pooch
A dog — usually the mutt on the porch, not a show champion.
Also called dog, mutt.
Updated September 24, 2026
pooch pronunciation
/POOCH/
Meaning
Casual word for a dog, especially a mixed-breed yard dog that barks at trucks and sleeps under the porch. In rural Southern talk it sits next to hound, mutt, and pup without getting fancy. Friendly tone most of the time — you're calling the dog a pooch, not writing its pedigree papers.
How folks use it
- “That old pooch won't let a stranger past the gate.”
- “Keep the chicken scraps for the pooch under the porch.”
Origin and etymology
American slang for dog by the early 1900s. Exact roots are unknown — guesses include a German lapdog name (Putzi), a Scots pouch/pooch for a pocket-sized dog, or just a pet name that stuck. Not invented in the South, but it fits easy in redneck porch talk alongside every other name for a farm dog.