What Do the Dog 🐕 🐶 Emojis Mean Online or over Text?

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A guide to using and replying to every dog emoji in the pack
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There’s a whole pack of emoji dogs on your keyboard, and just like your own furry friend, they’re more than “just a dog.” The 🐕 (dog), 🐶 (dog face), 🐩 (poodle), 🦮 (guide dog), and 🐕‍🦺 (service dog) can all represent various pets or animals, as well as virtuous dog traits like loyalty and playfulness. In this article, we’ll break down what each emoji means and show you how to use and reply to them like a pro.

Things You Should Know

  • Use 🐕 (dog), 🐶 (dog face), or 🐩 (poodle) to refer to your pets, specific dogs, or animals in general.
  • Send 🦮 (guide dog) or 🐕‍🦺 (service dog) to talk about dogs that help people with impairments or disabilities.
  • Use any dog emoji to reference positive dog qualities like playfulness, cuteness, loyalty, or an overall good vibe or nature.
Section 1 of 4:

Dog Emoji Meanings & Descriptions

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  1. Step 1 🐕 (Dog)
    The basic dog emoji shows a light brown dog with a curled tail and perked ears that resembles a Shiba Inu (although the design may look different from platform to platform). Use this emoji to represent your own beloved pet, any dog in general, or famous dogs from TV and film.
    • “Idk what I would do without my adorable pupper 💗🐕”
    • “I love the movie Balto! That was my favorite as a kid 🐕”
  2. Step 2 🐶 (Dog Face)
    This emoji shows a friendly, cartoonish dog or puppy face looking straight ahead with white fur and brown ears and spots. Like the 🐕 emoji, send 🐶 to talk about your favorite dogs, whether they’re your own pet or a friendly doggo from down the block or TV. The dog face emoji has a more playful tone than the regular dog, although they generally have the same meanings.[1]
    • “I wish I had the time to adopt a puppy. I miss my childhood dog so much 🐶😭”
    • “I heard some rustling in the yard and found the neighbor’s new dog playing in our pile of leaves lol 🐶😂🍂”
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  3. Step 3 🐩 (Poodle)
    This emoji features a grayish-white poodle with the iconic, fluffy poodle haircut. Use this emoji to talk about poodles specifically, or dogs in general. Since poodles are known for being a little high-maintenance (that coat takes a lot of upkeep to stay snazzy!), try using it to lightheartedly tease someone when they’re taking a long time to get ready or have a lot of specific needs.
    • “I saw the most gorgeously groomed poodle on my walk to work today 🐩”
    • “I think a poodle’s haircut takes less time than yours! 🐩😆”
  4. Step 4 🦮 (Guide Dog)
    Also called the seeing eye dog, this emoji shows a yellowish-brown Golden Retriever in a harness with a handle to assist someone with visual impairments. It’s often used interchangeably with 🐕‍🦺(service dog), although a guide dog is trained specifically to help those who have trouble seeing while a service dog is helpful for a variety of needs.[2] Use this emoji to talk about a special guide dog in your life, or how dogs are generally so helpful and valuable to humans.
    • “I was worried when my grandpa’s eyes started to go, but his guide dog has been such a blessing in helping him get around 🦮🙏”
    • “It’s so cool that dogs just help us out all the time! 🦮💯”
  5. Step 5 🐕‍🦺 (Service Dog)
    The service dog emoji depicts a black, furry dog wearing a red vest with a leash on and is often used interchangeably with 🦮 (guide dog). According to Apple’s proposal for the emoji, it represents dogs that sense and help with seizures and other “hidden disabilities” people may have and is part of the company’s push to include more accessibility emojis.[3] Use this emoji to describe any helpful dog or service animal in your life.
    • “It’s so much easier to go out on my own now that I’ve been paired with such a wonderful helper 🐕‍🦺😍”
    • “My toddler started bawling on the subway today because I wouldn’t let her pet a stranger’s service dog 🐕‍🦺🙄”
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Section 2 of 4:

Using the Dog Emojis

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  1. Step 1 Send 🐕, 🐶, or 🐩 to discuss pets, specific dogs, or a love of animals.
    While the guide dog and service dog emojis show dogs with specific purposes, use the other dog emojis to represent any canine activity or the animal kingdom in general.[4] Talk about dogs directly, or combine them with other animal, plant, or nature emojis to describe your experiences with the great outdoors.
    • “We just added a new pet puppy to the mix. My house is officially a zoo! 🐶🐦🐱”
    • “Nothing beats a good backpacking trip through the mountains ⛰️🎒🐕🌄”
  2. Step 2 Show off your playfulness, charm, cuteness, or affection for someone.
    Doggos and puppies are known for their adorable, viral video-worthy shenanigans, so describe your own playful or jokey mood with your favorite dog emoji (the 🐶 is a strong choice because of its cartoonish appearance, and the classic 🐕 emoji resembles the mischievous Shiba Inu from the doge memes). Try using 🐶 to describe an adolescent’s innocent puppy love or infatuations, too.[5]
    • “I’ve had waaay too much caffeine today and I’m feeling silly 🐕🤡”
    • “It seems our son has his first crush 🐶💟”
  3. Step 3 Use a dog emoji to describe loyalty, simplicity, or general good vibes.
    Dogs have a number of positive traits that make them so lovable and helpful to humans—especially guide dogs and service dogs! Whenever you want to praise someone for their endearing, dog-like qualities, send a sweet message with your dog emoji to let them know how you feel (and to clarify you’re not calling them a dog).[6]
    • “You’ve always been by my side, no matter what! I really admire that about you 🐕🫂”
    • “You give off such good vibes! Big golden retriever energy for sure 🐶💯”
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Section 3 of 4:

Replying to Dog Emojis

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  1. Step 1 Comment on your love of dogs or animals if someone mentions theirs.
    If a friend sends one of the dog emojis to tell you about their pet or a dog character, respond with a message about your own dog or pet. It’s an easy way to share something about yourself in a casual, friendly conversation.
    • Them: “Cute doggie pic alert 🐩”
      You: “So adorable! She reminds me of the poodle my parents had when I was a little kid.”
    • Them: “I joined the zoology club because my parents won’t get a 🐶 and I want to play with the animals haha”
      You: “I didn’t know that club was a thing! I might have to join too, I love animals 🐕🦇🐙”
  2. Step 2 Send a playful joke or meme when someone’s feeling silly over text.
    If someone sends a dog emoji to show they’re feeling overly energized or playful, keep the smiles and laughs going! Crack a joke about their silliness or send a funny emoji, GIF, or meme (like the doge meme) to reciprocate their energy.
    • Them: “I haven’t left the house at all today and I am so wound up!! 🐕🌪️”
      You: “Down, boy! Reel it in before you have an accident indoors lol”
    • Them: “I’M SO HAPPY I COULD JUST SPRINT AROUND THE BLOCK 🐕💨”
      You: “Forrest Gump memes incoming”
  3. Step 3 Reciprocate someone’s compliment about your admirable qualities.
    If someone compares you to a dog (in the good way), say “thank you” and compliment them right back. A comparison to a dog is most likely a lighthearted and playful gesture, so there’s no need to get too deep or emotional with your praise.
    • Them: “You’re an even better friend to me than Spike 🐕‍🦺”
      You: “Aw, I appreciate that. You’re an amazing friend too!”
    • Them: “Everyone’s pets love you! You’ve got that lovable 🐕 energy, haha”
      You: “Lol thanks. My pets like you too!”
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Section 4 of 4:

Related Emojis

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  1. There are plenty of other canine-related emojis out there to help you talk about your four-legged fur babies in more detail. Try adding some of these fun emojis or combinations to your texts, videos, or posts to show your puppy love or make some amusing dog puns:
    • 🦴 (bone)
    • 🐾 (paw prints)
    • 🐺 (wolf)
    • 🦊 (fox face)
    • 🥺 (“puppy dog eyes,” also known as pleading face)
    • 💩 (poop)
    • 🌭 or 🔥🐕 (hot dog)
    • 🌽🐕 (corn dog)

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  • The dog emojis have the same uses and meanings over text and social media apps like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, X (Twitter), Facebook, and more.
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References

  1. ↑ https://emojipedia.org/dog-face
  2. ↑ https://emojipedia.org/guide-dog
  3. ↑ https://blog.emojipedia.org/apple-proposes-new-accessibility-emojis/
  4. ↑ https://www.dictionary.com/e/emoji/dog-emoji/
  5. ↑ https://hyemoji.com/Dog%20Face
  6. ↑ https://emojisprout.com/dog-emoji-meaning/

About This Article

Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones
Reviewed by:
Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones
Social Media Marketing Expert
This article was reviewed by Anyah Le Gilmore-Jones and by wikiHow staff writer, Dan Hickey. Anyah Gilmore-Jones is a Social Media Marketing Expert based in Nashville, Tennessee. An innovative experiential and social media marketer, Anyah is skilled at creating engaging brand experiences and leverages her passion for connecting people and ideas to drive organic growth for purpose-driven brands. As the founder of GROW by Gilmore, a social media strategy company, Anyah develops data-driven social media strategies focused on authentic community building. She has over 4 years of experience spearheading viral campaigns and producing content for brands like HBCU Buzz, Black & Scholared, SHEIN, and Project Art Collective. She received her BA from Howard University in Political Science and Government. This article has been viewed 15,985 times.
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Co-authors: 12
Updated: March 21, 2024
Views: 15,985
Categories: Emoticons and Emojis
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