pound puppy

American

[pound puhp-ee] / ˈpaʊnd ˌpʌp i /

noun

a dog, especially a puppy, residing in or adopted from a pound or shelter.

Our family decided to get a pound puppy, but we couldn’t agree on which one—that’s why we now have three dogs!

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

pound puppies

plural

Etymology

Origin of pound puppy

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She was as vulnerable as a pound puppy yet resolute and determined to find what she needed to live the life she wished for.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2022

Richard is as lovable as Junn is difficult, and Whishaw seems to be channeling a pound puppy for the role.

From Washington Post

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023