Got That Dog In Him
Driven to succeed
Example
He's got that dog in him; he won't settle for less than a chip
Got that dog in him definition by Slang.net
This page explains what the slang term "Got that dog in him" means. The definition, example, and related terms listed above have been written and compiled by the Slang.net team.
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Sports fans use the phrase "got that dog in him" to describe players who are highly motivated and high-performing. The phrase originated on social media in the late 2000s and went viral among not only fans, but also sports analysts and commentators.
"Got that dog in him" likely refers to the fact that most dogs are high-energy and like to chase things. Thus, a sports player who has "got that dog in him" is also high-energy and likes to chase things (in this case, a ball and/or other players).
By 2022, "got that dog in him" had become so overused that it passed into meme status. Sports fans began using it sardonically, to mock sports commentators who still used the phrase, while others started using it to describe actors, politicians, and fictional characters.