endearing slang terms for dog used by Australians.

A lot of slang for dogs, then, is a bit scolding and some might say mean.

There are many slang old terms for dirty, ill or otherwise unkempt dogs, which might be why so many modern , endearing terms have arisen to describe dogs today.

That said, there are of course many generic slang terms for dogs that are not so scolding but are widely used, so there’s a huge variety of terms used in Australia.

More in Australian Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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