How To Say Dog In Spanish (14 Different Ways)

How do you say ‘dog’ in Spanish?

There’s one standard word that Spanish speakers use to refer to dogs (perro), but many dog lovers express their love for their pets using other names and endearing terms.

People also tend to use nicknames to call or identify their dogs.

In the list below, I’ve shared all of the most popular terms for ‘dog’ in Spanish (including perro).

Dog in Spanish 🐕

Here’s my list of Spanish words that mean “dog”.

From perrito to can, I’ve provided a range of diminutives and other terms of endearment.

1. Perro

Perro is the standard Spanish word for “dog”.

This sustantivo or Spanish noun has two versions - the masculine perro and the feminine perra.

Use perro if you’re talking about a male dog, and perra if you want to refer to a female dog.

Vamos a pasear el perro.

We're going to walk the dog.

2. Perrito

The words perrito and perrita are the Spanish equivalents of “doggy” or “doggie”.

Since this Spanish word for dog features the suffix -ito, it is known as a diminutive or cute word for showing affection to your dog.

You can use the feminine counterpart perrita, with the suffix -ita, if you want to talk about a cute female dog.

The masculine noun perrito also means “hotdog” in English, as explained in the Real Academia Española dictionary.

Still, you will know when someone is referring to their cute little dog and not a hotdog sausage by the context of the conversation.

A mi perrito le gustan los premios mucho.

My doggy likes treats a lot.

¡Que lindo es tu perrito!

How cute is your doggie!

3. Cachorro

Cachorro means “puppy”.

You can use the masculine noun cachorro to talk about male puppies and the feminine noun cachorra to refer to female puppies.

When your puppy is discovering the world at its youngest age, you can refer to it as un cachorro.

Llevo a mi cachorro al parque todos los días.

I take my puppy to the park every day.

4. Cachorrito

To add a little cuteness to your term of endearment, add the diminutive suffix -ito to the end of the Spanish noun cachorro when referring to your puppy.

This noun is perfect if your dog is so cute that others coo over or talk fondly about it.

You should use the feminine diminutive noun cachorrita if you’re talking about a female puppy.

¡Ese cachorrito era tan lindo que quería llevármelo a casa!

That puppy was so cute that I wanted to take him home!

¡Quiero una cachorrita como ese!

I want a puppy like that one!

5. Perrunchis

Perrunchis is a variation of the word “perro”.

It’s a nickname or apodo that dog lovers and enthusiasts use in reference to their dogs.

If you want to distinguish between female and male dogs and use this word, use the appropriate Spanish article before the noun.

To refer to a female dog, use la perrunchis; to refer to a male dog, use el perrunchis or el perruncho.

Este perrunchis es muy listo. Él sabe dónde se sirve la comida.

This dog is very smart. He knows where they serve the food.

6. Chandoso

You’ll hear this Spanish word for dog in Colombia in two scenarios.

Some people use it if they dislike dogs and want to show they lack affection for them.

Others use it to show their affection for dogs while jokingly suggesting it’s ugly.

The word sort of sounds like the translation of “mutt”.

You can use the word chandosa if you have a female dog that’s slightly ugly.

El chandoso que vivió allí me mordió.

The mutt that lived there bit me.

7. Sabueso

Un sabueso means “hound dog”.

Many Spanish speakers use this word in formal contexts to refer to police dogs that can hunt very well.

There are a few sabueso dogs, such as bloodhounds and beagles.

Here’s how to use this word when talking about dogs:

Los sabuesos tienen un excelente sentido de olfato.

Hounds have an excellent sense of smell.

Ejemplos de sabuesos son el Grifón y el Basset.

Examples of hounds are the Griffon and the Basset.

8. Can

Like the word sabueso, you normally hear the Spanish word for dog, can, in formal contexts, such as in canine competitions or books related to dogs.

You can use it to refer to any dog breed, but it would sound strange to describe your dog as “un can bonito” as a formal word.

Esta disciplina requiere buena armonía entre el can y su guía.

This discipline requires good harmony between the dog and his guide.

Se deberá comprobar que el can tiene al día todas las vacunas necesarias.

They must verify that the dog has up-to-date all the necessary vaccines.

9. Lazarillo

Un lazarillo is a Spanish word for dog that people use to talk about guide dogs or “seeing-eye dogs”.

An accurate definition of this word provided in the Real Academia Española dictionary is an animal or dog that accompanies or guides a person who needs assistance.

El lazarillo es muy inteligente y le gusta ayudar a la gente.

The guide dog is very intelligent and likes to help people.

10. Cosa

Using cosa is one way to quickly call your dog or replace its name with a general Spanish noun.

Cosa means “thing”, so this word might first call to mind the character in The Addams Family.

But it’s a way to get your dog’s attention; many Colombian Spanish speakers use this word.

Ven cosa, que te traigo la comida.

Come here, dog/thing. I'll bring some food for you.

11. Cosita

Cosita is the diminutive form of the word cosa.

You can use this diminutive if you want to sound more affectionate when you call your dog but have forgotten its name.

The masculine version of this word is cosito.

¡No, cosito, no te subas a la mesa!

No, dog/thing, don't climb on the table!

12. El peludo

Even though peludo is a Spanish adjective that means “hairy”, you can use it as a noun to refer to your dog.

It’s an interesting apodo that sounds endearing and may make you think of a fuzzy dog with lots of hair.

You can also use the diminutive form peludito or peludita to sound cute or show some love to your furry friend.

¡Corre peludo! ¡Trae el juguete, venga!

Run, hairy dog! Bring the toy, come on!

13. Chiquito

If you love your dog as if it were like your child, you may use the word chiquito to describe them.

Chiquito means “little one”.

It suits small, cute dogs and is the ideal word to show how much you love your tiny canine.

Sube chiquito. Buen perro, toma el premio.

Climb up, little one. Good dog, take the treat.

14. Bola de pelos

Bola de pelos means “ball of fur” or “furball”.

It’s the perfect apodo or nickname for dogs with a lot of hair, and many Spanish speakers use it to refer to dogs in general.

Here are a few sentences in which you can use bola de pelos when talking about your dog:

¡Hola bola de pelos! Vamos de paseo.

Hello, furball! Let's go for a walk.

Voy a adoptar esta bola de pelos.

I'm going to adopt this furball.

¿A dónde vas, bola de pelos?

Where are you going, furball?

Now you know what to call a dog in Spanish

If you’re a dog owner, it’s good to have a range of canine vocab.

Make sure to check out my in-depth guide on Spanish dog commands as well to teach your dog how to sit, lie down, bark and more.

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