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.”

---

Example Sentences

The people with the rescue group told him they were unaware of the events in the dog’s life that would have led to this.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2025

“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

"Almost two years is a significant difference in a dog's life," said co-corresponding author Danika Bannasch, Maxine Adler Endowed Chair in genetics with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

From Science Daily • Oct. 19, 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