You Idiom!

I have friends who aren't native English speakers. Sometimes I'll say something that confuses them. They'll ask me to explain but even then it doesn't make much sense. Have you ever given any thought to some of the things we say? Take idioms, which are phrases that represent something totally different from their literal meaning. For example, if I say that my neighbor "kicked the bucket" you know that he died. My foreign friends, however, think that the guy next door banged his foot against a pail. For this Thoughtless Thursday I'm sharing some of the crazy dog idioms we use regularly. How many do you know?

• Call Off the Dogs -- Stop attacking or criticizing someone
• Dog and Pony Show -- An elaborate performance or event put on to convince or distract people
• Dog Days of Summer -- The hot, nasty days between early July and early September
• Dog Eat Dog -- A situation where people will do anything to be successful even if it hurts others
• Every Dog Has Its Day -- Everyone is happy or successful at some time
• Fight Like Cats and Dogs -- To argue violently and all the time
• Go See a Man About a Dog -- A euphemism for relieving one's bladder (Sometimes the word "horse" is used instead of "dog." Regardless of the animal, it's still about peeing.)
• Hair of the Dog -- An alcoholic drink to cure the hangover from drinking too much alcohol the night before
• Hot Diggity Dog -- An expression of excitement and delight
• If You Lie Down With Dogs, You Get Up With Fleas -- If you associate with unsavory people you'll pick up their bad habits
• It's a Dog's Life -- Life is hard and unpleasant
• Let Sleeping Dogs Lie -- A warning not to instigate trouble
• Like a Dog With a Bone -- Grabbing hold of something and not letting go
• Shaggy Dog Story -- A long-winded story of irrelevant incidents that usually ends with a pointless punch line
• Tail Wagging the Dog -- A situation where the least important part has too much influence over the most important part
• The Dog Ate My Homework -- A poor excuse for something that isn't done on time
• Three Dog Night -- So cold you would need three dogs in bed with you to keep warm (Also, an awesome Rock and Roll band from the 1970's)
• Thrown to the Dogs -- To abandon someone to enemies or evil
• Top Dog -- The most important and powerful person in a group
• You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks -- It's difficult to change after doing something the same way for a long time

Did I leave out any of your favorites? Let me know! Then hop around and see what silliness others are sharing on this Thoughtless Thursday. -- K