dog's life

Idioms  

1. A miserably unhappy existence, as in He's been leading a dog's life since his wife left him. This expression was first recorded in a 16th-century manuscript and alludes to the miserable subservient existence of dogs during this era. By the 1660s there was a proverb: “It's a dog's life, hunger and ease.”

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Example Sentences

“That’s what I’d want, is that they’d really value their dog’s life and give their dog its best chance of having a full, long life.”

From New York Times • May 5, 2024

Spending time with a dog is one of the most consistently effective ways to improve a dog's life in the shelter.

From Science Daily • Nov. 15, 2023

It’s a dog’s life, I’ve heard it said, which apparently means eating steak and caviar, whereas everything I eat comes out of a can.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 1, 2023

A typical dog's life doesn't feature thousands of acres to roam, or lavish meals - prepared in the royal kitchens - of steak, chicken breast, vegetables and rice.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2022

“What’s the dog’s life to me? If it pleases you, then it shall happen.”

From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas