why dog ate homework

Where Did The Phrase “The Dog Ate My Homework” Come From?

Dogs are known as man’s best friend. Dogs keep us safe, are hard workers … and can provide a handy excuse in a pinch. Maybe that’s why versions of the classic expression the dog ate my homework have been around for hundreds of years.

Today, the dog ate my homework is used as a stock example of the kind of silly excuses schoolchildren give for why their work isn’t finished. Very rarely do people say, “the dog ate my homework” and expect it to be taken literally; they use the expression as an example of a typically flimsy excuse.

So where did the phrase come from?

Forrest Wickman, a writer for Slate , describes the legend of the 6th-century Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise as the alleged first recorded “the dog ate my homework” story. According to the tale, Saint Ciarán had a tame young fox that would take his writings to his master for him. One day, the fox grew up and decided to eat the leather strap binding the writings together instead. Still, this tale is more Garden-of-Eden parable and less terrible schoolchild excuse.

The notion that dogs will eat just about anything, including paper, turns up in lots of stories over the centuries. An example comes from The Humors of Whist , published in 1808 in Sporting Magazine . In the story, the players are sitting around playing cards when one of them remarks that their companion would have lost the game had the dog not eaten the losing card. Good boy.

Some attribute the creation of the dog ate my homework to a joke that was going around at the beginning of the 20th century. In a tale found as far back as an 1894 memoir by Anglican priest Samuel Reynolds Hole, a preacher gives a shortened version of a sermon because a dog got into his study and ate some of the pages he had written. However, the clerk loved it because they had been wanting the preacher to shorten his sermons for years.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the first example of the dog ate my homework excuse in print can be found in a speech given by retiring headmaster James Bewsher in 1929 and published in the Manchester Guardian : “It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework.” The way this comment is phrased suggests that the whole dog ate my homework story had been around for some time before it was put in print.

When was the word homework created?

But in order for a dog to eat homework specifically, homework had to be invented (oh, and how we wish it hadn’t been). True, the word homework , as in what we call today housework , appears as early as 1653. But homework , as in school exercises to be done at home, isn’t found until 1852. Once we had homework , it was only a matter of time before the dog was accused of eating it.

How we use this phrase now

No matter the origin, sometime in the 1950s, the expression became set as the dog ate my homework . This inspired any number of riffs on the theme, like my cow ate my homework or my brother ate my homework . In the 1960s, the dog ate my homework continued to gain popularity. The expression popped up a couple times in politics over the years, like when President Reagan said to reporters in 1988, “I had hoped that we had marked the end of the ‘dog-ate-my-homework’ era of Congressional budgetry … but it was not to be.”

It seems unlikely that the dog ate my homework was ever used consistently or frequently by actual schoolchildren. In fact, it’s the unlikeliness of the story that makes it so funny and absurd as a joke. Instead, teachers and authority figures appear to have cited the dog ate my homework many times over the years as such a bad excuse they can’t believe students are really using it.

In the 21st century, students don’t spend as much time working with physical pen and paper as they once did. That may contribute to the decline in the use of the phrase. So, maybe soon we’ll see a new equally absurd phrase pop up. Come on Zoomers, you’ve got this.

WATCH: What's A Unique Homework Routine That Works?

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Why Do We Say “The Dog Ate My Homework”?

The history of the delinquent schoolchild’s favorite excuse..

Did this sad Lab eat your homework?

iStockphoto.

Viacom announced on Monday that Mitt Romney had declined to appear on Nickelodeon’s Kids Pick the President special this year, citing time constraints. President Obama’s camp pounced on Romney’s decision, saying, “Kids demand details … ‘The dog ate my homework’ just doesn’t cut it when you’re running for president. ” When did “my dog ate my homework” become known as schoolchildren’s favorite excuse?

The 1970s. Delinquent schoolchildren and adults have been blaming their shortcomings on their pets for more than a century, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that “my dog ate my homework” came to be considered the No. 1 likely story. One of the first sad sacks who was said to blame his dog for his own ill-preparedness was a priest. In this anecdote, which appeared as early as 1905, a clergyman pulls his clerk aside after a service to ask him whether his sermon seemed long enough. The clerk assures him that it was very nice, “just the right length,” and the priest is relieved. “I am very glad to hear you say that,” he says, “because just before I started to come here my dog got hold of my sermon and ate some of the leaves .” The story was repeated again and again . The first citation of the excuse in the Oxford English Dictionary is a 1929 article from the Manchester Guardian , which reads, “It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework.” In Bel Kaufman’s best-selling 1965 novel Up the Down Staircase , a list of students’ excuses for not having their homework includes “ My dog went on my homework ” and “ My dog chewed it up .” Even in 1965, however, it was still just another excuse.

“My dog ate my homework” became known as the quintessential far-fetched excuse in the next decade, when the phrase was used over and over . In a 1976 account of the Watergate tapes, E.C. Kennedy describes listening to President Nixon “ working on the greatest American excuse since the dog ate my homework .” A 1977 article from Alaska’s Daily News-Miner describes the difficulty students faced in coming up with a new excuse since “ ‘My dog ate my term paper’ is no longer acceptable .”

The excuse was alluded to more and more throughout the 1980s. A 1982 Time magazine column on excuses suggested that “The dog ate my homework is a favorite with schoolchildren,” while a 1987 New York Times column about how students were starting to blame malfunctioning computers and printers quoted one teacher as saying she recently received “ a note from a student’s mother saying the dog ate his homework .” Even the president picked up on the trend: When Congress pushed spending approval to the last minute in 1988, Ronald Reagan complained to reporters, “ I had hoped that we had marked the end of the ‘dog-ate-my-homework’ era of Congressional budgetry … but it was not to be .” It was all over television, with references to the excuse on shows like The Simpsons and Full House . By 1989, the narrator of Saved by the Bell theme was singing, “ And the dog ate all my homework last night .”

The phrase continued to grow more popular. Between 1990 and 2000, the New York Times wrote articles with headlines such as “ Beyond ‘Dog Ate My Homework’ ” and “ Homework Help Sites (Or, the Dog Ate My U.R.L.) ,” while The New Yorker described one criminal’s accounts of his wrongdoings as having “a decided my-dog-ate-my-homework quality.” Children’s books tried to capitalize on the trend with titles like A Dinosaur Ate My Homework , Aliens Ate My Homework , Godzilla Ate My Homework , and My Teacher Ate My Homework , daring to use the term to promote reading and education. Such titles have continued into the 2000s, but in recent years the phrase seems to finally be losing steam .

Bonus Explainer: An Obama spokesperson also said, “ It’s no surprise Romney decided to play hookey .” Why do we call cutting school “playing hookey”? To play hookey began as an Americanism in the 19 th century. The earliest known citation comes from 1848, from John Russell Bartlett’s Dictionary of Americanisms , where it was said to mean “to play truant” and noted to be “ a term used among schoolboys, chiefly in the State of New York .” Word historians usually suggest that it’s from to hook it meaning to run away , a term as old as the Revolutionary War. However, others have proposed that it might derive from the Dutch expression hoekje spelen , the Dutch expression for “hide and seek”—especially since playing hooky emerged in New York during a time when it had a larger Dutch population.

Got a question about today’s news?  Ask the Explainer .

Explainer thanks Barry Popik, Jesse Sheidlower of the Oxford English Dictionary, and Ben Zimmer of the Visual Thesaurus and Vocabulary.com .

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Strange News

Can the dog still eat your homework.

It may be the best known bad excuse for being unprepared: "The Dog Ate My Homework." But where does the phrase come from and how has it changed over the years? Weekend Edition host Scott Simon talks with Forrest Wickman, a reporter with Slate Magazine , who has the answers.

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Wonder of the Day #491

Do Dogs Really Eat Homework?

SCIENCE — Life Science

Have You Ever Wondered...

• Do dogs really eat homework?
• Why do dogs eat paper?
• What foods can be dangerous to dogs?
• chocolate ,
• guacamole ,
• Assignment ,
• Curiosity ,
• Veterinarian ,
• Table Scraps ,
• Theobromine ,
• Kidney Failure ,
• Macadamia Nuts ,

Today’s Wonder of the Day was inspired by Thomas. Thomas Wonders , “ Why do dogs eat homework? ” Thanks for WONDERing with us, Thomas!

You have a big, important homework assignment due tomorrow, but you're not stressed . You made good use of your study time at school and completed over half of it. When you got home, you avoided distractions, like television and video games, and worked hard until it was finished.

Then your worst nightmare happened! While you were in the kitchen making a healthy snack , your dog got hungry, too. Instead of eating his dog food, though, he made a sandwich out of your homework! Oh no! What will you do?

You know that “my dog ate my homework" is the oldest excuse in the book. Your teacher will never buy that! Or will she?

As it turns out, dogs really do eat paper from time to time. If you explain this to your teacher — and show her what scraps remain, if any — you just might get an extension to re-do that assignment. Better yet, make use of modern technology and do your homework on the computer, so you can save it and print out a copy whenever you need it!

Remember: honesty is the best policy . If you simply forget to do your homework, don't lie and blame it on your dog!

Dogs are known to be indiscriminate eaters with healthy appetites. This means that some dogs will eat just about anything if given the chance.

Why? Some scientists believe eating paper and other non-food items may just result from boredom . Most dogs are energetic animals that need plenty of exercise and distractions to keep from becoming bored.

When bored, many dogs will give in to their natural curiosity and explore new things. This exploration can often take the form of scratching, biting, and eating. If you were eating a sandwich while you were doing your homework, stray crumbs or bits of food might even make your homework tempting to a dog that's bored!

To dogs, paper is just another “thing." It's something to chew on. If it happens to be your homework, that's particularly bad for you. However, it's probably no different to your dog than chewing on newspaper or a book. To prevent your homework from becoming lunch, be sure to store it in a safe place when you're finished with it!

It might also help to make sure your dog is well-fed. Stick to food and treats recommended by your veterinarian , though. It can be dangerous to feed your dog human food in the form of table scraps.

Over the years, veterinarians have learned that there are certain foods that can harm dogs. Here are some foods that can be particularly dangerous to dogs:

• Avocado : Skip the guacamole ! Avocados contain persin, which can be toxic to dogs in large amounts.
• Caffeine : In large quantities, caffeine can be fatal for dogs. So stick to water and skip the coffee, tea, and sodas for your dog. Also avoid chocolate , which contains caffeine and another substance toxic to dogs: theobromine.
• Onions and Garlic : Dogs who eat onions or garlic regularly or in large quantities can develop a condition called anemia, which results from the destruction of red blood cells.
• Grapes and Raisins : Veterinarians don't really know why, but it's clear that grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs.
• Macadamia Nuts : As few as six macadamia nuts can make a dog ill. Larger doses can be fatal.

Wonder What's Next?

Are unicorns real? Do they live in the sea? Find out tomorrow in Wonderopolis!

Are you ready for some homework? Grab a friend or family member and try out the following activities:

• Do you or a friend or family member have a dog? What kind of trouble do dogs tend to get into? Has one ever eaten homework? What about chewing up toys? Talk about the funny stories you've heard of dogs getting into trouble. Do you think any of these stories might have been caused by dogs feeling bored?
• Have you ever forgotten to do your homework? If you do, you probably don't want to blame your forgetfulness on your dog. It's best to fess up to your forgetfulness and ask for extra time to complete your homework…and maybe an extra credit assignment to make up for it being late. Inevitably, though, some students will choose to get creative and invent wild excuses as to why they weren't able to complete their homework. What do you think? If you were a teacher, would you believe any of the following excuses? I don't have my homework, because: + My babysitter flushed it down the toilet! + My locker is jammed and my homework is trapped inside! + My dad used it to start a fire in our wood stove! + I left it at home! I thought that's where HOMEwork was supposed to stay! + My friend fell in a lake! I jumped in to rescue him, and my homework drowned!
• If you don't want your dog to eat your homework, it's best to keep Fido well-fed. What do dogs usually eat, though? Do some research to learn more about dog food. Find a bag of dry dog food and read the list of ingredients. Which ingredients do you recognize? What are the others? Search the Internet to discover what some of those oddly-named ingredients actually are. If you have a dog, put what you learned into practice by making your pooch a special treat of homemade dog food !

Wonder Sources

• http://jackinabox.hubpages.com/hub/Why-do-dogs-eat-paper
• http://pets.webmd.com/dogs/ss/slideshow-foods-your-dog-should-never-eat
• http://madtbone.tripod.com/school.htm

Did you get it?

Wonder contributors.

We’d like to thank:

Dalya and Jayden for contributing questions about today’s Wonder topic!

Keep WONDERing with us!

Wonder Words

• distraction
• indiscriminate
• veterinarian

Yikes! We hope you've come up with a solution to prevent that from happening! 

my dog tore up my homework folder in first grade and ate my homework we posted a pic online (dog shaming)

omg i agree

That's super cool, Natalia! 

Or your dogs can do your homework for you.

You're welcome, Savannah.

Thanks for being our Wonder Friend, duncan!

well thats sad that ur dog ate ur homework

It would be very sad if that happened! Do you have any pet dogs, Caitlyn?

Thanks for sharing, Lucas B! We hope that your dog hasn't eaten your homework!!

You have a very nice dog, peyton! Also, check out  Wonder 1499: When Was the Great War? for more information about World War I!

Camden Riley Justice

Hi, Camden! If you have a video of your dog eating your homework, we think that there is a good chance that your teacher would believe you! Hopefully your dog has never eaten your homework, though!! ?

C j/CamdenJustice

my dog broke my computer and NOW i have a new one AND MAKE SHURE YOU NEVER FED A DOG CHOKELET

That's right, Cj! We even have a Wonder about why you shouldn't give chocolate to dogs:   Wonder 1522: Why Can't Dogs Eat Chocolate?

Uh-oh! ?

maby you don't have any toys thats what made our dog stop dolng that.

Thanks for joining the conversation, camden!!

Thanks for sharing, jayden! It sounds like your dog pixie lived a great, long life!! We don't recommend chocolate for dogs, though.  If you are concerned about Nada's eating habits, you may want to make an appointment to see a veterinarian.  Sometimes, though, dogs eat things like paper because they are bored! 

Great question, Zehra! Dogs can eat things they're not supposed to when they're bored!

my dog eat some of my moms brownies

Uh, oh! We hope not too many, because dogs shouldn't eat chocolate!  Wonder 1522: Why Can't Dogs Eat Chocolate? will explain why!!

Thanks for your concern for our canine friends, joshua! We actually have a Wonder about this topic, as well! Check out  Wonder 1522: Why Can't Dogs Eat Chocolate?

? Thanks, Amara!! We are SO happy to have you WONDERing with us!!

good job wonderopolis

? Thanks!! We love having you as our Wonder Friend!!

? Thanks for WONDERing with us, Aiden!!

Hi, Paige! Dogs may tend to eat anything in sight due to boredom, not stupidity! We hope this helps!!

Hi, Paige! Thanks for WONDERing with us!

Thanks for stopping by, Wendy!

Hello!! We are WONDERing about how dogs can eat homework!! What are you WONDERing about??

? Oh, no!! We're so sorry to hear that, Patricia! We hope that you were able to get an extension!

We're happy to help and that you're researching this information before you get a dog, Eloise!!! What type of dog are you planning to get?

Thanks for letting us know, Brady!! 

No way I never knew that dogs are crazy and I am in 5th grade.

Thanks for joining the discussion, Wendy!

It sounds like you know this from experience, Max!! Do you have a dog?

i dowt that the dog ate your book

Thanks for sharing, Mark!! Dogs do sometimes eat paper, and this can be due to boredom.  We hope that the library book didn't cost too much to replace!!

they eat paper from time to time

You're right, mya!! Thanks for sharing!!

I do too because some of my friend's dogs ate there homework.

I like to chew paper from time to time

That's cool, James--but we recommend making sure it's clean paper!

Dogs do sometimes eat paper, so it is a possibility! ?

Did a dog ever eat your homework, bob?? ?

Isabel the monster

That's awesome, Isabel!! What are your dogs names?? Have they ever tried to eat YOUR homework?? Thanks for WONDERing with us!!!

? Thanks, franklin! 

We're sorry to hear about your birds, alexis.  Have your dogs ever eaten your homework? (Or your chickens or bunny??)

? That is very unlucky! Hopefully she was able to reprint the paper, or get an extension!!

My sister did get an extension on her homework. Because she brought the rest of the rip up papers:\

Whew! That's good news! We're glad she was able to get the extension, though hopefully she didn't have to make up too much extra work!

That is WONDERful to hear, A.K.!!! We're thrilled that you're learning with us!!

Thank you so much for sharing, Taylor! We love learning new things here at Wonderopolis, and we're thrilled that you do, too!!  Wonder #1149: Can Wolves Be Tamed? sounds like a perfect Wonder for you to check out!

? So sorry to hear that, Emily! Do any of your friends have dogs?

Dogs are awesome but there a lot of work

That is absolutely true, James! Some of the work can be fun, like playing with them. But, cleaning up poop isn't fun, that's for sure! 

Ha Ha I don't think that is the reason.:)

Me either!!

Well, Ally, having a dog certainly does come with its own set of responsibilities. Some people think its worth it for the companionship. Other people prefer cats. Which do you like better: dogs, or cats?

No problem, charlotte. Your friends are probably just jealous of how awesome you and your dogs are! But keep those avocados out of reach, just to be safe.

Heehee, that gave us a laugh, Boi! Thank you for WONDERing with us!

We are glad you finally found the answer, Isaac!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, jordan! We're glad you are WONDERing and learning with us! ?

i eat my homework too:)

You all are funny, Boi! Homework seems like it'd be a bit on the bland side! ?

mecer i know you eat homwork

We bet that doesn't taste too good, jordan! ?

That's interesting, mercer! We hope you spit the paper out! :P

Thanks for commenting, Amaris! Here's a related Wonder that you may like: Wonder #577. :)

Wonder Friend

my dog ate my homework too i had to email my teacher or she woudn,t believe me.

That stinks, Wonder Friend! We hope it didn't impact your grade too much!

Oh my, hoi man! We bet your friend was frustrated! Thanks for sharing your connection to this Wonder. :)

Thanks for commenting, Ava! Have you seen Wonder #1113? It's all about autocorrect! :)

my name is Shayna! pronounced sh-ae-nu

Hey there, Shayna! We're glad you are WONDERing with us! :)

Thank you for asking, Shaelyn! We are doing well! How are you? We hope great!! :)

Hello there, michhele! We sure are glad you visited Wonderopolis! :)

Hi, karina! We're glad you liked this Wonder! It's always GREAT when we learn something new! Keep an eye on your dog when he's around books! Hehe! :)

Ava Gelinas

Hi, Ava! It's definitely possible for dogs to eat your homework! We're glad you liked this Wonder! :)

nicole mack

Thalia woof.

Me too I want a dog but I have a baby

Thanks for joining the discussion, Thalia! :)

Hi, maanya! That would be AWESOME! We hope you get to have a dog one day, too! :)

Thanks for being a supportive Wonder Friend! We appreciate you joining the discussion! :)

Hi, nicole! Puppies are adorable! Dogs are WONDERful pets! :)

amanda.grant

Hi, amanda! Sounds like you're good friends! Check out Wonder #1238: What Does It Mean To Be a Good Friend? Have fun WONDERing! :)

We do, too, amanda! Dogs are WONDERful animals and great companions! :)

i dont i do my homework. i like pizza (Off Topic)

Thanks for joining the discussion, Wonder Friend! It's important to do your homework so you can practice what you're learning in school. We also like pizza! We encourage you to use the search box to find Wonders about pizza to explore! :)

Thanks for sharing your opinion, angel! Have a WONDERful week! :)

Hi, Wonder Friend! We're not sure if this would work! Better to be safe than sorry and do your homework! :)

what is the author name?

Great question! Thanks for asking! Wonderopolis is brought to you by the National Center for Families Learning. They would be the author of the Wonders! :)

We're THRILLED you liked this Wonder, jacques! Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis and leaving a comment! :)

Welcome, Adsur! Dogs are WONDERful pets. However, we don't want them to eat your homework! That wouldn't be good! :)

But then how would you be graded on it, Nicola? Better stick with kibble! ;-)

Hi, Kasey! We're glad this Wonder reinforced something you already knew. That's GREAT! Thanks for WONDERing with us! :)

Hello, Josie! We hope you had fun exploring this Wonder. Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis! :)

Hi, Skeley! We don't know. Every dog is different. To be safe we would keep our homework in a very safe place! :)

That's good to hear! Thanks for leaving a comment. Keep up the GREAT enthusiasm for WONDERing! :)

Oh no, roxie! But, then you wouldn't have it to turn in after doing all that work! :)

Alex Oczkus

We're glad you enjoyed WONDERing with us, Alex! We hope you have an awesome day! :)

Good point, ayden! Puppies sometimes chew things they aren't supposed to because they don't know any better. You're right! It's important to always put your homework in a safe place, just in case! :)

i hate that puppy cant eat my homework!!!!

Why would you want your puppy to eat your homework?? Then you wouldn't have it to show off your hard work! :)

Hi, gunnar! Dogs can eat broccoli, but it's always important to check with your vet and to remember to only feed them human foods in moderation. Every dog's diet is different. It's great you're checking to see if it is good for them before feeding them, but be sure to always ask your vet first! :)

Can that dog eat my h.w

Hi, WONDER friend! It is a possibility, so be sure to put it in a very safe place! Thanks for joining the discussion! :)

Wonderopolis

Welcome, Darksaber! According to Pet WebMD , chocolate can be poisonous to dogs if consumed in a large enough amounts. Other times, it simply may just make your dog sick. There is no way to know for sure how your dog will react, so you must be very cautious when dogs are around chocolate. Thanks for sharing this information with our WONDER friends! :)

Jumpin' Jordan and Jo

You're welcome, Jumpin' Jordan and Jo! We're glad to hear you learned some new things with us! Your fun name reminded us of a few Wonders of the Day! :) :) We hope you'll enjoy these: #703 Who Jumps the Highest? #1093 Do You Double Dutch?

Thanks for stopping by Wonderopolis and sharing your questions, Abigail S.! There have been a couple times our dog (and once even our cat!) has nibbled a bit on our homework! But fortunately, we caught it before he ate the whole thing! Have you had a pet take some bites out of your homework? ;)

kirrily Johnson

We're sorry to hear that you have LOTS of homework, Kirrily! We do know that homework is important for learning. :( We are SUPER glad to have you WONDERing with us today! :D

Oh no, Graham. It sounds like all that "people food" may hurt your dog's stomach. We think it is best to stick with the dog food. Thanks for sharing with us today! :-)

We're glad you enjoyed it, Nicole! Thanks for WONDERing with us today! :-)

Oh no, Morgan! Paper is not good for dogs. Be sure to read the Wonder article, especially the list of foods that are dangerous to dogs. It is always best to feed your dog only food and treats recommended by your vet. Thanks for WONDERing with us today! :-)

Absolutely, Cora. That looked like a mess! We are so glad that you enjoyed this Wonder. Thanks for WONDERing with us! :-)

WONDERful guess, Ann! Check back tomorrow to find out if your Wonder Prediction was correct! Keep WONDERing! :-)

That would be nice, Bryce! Thanks for WONDERing with us! Keep WONDERing! :)

Mrs. LaLonde's Class

WOOHOO, we're so glad you enjoyed this woof-tastic Wonder, Mrs. LaLonde's Class! We want to keep our pets nice and healthy, so we're glad to learn that dogs shouldn't eat chocolate (even if they want to)! However, they sure do like peanut butter... and paper, too! Thanks for sharing your WONDERful comment today! :)

Thanks so much, Erin! We're so excited that you visited today! We hope your dog doesn't get a hold of your homework! :)

Very cool, Wonder Friend N! We're so glad you are visiting us today to learn about dogs and their love of homework! We Wonder what your project covers? :)

Hey there, Momo! We are glad you're doing your homework, and we hope your dog doesn't mistake your work for a tasty treat! We have lots of awesome topics to Wonder about here at Wonderopolis! You can check out our categories section and search by topic, or you can visit us every day for a brand new Wonder! :)

Girls 4 ever

Hey there, Girls 4 ever! We are glad you're WONDERing with us today! We know that things happen from time to time, but excuses are not as WONDERful as the truth. We Wonder if you have ever had your dog eat your homework? YIKES! Thanks for sharing your comment today! :)

We think that's an excellent word to describe the dog in the Wonder video, Patrick! That is one energetic dog! We Wonder if homework tastes good to dogs, or if they would prefer to eat some dog food instead? Thanks for sharing your comment with us today! :)

Thanks so much, Brad! We're glad to hear it! :)

We don't think homework would taste very good, that's for sure, Brad! We know that some dogs, especially our four-legged friends here at Wonderopolis, sometimes eat things that don't taste the best. This includes furniture... homework... and even old sneakers! We know that dogs are great, but we have to keep important things, like homework and shoes, far away from them! :)

Hi there Tanner, thanks for sharing your story with us! We are glad your friend was able to turn in another copy of his homework-- his dogs must have been very hungry! We hope you have a SUPER day! :)

Thanks for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder, Noel! We think teachers might hear "the dog ate my homework" a lot! :-)

YIKES! We don't think that's a very healthy habit for your dog OR your grades, Eipco! Thank you for sharing your comment with us today...we appreciate it! :-)

That's a really great guess, Janelle! Thanks so much for hanging out in Wonderopolis with us today! :-)

Moa fahlstedt

You've got THAT right, Moa! We thought it was cute to see the little puppy try to play tug of war and tear up the girl's homework. We hope she didn't have to do her homework again because her dog tried to eat it! :-)

awesome Mackenzie ttyl

We're not sure, Mackenzie! We think maybe they see it as something their owners were playing with (or working on), so maybe they think it's a toy and they want to play with it, too? We're sure there are other reasons why dogs eat homework, so it's fun to WONDER about that! :-)

Hi, Emily! Thanks for letting us know you like cheese. Have you visited any of these CHEESY Wonders? Wonder #52 - Why Is Cheddar Cheese Orange? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-is-cheddar-cheese-orange/ Wonder #322 - Why Are Some Cheeses Stinky? https://www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-are-some-cheeses-stinky/ Happy WONDERing! :-)

Team Mcneil22

Those are really creative excuses, Team McNeil 22! We hope none of our smart, amazing, clever Wonder Friends ever have to use any of them, though! We hope everyone's homework gets done and handed in on time! That would be WONDERful, wouldn't it? Thanks so much for sharing your comment with everyone in Wonderopolis today! :-)

Team McNeil #4

We're SO GLAD to hear the new information and word you learned by exploring this Wonder, Team McNeil #4! We think there are toxins that dogs react to inside grapes. Since raisins are dried grapes, it makes sense that they would be harmful to dogs, also. Good luck trying to change the habit of feeding your dog table scraps! We know from experience that it is a tough habit to break! :-)

Team Unger 10

We think it's SUPER cool that you searched for a topic you were interested in to see what Wonders would pop up, Team Unger 10! Way to go! Dogs who ingest avocados can become very, very sick because of the toxin, "persin," that is found in the avocados. Thanks so much for WONDERing even MORE about this Wonder after you explored it! :-)

We hope her teacher believes her, too, Team McNeil 22! That dog was so cute...it must REALLY like homework a LOT! :-)

Thanks for visiting Wonderopolis today and sharing about your dog, Star! We'd say it might be a good idea to keep him or her away from your homework! :-)

Well one time a person at my Spanish class said her dog ate her homework and the teacher asked for proof.The next day the student brought a bag of paper shreads

Oh no, Cam! That probably wasn't very pretty! Thanks for sharing your story! :)

We think that's a good thing, Skelekian! Thanks for leaving us this comment today! :-)

Hi, Zoe! Thanks for sharing your thoughts about dogs today! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Team wilch 5

We're glad to see you are exploring different Wonders in Wonderopolis today, Team Wilch 5! We bet your teachers will appreciate you NOT using the "my dog ate my homework" excuse! :-)

Happy Monday, Annie! Thanks so much for visiting this Wonder of the Day® and for letting us know you thought it was COOL! :-)

andrew hattenbach

That sounds like a really good idea, Andrew! Thank you for telling us that you liked this Wonder and that you learned a few new facts about something you've always WONDERed! Have a WONDERful day! :-)

That's a GREAT question, Britney! We're not sure how paper would digest inside a dog (or even a human)! That is something we will BOTH have to do a bit more WONDERing about! :-)

Thanks so much for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder of the Day®, Britney! We're sorry your dog ate your homework before...we hope he/she doesn't do it anymore! :-)

Hi, CR1 Eric! You have to put the colon symbol ":" right beside the end parenthesis symbol ")" to make a smiley face. So, : PLUS ) EQUALS :)! :-)

Jessie Leigh

Thanks for sharing about Pugsly, Jessie! She is a really lucky dog to have such an AWESOME owner like you who loves and cares for her so very much! :-)

sassycat923

That puppy certainly WAS cute, SassyCat923! Thanks for sharing your comment with everyone in Wonderopolis today! :-)

Thanks for letting us know what you thought about the video for this Wonder of the Day®, Marion! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Hello, Michael! It's so great to hear from you today! Thank you for visiting Wonderopolis! :-)

Thanks for sharing a story about what happened to your homework, Clayton! We hope your teacher still accepted it when you tried to turn it in! :-)

Hi, Audrey! We don't think it would be a good idea to teach your dog to eat your homework...he might think other important papers (like certificates or money) are homework and eat them, too! YIKES! :-)

We like that creative excuse, Hannah! So, what you would actually be telling your teacher is that YOU ate YOUR OWN homework! Thanks for making us smile today...you're a GREAT Wonder Friend! :-)

Hello, Kimberly! Thanks so much for this GREAT comment! We hope your dog doesn't eat your homework tonight, either! Thanks for WONDERing what tomorrow's Wonder might be about. We WONDER that every day, too! :-)

That's a clever excuse, Jordan! We hope your neighbor's cat doesn't really do that to your homework! That would be a less-than-PURRRRfect situation! :-)

You're RIGHT, Ashlyn! We have all seen the proof in the video for this Wonder! Wasn't that puppy super cute? :-)

Thanks for letting us know you liked today's Wonder and the video for it, too, Chloe! We know from experience how badly hitting your "funny bone" can hurt...it's not very funny when it first happens!

Miriam and Ruthie and Jami

Happy Wednesday, Miriam, Ruthie and Jami! Thanks so much for leaving us this enthusiastic comment and for letting us know you liked the video for this Wonder of the Day®! To make the smiley face, you type a colon and an ending parenthesis. : + ) = :) You can also make a "winking" smiley face by typing a semicolon and an ending parenthesis. ; + ) = ;) How about a smiley face with sunglasses? Just type the number eight and an ending parenthesis. 8 + ) = 8)

Wonder Friend I-L-P

Hi, Wonder Friend I-L-P! Let us know if your teacher believed you about your dog eating your homework! We hope you remember to bring all your homework home and back to school next time! Have a WONDERful day! :-)

CR1 student/Eric

We're really happy to hear that, Eric! Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis at home, too! We think it's neat that your friend might have made the video for this Wonder of the Day®! :-)

We think the dog in the video ate the girl's homework because of two reasons, Blake! The first reason is that it is a puppy, and puppies LOVE to chew things...even important things! The second reason is maybe the puppy thought the homework was just another toy to play with! :-)

We WONDERed the same thing, Abby! We wonder if she did her homework over again? :-)

abigail Rae

Thanks so much for visiting this Wonder of the Day®, Abigail! We're glad you liked it and that you learned something new! :-)

brooklyn from team loganbill

Thanks so much for visiting this Wonder and for wishing us a WONDERful day, Brooklyn! We think your mom is awesome for bringing you your homework when you forgot it on a Friday! She sounds like a GREAT mom! :-)

We're super sorry your dog had kidney problems, Maya. We're proud of you for learning something from this Wonder that might help you and your parents determine what could have caused your dog's health issues. Thanks so much for visiting Wonderopolis today! :-)

We think your dogs sound like awesome pets, Maya! Thank you for sharing a little about them with us today! :-)

CR1 student

We're super sorry you can't see any videos for the Wonders of the Day, CR1 Student! If you're trying to view the Wonders at school, we want to let you know that some schools/school districts put "blocks" on certain videos that come from places like YouTube or Vimeo. The blocks protect students from accidentally seeing unsafe things by making sure the videos don't show up on school computers. Because we use videos from these places in our Wonders of the Day®, you might not be able to see them when you’re at school (even though the videos we post on Wonderopolis are safe). You might want to check with your teacher to see if he/she can do something about getting the blocks removed. Thank you for visiting Wonderopolis today! :-)

Thanks for always adding something awesome to each Wonder with your WONDERful comments, Paige! We appreciate you, Wonder Friend! :-)

Mischeivious Missy

WOW! That's a LOT of happy, Missy! Thanks so much for making us smile even MORE today! YOU ARE AWESOME! :-)

We hope that too, Avery! We know our Wonder Friends (like you) work really hard on their homework, so we hope it all makes it back to school and gets checked off as completed! Thank you for sharing your comment today! :-)

ashlyn from mrs.fradys class

Thanks for leaving us the GREAT comment, Ashlyn! No, we don't have a dog that ate our homework, but as you can see by reading the comments on today's Wonder, a few of our other Wonder Friends do! :-)

Justin and Drew

Hi there, Justin and Drew! Thanks for leaving us this comment today! We think dogs eat homework (and other things they shouldn't eat) because they think it's something fun to play with. They might also think it's fun when their owners chase them around saying, "Please give me that back! That's my homework!" They think it is a game! :-)

TOMMYATKERRCK

WOW, Tommy! That's a LOT of homework eating! Thank you for sharing about your dog today...we hope he or she finds something else to play with besides the homework you spent so much time working on! :-)

JERON AT KERRICK

It sounds like Coco is very adventurous, Jeron! We bet she is very lovable, though, and we bet she loves you a whole bunch! :-)

alexia garcia

Hello, Alexia! We're guessing Simon's dog ate his MATH homework? We think it was funny that Simon thought his dog wanted to learn multiplication! Thanks for making us smile this afternoon! You are a GREAT Wonder Friend! :-)

Carly at North Todd Elem.

Thanks for letting us know what you liked best about the video for today's Wonder, Carly! Also, thanks for sharing your story about your sister and your homework! :-)

Lucas at North Todd Elem.

It sounds like homework is tough to keep a hold of in your house, Lucas! We appreciate you sharing your comment with us today...THANK YOU! :-)

Mason at North Todd Elem.

Thanks for hanging out in Wonderopolis today and for sharing your personal connection to this Wonder, Mason! We think you ROCK! :-)

It's interesting to learn that, isn't it, Charlie? We thought it was also interesting to learn all the things that can make dogs super sick if they eat them. We are going to be EXTRA careful now about what we feed our pets in Wonderopolis! :-)

That's a clever one, Ingrid! We sure hope that doesn't really happen, but we're glad you shared your creativity with us today...THANKS! :-)

We like that excuse a lot, Qualee! It's really awesome and super creative...GREAT job! :-)

Lanyja at Kerrick

We really appreciate you sharing your personal connection to today's Wonder of the Day®, Lanyja! We hope your dog doesn't try to eat your homework again! :-)

josh at kerrick

We bet there are a LOT of dogs out there that think homework is more fun to play with than a squeaky toy or a ball, Josh! :-)

Rileyatkerrick

YIKES, Riley! That must be super frustrating! Thanks for sharing your comment with us today! :-)

We think some dogs might eat homework because they think the paper the homework is written on is just another toy to play with, Sarah! Thanks so much for sharing your view on dogs eating homework! :-)

Hi, Johnathan! We'd say you've got a really WONDERful dog if he or she does not eat your homework! Thanks for sharing your comment with us today! :-)

We think you should give your dogs an extra hug and play with them for a little longer than normal today because they leave your homework alone, Caroline! They sound like pretty awesome pets to us! :-)

Hannah from Team Turner

Hello, Hannah! We're not sure about the first time that excuse was used, but we think it was creative, and we hope the person who first said it was really telling the TRUTH! :-)

WOW! We sure do like those excuses your class came up with, Mr. K! They are really, really creative! Thank you for sharing them with us today! :-)

We like that guess a LOT, Zoey! Thanks for letting us know what you think tomorrow's Wonder will be about! :-)

Mischievious Missy :)

Those are both VERY creative excuses for not having your homework, Missy! Thank you for sharing them with your friends in Wonderopolis today! Thanks for taking a guess about tomorrow's Wonder, too! :-)

autumn school girl

Thanks for sharing your personal connection to today's Wonder, Autumn! We're glad you were able to prove that your puppy ate your homework! You will always have a funny story to tell about that! :-)

Thanks for letting us know you thought this Wonder was awesome, Wonder Friend! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Hello, Darian! That's a really good guess! We think all of our Wonder Friends (like you!) who are guessing the next Wonder will be about states will be excited to explore Wonderopolis tomorrow! :-)

Happy Monday, Hannah! Thank you for letting us know you thought today's Wonder was interesting! We appreciate your comment! :-)

Thanks for making us laugh today, Cassidy! We appreciate you sharing your personal experience with today's Wonder of the Day®! :-)

Hi there, Jesse! Thanks for letting us know you liked the video for today's Wonder! We search high and low for the best videos to accompany each day's Wonder, and we're sure glad you thought we did a good job with today's! We think your guess about tomorrow's Wonder is a really good one...we'll all have to visit Wonderopolis again tomorrow to see if you're right! :-)

I think this article was very interesting and it had a lot of humor in it. I wonder if cats have a strange behavior like this as well.

Great question, Daniel! We think cats are more likely to lay on your homework than eat it, but some may. ;-) Thanks for WONDERing with us! :-)

Mrs. Newland's Class

Thanks so much for leaving us this GREAT comment today, Mrs. Newland’s Class! We're glad you explored today's Wonder together and learned some new facts! We think you guys are AWESOME Wonder Friends! :-)

Wonderopolis aka PREET

This is really funny. I used all of those and I used my friend fell of into the the lake and my homework drowned. :) :) :):) :) :):) :) :):) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :):) :) :):) :):) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

That is a funny excuse, PREET! Thanks for sharing with us today! :-)

wonderopolis

This is really good, so teachers now know sometimes kid's are not lying from time to time. :)

It is true. A dog can eat your homework. Just be sure to follow the tips in the Wonder to keep them from doing it. Thanks for WONDERing with us! :-)

That's a really WONDERful guess, Vikkie! We're so excited to visit Wonderopolis tomorrow to see if you are correct...we would like to learn more about how the states got their names! :-)

We are undergoing some spring clearing site maintenance and need to temporarily disable the commenting feature. Thanks for your patience.

Related Wonders for You to Explore

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Question 1 of 3

Which of these is probably NOT the reason your dog ate your homework?

• a boredom Not Quite!
• b hunger Not Quite!
• c curiosity Not Quite!
• d sabotage Correct!

Question 2 of 3

What can you do to keep your dog from eating your homework?

• a Eat a sandwich while doing your homework. Not Quite!
• b Stay focused on your homework, paying your dog little to no attention. Not Quite!
• c Give your dog plenty of exercise and distractions to keep him from getting bored. Correct!
• d Watch TV with your dog. Not Quite!

Question 3 of 3

What can you do to ensure that your dog is well-fed?

• a Stick to food and treats recommended by your veterinarian. Correct!
• b Give your dog lots of fatty treats. Not Quite!
• c Share your meals with your dog. Not Quite!
• d Ask the neighbors to feed your dog. Not Quite!

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Spaniel Training and Dog Care

Unraveling the Myth. Do Dogs Eat Homework?

Delve into the age-old question: Do dogs really eat homework? Explore the origins of the popular excuse and the truth behind the myth.

By: Steve Bell

We’ve all heard the classic excuse: “My dog ate my homework.” It’s become a universal punchline, featured in countless movies, TV shows, and even memes.

But is there any truth to this age-old claim, or is it simply a convenient excuse concocted by students looking to evade responsibility?

Let’s delve into the curious phenomenon and uncover the truth behind whether dogs actually indulge in homework feasts.

The notion that dogs eat homework is largely a myth perpetuated by popular culture. While dogs may chew on paper or other objects out of curiosity, instances of them consuming entire assignments are extremely rare. Dogs are primarily carnivores and lack motivation to eat non-food items like homework. Thus, while the excuse may be amusing, it’s not rooted in reality.

Table of Contents

The Origins of the Myth

The notion of dogs devouring homework has been ingrained in popular culture for decades, but where did it originate?

Surprisingly, the origins of this myth are somewhat murky.

Some speculate that it stems from the tendency of dogs to chew on paper or other objects, while others believe it may have evolved from creative excuses devised by students seeking leniency from their teachers.

Cultural Perpetuation

Regardless of its origins, the myth has been perpetuated and reinforced through various forms of media.

From cartoons to sitcoms, the image of a mischievous canine gleefully munching on a homework assignment has become a popular excuse.

As a result, many people have accepted it as a humorous reality rather than questioning its validity.

Debunking the Myth

Despite its widespread acceptance, the idea of dogs eating homework is largely a myth.

While dogs are certainly capable of chewing on paper or other objects, instances of them consuming entire assignments are exceedingly rare.

In reality, there are several factors that debunk the notion:

Canine Dietary Preferences

Dogs are primarily carnivores, meaning their natural diet consists of meat.

While they may occasionally nibble on non-food items out of curiosity or boredom, such as socks or shoes, the idea that they would find paper appetizing is dubious at best.

Most dogs are discerning eaters and are unlikely to consume something as unpalatable as homework.

Lack of Motivation

Unlike household items like shoes or furniture, homework holds little appeal for dogs .

They don’t perceive it as food, nor do they have any inherent desire to destroy it.

Dogs are more likely to be motivated by smells , textures, and flavours that align with their natural instincts, none of which are typically found in homework assignments.

Behavioural Understanding

Furthermore, dogs are creatures of habit and routine.

They thrive on structure and consistency, making it unlikely that they would disrupt the established order by devouring a homework assignment.

Most dogs prefer familiar environments and routines, and the sudden urge to consume homework would be out of character for the vast majority of them.

Can dogs actually digest paper?

While dogs can technically ingest paper, it’s not a natural or healthy part of their diet. Paper lacks nutritional value and can potentially cause gastrointestinal issues if consumed in large quantities. In most cases, any paper ingested by a dog will pass through their system without causing harm.

Why do students use the excuse that their dog ate their homework?

The excuse has become a cultural solution and is often used humorously to explain why a student has failed to complete their assignments on time. It’s a convenient way to deflect blame and a poor attempt to get sympathy from teachers, and is rarely taken seriously.

Are there any documented cases of dogs eating homework?

While anecdotes abound, documented cases of dogs consuming entire homework assignments are exceptionally rare. Most instances involve minor chewing or damage to papers rather than complete consumption.

What should I do if my dog does chew up my homework?

If your dog damages your homework assignment, it’s best to be honest with your teacher or professor about what happened. Explain the situation calmly and offer to provide a replacement or make arrangements to complete the assignment. Most teachers will appreciate your honesty and understanding.

In the end, the myth of dogs eating homework is just that: a myth.

While it may persist as a humorous anecdote, there’s little evidence to support the idea that dogs have any desire to eat academic assignments.

Instead, let’s appreciate our canine companions for their loyalty, companionship, and occasional mischievous antics, but let’s not blame them for our laziness or forgetfulness.

After all, they’re too busy chasing squirrels and enjoying belly rubs to concern themselves with our homework woes.

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BUT THE DOG REALLY DID

EAT MY HOMEWORK!

There's a kid, name of Kyle, homework's not quite his style,

likes to get a drink and sit there for awhile, (This is Kyle!)

puts his work in a pile, (he prefers to smile)

starts in just a little while. Kyle really did do his

homework and he put it in his pack on the floor. Uh oh!

"Did you know that a dog would eat homework?"

When he got up he said, "Oh my gosh, now I'm dead!"

There was chewed-up homework lying on the floor by his bed.

"Come here, dog!" Kyle said. Doggy tilts his head.

"What's your problem, dog? You were already fed.

You've got bones in your head!" Kyle said,

ran off and got the bus, saw his friends and said:

"Do you know that my dog ate my homework?"

All his friends said, "Yeah right! Like you're up half the night,

doing homework now or some-thing." "Guess again. Not too bright!"

"Say that you hurt your hand, and you couldn't write."

"Say your folks were out last night. Go bump your head."

"See the nurse. Act sick.”

“Just spin and spin until you fall down." they said.

"But my dog really did eat my homework."

Later on in his class, Teacher said, "Will you pass

in your homework please from yesterday." Then Kyle said, "Alas!"

When he tried to explain  it was all in vain,

and the teacher shook her head "Kyle, let and said to

Kyle, "Let me make something plain:

At three o'clock you will re main. See you after class!"

"But the dog really did eat my homework!"

So until 3:45 he stayed,

till his debt to society was paid, I'm afraid,

When he got home, he said to the dog on his bed,

"It was you got me in trouble after school, Dodo head!

All the world now thinks that I'm a big disgrace,

and they're on my case!

Why did you have to go eat my homework?"

...Then the dog licked his face.

This song is a true story. Kyle Ng’s

dog “Keiko”, a 7 month- old Boxer-

German shepherd mix, really did

eat his homework. But nobody

believed him, including his music

teacher, the composer of this song.

Kyle says that his dog is smart and

obeys commands such as “Eat!”.

words & music by Bill Vollinger ©2004

Heritage Choral 15/2005H

“But the Dog REALLY

DID Eat My Homework!”

(two-part treble voices & piano)

The Lorenz Corporation

501 E. Third St.

Dayton, Ohio 45401

(800) 444-1144 ext. 1

click for ordering information

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News, Notes, Talk

Fun fact: John Steinbeck’s dog ate the first draft of Of Mice and Men .

“The dog ate my homework” is, perhaps, the oldest excuse in the book. But it really happened to John Steinbeck! His dog, Toby, apparently ate half of the first manuscript of Of Mice and Men .

On this very day, May 27, 1936, he wrote :

Minor tragedy stalked. My setter pup, left alone one night, made confetti of about half of my manuscript book. Two months work to do over again. It set me back. There was no other draft. I was pretty mad, but the poor little fellow may have been acting critically. I didn’t want to ruin a good dog for a manuscript I’m not sure is good at all. He only got an ordinary spanking … I’m not sure Toby didn’t know what he was doing when he ate the first draft. I have promoted Toby-dog to be a lieutenant-colonel in charge of literature.

Dog lover that he was, at least he was in good humor about it! (Maybe the moral here is: if your first draft gets destroyed, don’t  terrier self up about it!)

As for Toby, maybe he really was trying to tell his owner that the first draft was  ruff and he didn’t want Steinbeck to setter for it. Or he was hounding him to finish the thing, already! Maybe he just didn’t like that Lennie accidentally killed that innocent dog in the book.

Or maybe Toby somehow knew that later in life, John Steinbeck would go on to write a travelogue with his other dog, a poodle named Charley.

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Echols: So, the dog ate my homework?

The dog ate my homework, a colorful and simple statement. Say it out loud with me: The dog ate my homework!

You're smiling just now at the thought of saying something like this to a parent or teacher. Or, you're smiling at a memory of having actually said it, straight-faced, and super serious to someone. After all, this is the oldest line passed down through generations and generations of school-aged children. This saying probably predates the birth of our country. Heck, that excuse is probably older than dirt. When we hear it, we assume that those who utter the phrase simply aren't being truthful as to why they failed to do what everyone else in a class did … their homework.

Personally, I don't remember ever using that line, although I know folks who did. And Neely Tucker, it just doesn't sound the same when you say "the goats ate my homework!" We know that cats don't actually eat homework. So the dastardly blame has to fall on "man's best friend," our loyal, sweet, beloved puppy dogs.

"The dog ate my homework" is a line used in a seemingly feeble attempt to cover up the fact that you didn't do your homework. As the story usually goes, the person blaming dogs really forgot to do their homework or they simply just left it at home. If you can believe it, there's even a Wiki-How page that explains how to create the best excuse for not having homework completed on time. I wonder if people who actually might use that site think that teachers and parents never find out. Oh the joys of the World Wide Web, as if we needed any creative help with that one.

Either way, at some point in our lives, someone we know has said the dog ate their homework. Folks who hear that silly, unbelievable excuse of a reason typically react the same way. They shake their heads and roll their eyes back. It's as if your ears suddenly develop a shooting pain at the very sound of the excuse. Does it surprise you to know that "The dog ate my homework" ranks in the top three excuses that teachers hear every year?

I'm told that if you show your teacher the pieces of dog-shredded homework, you might get a pass to re-do it the next day. Beware though, teachers have an unexplained sixthsense that allows them to detect real dog-torn paper as opposed to people-torn paper. According to the Wonderopolis website, dogs will eat just about anything if given the opportunity. The site goes on to say that scientists believe when a dog eats homework, other paper, and non-food items it could be because of good, old-fashioned boredom. Dogs turn their boredom into curiosity and begin to explore things, which ultimately results in finding shredded scraps of homework! And Wonderopolis takes it one step further. If not boredom, your paper shredding dog might be hungry. Whether it's food he smells on your paper from your fingers touching a sandwich you ate for lunch or just your scent on the paper, the best advice for a shredding, chewing, paper-eating pup is to keep your homework, books, newspaper, and other chew-able paper out of your canine's reach.

Now we know some of the reasons why dogs might actually eat homework. But what if, what if … your dog really, honestly, did eat the homework? What if you owned a super energetic puppy that loves you more than anything in the world? What if that puppy hated it when you left the house for any length of time and found things to chew that smelled like you? What if you owned an angelically sweet border collie who, dare I say it… actually eats your homework?

Who would believe you? Certainly not any teachers and probably not even your own parents. I'm here to tell you, from personal experience in our home, that this really can happen. But there is more to this ominous cliché. In addition to the delicious homework that gets eaten, dogs today like to also consume your monthly bills, your notes for work, your cell phone, your shoes, and whatever else they can get their teeth on for appetizers.

Recently, I got a 40 percent off retail coupon in the mail. I placed it on my kitchen counter and left the room for two seconds. Upon my quick return, that coupon was cut down to about 1 percent off because it was in a million, tiny, shredded pieces on the floor. And then there were notes I made while on a conference call with a client. After finishing the call, I left the notes on a table. I walked out to get something from my car. When I got back, the notes looked as though they'd gone through one of those professional shredders.

We have our very own four-legged furry little personal shredder named Scout. You can see it in his eyes that he's a shredder. I firmly believe that puppy dogs shred things because they miss us or they're mad at us for leaving them alone for a bit. Or it could be because they're bored or hungry. My family knows first-hand that a dog really can eat your homework. Around our house, it's not so much that Scout eats the homework, but he can certainly shred it into tiny little microscopic pieces!

So the next time you hear someone say, "The dog ate my homework," ask them if they've been to our house. Tweet your story about missing paperwork or homework to @TheDonnaEchols!

The Dog Ate My Homework!

Top 5 funniest student excuses.

The Survey Says

Everyone knows that a great teacher embraces creativity and encourages it in each and every student. Many students learn this lesson quite well but unfortunately, illustrate their mastery when pressed about homework not being completed or projects left undone.

The excuse “the dog ate my homework” probably dates to the Paleolithic era when a creative student met the first dog. Poor canines have been blamed for academic failures for the next 15,000 years. While the excuse continues to be an old favorite, students today have applied their creativity to parents, families, other pets and now of course technology.

ESGI and ThinkFives polled hundreds of teachers to solicit the funniest or most creative excuses they have heard in their classrooms. These are actual excuses used by students and shared with ThinkFives.

It’s My Parents!

• My mom punished me by not letting me do it.
• My mother said “Jesus is coming soon so we better go to church instead of doing homework.”
• My mama fell through the porch.
• My dad didn’t do it.
• My nanny drove over my science project and the fruit flies just didn’t make it.

There’s an Animal or Sibling Involved

• My cat peed on my homework.
• A duck flew into the house and grabbed it with the Rice Krispies.
• My little brother hid it too well during hide and seek.
• My baby sister ate it because she still doesn’t know what food is.
• My brother was farting all night and I couldn’t be in my room. That’s where my computer is.

Darn that Technology 

• Our Internet does not work unless the sun is shining.
• My mom locked me in the bathroom until I would take a shower and there was no wifi in there.
• I thought I was using the copier but it was the shredder.
• I dropped my iPad in the toilet.
• My Chromebook is sick. It has a virus.

Understandable Issues

• It was International Pancake Day- free pancakes at the IHOP.
• I had a potty battle and I lost!
• I had to get my hair done
• I didn’t want to add to your workload.
• My friend is failing so I gave it to him to use.
• It was raining.
• My brain left my body for a bit.
• I didn’t have time because I had to play with my PlayStation.
• I didn’t want “Sally” to be the only one that didn’t have her homework today.
• I kept thinking about bubblegum.

What’s a Funny Excuse You’ve Heard?

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For the reason their laptop wasn’t charged for class today a student said, “We don’t have outlets at home.” When in fact I know he does.🙄😂#middleschoolers #alwaysforthelaugh

There’s always an excuse! I don’t get it. Doing my homework when I was a kid wasn’t an option! 🙄

I have to admit: “My Chromebook is sick. It has a virus.” was a very clever one. Wow, such creativity there! Really impressed!

“I seriously had full intentions of doing my homework, but then, I remembered how important you said sleep was.”

I didn’t do it because it was too easy for me..

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The Dog Ate My Homework

The first known time that anyone used the “dog ate my homework” excuse was, according to writing expert and educationist, Christoper Simpson, in 1835. The student who was said to have uttered the now famous explanation for the absence of homework was Henry Pennywhistle, but other sources attribute the words to a story about a Welsh minister in 1905, and yet another source points to Saint Tyron who in the fifth century found a fox with whom he made friends. At some point, the fox ate his psalms, but “the fox ate my scriptures,” doesn’t quite have the same ring. Whatever. The quote spawned a cottage industry of creative excuses, many of which became children’s books (“Godzilla Ate My Homework,” “A Dinosaur Ate My Homework,” “Aliens Ate My Homework,” “My Teacher Ate My Homework,” and so on).

We know that dogs sometimes do eat things they ought not to, something the author, John Steinbeck” found out when he reportedly found the first draft of his novel, Of Mice and Men , chewed up by his dog.  Steinbeck was known, of course, for his Poodle, “Charley,” who accompanied him on a criss-cross journey “in search of America.”  The book resulted in  Travels with Charley: In Search of America,  though the journey was in the 1960s, and  Of Mice and Men  was published in 1937, so we think the Poodle was innocent. In fact, it was Steinbeck’s dog, Max, who chomped on the first draft of the classic.  Steinbeck owned many dogs in his life, including an Airedale Terrier, but Max’s breed remains a mystery to us.

Image: “Dog Ate my Homework” is available on a t-shirt and hoodie here. 

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the dog ate my homework

English [ edit ]

Phrase [ edit ].

• 2011 May 6, Damian Carrington, “Environment action delays blamed on 'dog ate my homework' excuses”, in The Guardian ‎ [1] , archived from the original on 2022-08-24 : Their reasons for missed deadlines are mostly of the " dog ate my homework variety" including such easily foreseeable events as yesterday's elections and that the badger culling policy is "difficult and sensitive".
• 2014 September 12, Oscar Webb, quoting Donald Campbell, “UK Government Changes Its Line On Diego Garcia Flight Logs Sought in Rendition Row - Again”, in VICE ‎ [2] , archived from the original on 2022-12-05 : The government's excuses for Diego Garcia's missing records are getting increasingly confused and desperate. Ministers could hardly be less credible if they simply said ' the dog ate my homework .'
• 2017 February 18, Mia Berman, “Go West-minster, Young Mastiff”, in HuffPost ‎ [3] , archived from the original on 2019-04-09 : Our immune system's weak; we've been sick as a dog, missing work and school, resorting to " the dog ate my homework " excuses amidst these frigid dog days of winter.

References [ edit ]

• English lemmas
• English phrases
• English multiword terms
• English terms with quotations

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My Dog Ate My Homework: How to Correct Unwanted Dog Behavior

Sometime throughout your life you may have heard (or possibly used) the old expression, “the dog ate my homework.” Hopefully, you haven’t had to actually deal with your four-legged friend using your work assignment as a midday snack. If they are exhibiting unwanted behavior like chewing on things that aren’t theirs, we can help.

Dogs, especially puppies, are delicate animals that need to feel loved, safe, and secure within our homes. When our furry friends do something we don’t like, the last thing we want to do is try to correct the behavior in a way that makes them feel confused or scared. Luckily, there are plenty of positive ways to address and correct your dog’s behavior that won’t cause unnecessary stress for you or your pooch.

Identifying Bad Behavior

Before you can correct your dog’s bad habits, you need to be able to identify what is and is not bad behavior. Though some “bad” behaviors are common characteristics of all dogs, the problem arises when the action becomes excessive, damaging, or unwelcome.

Common bad habits that may need to be addressed include:

• Excessive barking
• Biting and/or nipping

It is important to remember that a lot of factors can impact a dog’s behavior. Their breed, age, medical history, and past experiences all shape how they act and how they may respond to training. There are also many different reasons why your dog may act out that range from separation anxiety to sheer boredom .

Is your dog acting out because they are seeking attention? Or maybe they are just unfamiliar with a new situation and that makes them anxious. It is helpful to identify potential causes of behavior problems to help better understand what training they may need.

No matter the reason for the misdeeds, it’s important to stop undesirable behavior before it becomes part of your dog’s normal routine. Luckily, there are a few methods you can use to address and correct bad behavior that when executed properly, can help most dogs curb their harmful habits.

Preventing Bad Behavior

Once you have identified your dog’s bad behavior, you can begin to formulate a plan to address and correct the troublesome trait. The most important factor to remember is that punishment is not the answer. Instead, use positive reward-based correction and training to teach your dog that good things happen when they do what you ask.

Corrections Instead of Punishments

Corrections are used to help your pup learn right from wrong. The purpose of a correction is to demonstrate a fact to your dog, while gaining the ability to understand, and reduce, unwanted behaviors. We all make mistakes, but it’s important to teach our dogs to avoid the behaviors we don’t want, and to encourage them with the behaviors we do want. This makes for a happy home for both pup and pup parent.

Several behavioral corrections can be used to train your pooch the right and safe way. Two of the more popular correction methods are withholding a reward and reprimanding.

Withholding a Reward

During your training sessions, try giving your dog commands and reward them with some delicious Bil-Jac Little Jacs Training Treats  for the right behavior and withhold the treat if they do any unwanted dog behavior.

By repeating this exercise several times with your pooch, they will start to understand that they are only rewarded for doing the thing you want them to do. This form of training will help your dog create a positive association with good behaviors, which is much more effective than punishing a dog for bad behavior.

In contrast, withholding a reward when he or she doesn’t follow direction will teach your furry friend to avoid that behavior in the future. For some pups, withholding a reward is all they need to correct their bad dog behavior.

Reprimanding the Puppy

When withholding a reward isn’t enough, sometimes it makes sense to reprimand your puppy. This may sound intimidating, but reprimanding your puppy is not about scaring them or hurting your four-legged friend. Instead, it is simply creating a learning moment your dog can recognize as out of the norm to help signal something is not right.

Giving a simple but firm ‘NO!’ with a finger point or a brief leash tug is enough to alert your pup that they need to make an adjustment. By doing this, and withholding a reward, your dog should learn to adjust their behavior fairly quickly.

Redirection

Another way to correct unwanted dog behavior is through redirection. A lot of behavior that we as pet parents deem as “bad” is oftentimes just instinctive habits our pup can’t fully turn off. Chewing, barking, and digging are all habits that come naturally to our dogs, so it may be impossible to fully stop these behaviors. What we can do, however, is redirect our dog’s attention to less damaging activities when these “bad” behaviors occur.

If your dog is chewing, digging, jumping, or exhibiting a behavior you don’t like, offer them their favorite chew toy, play a few rounds of tug, or take them for a jog around the block. Sometimes even some basic exercise can help burn off steam and distract them from their initial bad actions.

S ocialization

When it comes to correcting unwanted dog behavior, socialization goes a long way.

Sometimes our furry friends act up because they are anxious, confused, or scared. When you regularly socialize your pup , they become more accustomed to different sounds, smells, and new sensations. These new experiences help your dog learn how to relax in unfamiliar situations, and in turn they are less likely to overreact or exhibit bad behavior like barking, jumping, biting, and chasing when caught off guard.

Work With a Trainer

Sometimes it can be hard to figure out what our dog’s need. Luckily, dog trainers are a great resource to lean on when we aren’t sure how to help our furry friends. Professional Animal Trainer and TV Show Host Joel Silverman is a phenomenal source of information when it comes to raising, training , and caring for dogs of all ages. When asked about curbing bad behavior, Silverman offers some helpful advice to keep in mind:

“If you can catch a dog right when he’s starting to dig or chew and say, ‘knock it off,’ now you’re sending a message the dog can understand,” Silverman explains. “A verbal correction combined with preventative training, which is not giving the dog the opportunity to be in that situation, is how you get rid of those problems.”

Ultimately, the most important thing to do when you want to correct unwanted dog behavior is to remember that practice makes perfect. Dogs are smart and social animals and want to please their dog parents, so regularly reinforcing good behavior will help them stay consistent. Plus, training your pup and using corrections is a great way to build your bond and ensure a healthy and happy home for the whole family.

Want to learn more about what you can do to keep your furry friend happy, healthy, and well-behaved? Join our Best Friends Club today to receive our exclusive email newsletter full of informative articles, training tips, and members-only discounts on Bil-Jac dog food, treats, and other products.

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My Dog Ate My Homework

From the book The Biggest Burp Ever

My dog ate my homework. That mischievous pup got hold of my homework and gobbled it up.

My dog ate my homework. It’s gonna be late. I guess that the teacher will just have to wait.

My dog ate my homework. He swallowed it whole. I shouldn’t have mixed it with food in his bowl.

 — Kenn Nesbitt

Copyright © 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Reading Level: Grade 1 Topics: Animal Poems , School Poems Poetic Techniques: Irony , Narrative Poems Word Count: 60

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Breaking news, i’m a teacher — and my dog ate my students’ homework.

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Would you look at that: The dog really did eat their homework.

A teacher was left shocked after her pet pooch devoured her class’ assignments, leaving paper fragments all over her kitchen floor.

The photo went viral in a Reddit thread with the caption, “When you’re a teacher and your dog eats everyone’s homework.”

The post earned more than 1,100 upvotes and people on the platform were quick to crack a few jokes about the puppy mishap.

“How the tables turn,” one user said.

“You should show this picture to your class. They’d enjoy it (as long as you give everyone good marks for it),” commented someone else.

“But the real question is … do the kids believe you or do they think you’re making an excuse because you forgot to grade their homework?” quipped another.

While it’s unclear whether the Reddit poster, who did not reveal specifics, really is a teacher or not, it didn’t stop readers’ imaginations.

“I would have LOVE for a teacher to come in and say, ‘Kids. You all got As. My dog ate your homework,'” one user giggled, while another said: “Good dog! Now everyone gets an ‘A.'”

“Your dog: ‘See? I got rid of all this so you have more time to pet me!'” joked someone else.

Although the age-old excuse is usually just a fib, hungry hounds have been known to actually eat kids’ homework. In fact, just two years ago, a student in the Philippines fell victim to his dogs’ late-night munchies — all of which was caught on video.

The two pups played a round of tug of war with the papers until it was in scraps, making a confusing sight for the student, Darren James Lamban, when he awoke the next morning.

While he might be one of the only people whose devious pet has truly snacked on their homework, the excuse dates back to the beginning of the 20th century.

In a 1905 edition of a Welsh-American magazine, music critic William ApMadoc recited an old anecdote of a minister whose sermon met the same distasteful fate — being eaten by his dog.

But it wasn’t until a 1929 speech penned by a retiring headmaster, James Bewsher, that the tale of homework-eating pups was seen.

“It is a long time since I have had the excuse about the dog tearing up the arithmetic homework,” his speech, which was published in the Manchester Guardian, read.

Other sources claim John Steinbeck once begged an editor to extend the deadline for “Of Mice and Men” in 1936 due to the manuscript’s unfortunate bout with the author’s Irish setter, who took a hefty bite — or two — out of the book.

Or so he said.

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Dear Students,

I taught my first freshman composition class more than 40 years ago. Your class is my last.

We began the semester with 36 students. I predicted on the first day that I would probably wind up giving grades to half that many. Had I been more strict about dropping people whose attendance was erratic and whose assignments weren’t coming in, I would have been right. But I let lots of students slide. I didn’t drop people who weren’t showing up, nor did I drop the people who weren’t doing the work. That was no favor because now I’m forced to give grades that will narrow future options for people who might have gone further, had they only tried. If you were one of the students who missed more than five or six classes, or who failed to turn in most of the assignments, you need to ask yourself if you’re making good use of your time. There are always excuses for not showing up, or not turning work in. I’ve heard them all. But lives built on excuses generally don’t turn out well.

There were a handful of people in this class who made it here every day, always with the assigned writing completed. If I were an employer, these are the people I would want as employees.

But I have never liked to think of myself as working to provide a screening process for your future bosses. I like to think I’m working for you, and helping build your futures as more fully realized human beings. In that light, some of you have failed this semester. You’ve failed yourselves. As a result, some of you learned very little and showed no discernible improvement in your writing, wasting your time and mine.

I never find it pleasant or productive to guilt-trip students. But if just one of you reads these words and decides to take your education a bit more seriously, it was worth writing them.

Few people care whether you succeed or fail. You are not showing up to class for your teachers or even your parents. You’re not doing these assignments for anyone but yourselves. If you cut classes because your teachers bore you, then you should be dropping those classes, not piddling away your GPA.

I went to a community college too. I screwed up in high school, graduating in the bottom third of my class. But I married and became a father not long thereafter. Those responsibilities made me quite serious about the second chance offered by the community college system. It’s difficult to maintain a slacker attitude when you’re up nightly with 2 o’clock feedings of an infant daughter whose vulnerability and dependence on you are impossible to overlook. Had I not shown up regularly and done the work conscientiously, I would have blown that second chance. I would have had a much different life, a much poorer one, not only materially but intellectually and even spiritually. And my children would have had poorer lives too, because what I learned in college was shared with them in ways too numerous to count. I’ve never regretted the portion of my youth that I devoted to study.

And I’ve never regretted spending so much of my adult life teaching in community colleges. I’m glad I was able to help some of my students get their own second chances. Most of the people who attend community colleges have very little handed to them. We are not favored by wealth or connections. Unlike the Donald Trumps of the world, those born to the mansion, the way is not made easy for us. So it is something of a crime against our very selves when we squander the second chance when it is offered.

Some of you did just that this semester, throwing away time and opportunity. If next semester provides another opportunity, I hope you will seize it. Life has a way of getting serious with us well before some of us decide to get serious with it. By that time, it may be too late to build the life you might have wanted.

And if you don’t know just what it is you do want, drop out of school until you figure it out. If you misuse your time here, you will erode the chance you have for a more hopeful future. In the papers you wrote, I occasionally pointed out cliches in your prose. In this note to you, however, I have turned myself into a living cliche, an old teacher scolding the young for lack of seriousness. But ignore the hectoring of an old man who has traveled the road that lies ahead of you and you could become your own living cliche — the loser who squandered opportunity. My hope is that you do not.

Jaime O’Neill is a writer in Northern California.

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Reader calls me out for not being informed. I explain why that's too risky | Adams

One of my astute literary contributors took me to task this week for not practicing herd journalism. Other readers continued to fixate on the uncertainty of college sports .

James writes: Do you sportswriters ever read sports columns other than your own? You said

TN could be favored over ALA and OKLA? TN has a shot at the playoffs?

ESPN too early 2024 poll shows ALA at #9 and OKLA #14! TN is #16  with 

7 yes 7  SEC teams ranked ahead of them. Did the dog eat your homework?

My response: Read other sports columnists? Are you crazy?

My company has an unbelievably strict plagiarism policy. So strict, in fact, that my attorney recommended I not read anything other than my own column.

Too risky, he said. Although I wouldn’t knowingly copy another columnist’s work, I might use the same phraseology without realizing it. That could constitute plagiarism.

I know that could make me less informed. But the tradeoff is worth it when I'm complimented during my annual evaluation.

Last January, my supervisor said something like: “Congratulations, John. You made another year without stealing another columnist’s work.”  

Kalman writes: I have read what seems like hundreds of articles, by many writers in many publications about the ramifications of NIL. The one thing I don’t recall ever reading is whether there is, or will be, some kind of a dollar amount “cap” per team, per school, per conference or whatever.

At least to me this is the most confusing part to understand. Surely there can’t be an “anything goes” policy? Or maybe there can.

My response: I wouldn't rule out a salary cap. But I'm more certain about this: The current system isn't sustainable.

I'm just thankful there's no salary cap on sports columnists.

C olorado Mark writes: I wonder if Berina enjoyed that "Jerry Lawler Slam Burger" you served her?  Jerry may be the "KING" of Memphis, but it would appear you have your own kingdom in Knoxville.

You should challenge him in a steel cage match for his crown, I mean hey, Tyson. Besides, if the match was held in TBA, it would be a sellout, just make sure Topp is the Ref, and Sparks is your mgr. 

My response: I had to give up cage matches due to claustrophobia. And open-range combat isn’t an option since it could induce agoraphobia.

So, I’m not challenging anybody to anything.

Glenn writes: If the college play-for-pay continues to evolve into possible contractual agreements between players and schools, the contract should include a time obligation to afford the school some protection from losing their investment in the transfer portal. 

As you write, the players now have the upper hand.  Contracts rather than Letters of Intent would protect a school’s expense in player recruitment and development.

My response: That’s where we’re headed. More details will be revealed later in this column.

Vols Mark writes: When will the players form a players' union like the NFL? Especially the 'collective bargaining' part.

My response: Most media-types would dodge that question and write something like: “sooner than later.”

I’m not most media-types, though. College football players will officially form a union similar to the NFL’s – and implement collective bargaining as well – on Feb. 8, 2026.

I’ve got a good source on that.

Duke writes: (Quoting me) “Plowman might be the most popular administrator in UT history for how she handled alleged football coach Jeremy Pruitt as well as the NCAA."

Fantastic, John, other than I almost spit out my coffee when I read that.

My response: Many Tennessee fans spit out more than coffee while watching Pruitt try to put their football program out of business.

And thanks for quoting me back to me. That was an effective twist.

Mike writes: I was having a down day and then I read your column in which you told Berina that you did not overlook her previous e-mail, but instead you were ignoring it.  I haven't been able to stop laughing.

ADAMS: Literary contributors raise the intellect of my column as I struggle to keep up

My response: I receive way too many emails to always respond. I must prioritize.

My regular literary contributors are my No. 1 priority, followed closely by any message – no matter how inane it might seem at first glance – from corporate headquarters.

I’m a company man above all else.

John Adams is a senior columnist. He may be reached at 865-342-6284 or [email protected] . Follow him at: twitter.com/johnadamskns.