that dog won't hunt
That plan, excuse, or idea ain't gonna work.
Also called that old dog won't hunt.
Updated September 24, 2026
that dog won't hunt pronunciation
/that DAWG wont HUNT/
Meaning
You say it when a scheme, pitch, or alibi has no legs. Picture a hunting dog that lays on the porch instead of running game. Same judgment lands on a bad business idea, a weak apology, or a story that does not add up. Pointed, but usually more dry than angry.
How folks use it
- “Raise the rent and cut the hours? That dog won't hunt.”
- “He blamed the truck, but that dog won't hunt — I saw him leave the keys in the bar.”
Origin and etymology
American hunting metaphor, in print by the 1840s. It echoes the older British line "that cock won't fight." Southern and Ozark talk kept it common, and Lyndon Johnson helped push it into national politics as a folksy way to kill a bad proposal.
Frequently asked questions
Is it about an actual dog?
Only as a picture. You are saying the plan will not do the job, like a dog that will not hunt.