It Takes a Big Dog to Weigh a Ton

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This is Carol from Iowa.

Hi, Carol.

Welcome.

What can we do for you?

Thank you.

Well, I have a question about a saying that my dad used to use his entire life. He was a really quiet guy, not a conversationalist in any way. And his name was Don. And so in conversation, he would use a lot of what I now call Don-isms, such as, I wish I was more rich instead of good-looking, or mother didn’t have all dumb kids. But he used one the most, and it was really annoying. And over the years, we would just groan, but in response to us maybe trying to include him in a conversation, we might say something like, well, Dad, what do you think about that? And he would, honestly, almost always say, well, I think it takes a big dog to weigh a ton. And we would all just look at each other like, what the heck? Or, you know, when we asked him, like, what does that mean? He would just laugh. Or, you know, it really did get annoying over the years. Bless his heart. But we’ve never known what it meant. And I guess we never bothered to look it up. But it didn’t make sense to us in any way, that saying. So that’s what I’m asking is, do you know what that means?

And the phrase again? It takes a big dog to weigh a ton. It takes a big dog to weigh a ton. And did you have any guesses as to what it meant?

None. I have no inkling.

You know, Carol, he wasn’t the only one to say it. And there are quite a few different versions of it. It goes back at least 100 years. And when people use it genuinely or have used it genuinely in the past, they’ve used it to mean it takes a strong person to handle a problem or it takes a strong person to do what they say they’ll do. Or that problem is going to take a lot of figuring out. It’s metaphorical. But the dog changes in the saying and the weight changes in the saying. So sometimes you might say it takes a big woman or it takes a big man or a big pig, a big hog, a big steer. Or you might say a mighty big one or a pretty big one. And then the ton could be a thousand pounds, 500 pounds, 100 pounds, 50 pounds. And so all these different variations have been used over the many years. And all of these are just the kind of thing that they do appear in conversations and in writing as a non sequitur. But they’re often a way to say, I don’t know, but this sounds like a real problem and it kind of sucks for you.

Interesting. That makes total sense. And now I’ll have to think back to the thousands of times we used it. I also love that it’s just piping up and saying the obvious. It does indeed take a big dog to weigh a ton.

Yeah, yeah. And the funny part is I’ve never heard anybody else use that saying. So I’m glad to know he didn’t just make it up.

Yeah, it used to be more common, but I think this one is fading out. I think this one will soon be just a memory and family lore just like yours.

Interesting. Interesting. Well, now I know. Now we all know. Now we all know. And thank you for sharing your memories and your family lore, Carol.

Yeah, now we all know some Don-isms.

Oh, yes. I’d share the rest of you. Some are inappropriate, but.

I like the other one you shared about, I wish I was born rich instead of so good looking. I wish I was more rich instead of good looking.

Yeah, he liked that one too. Love it. Take care now.

Oh, yes. Do well.

Okay. Thank you.

Bye-bye.

Bye, Carol. It’s always great to hear about those endearing family phrases. Share yours with us, 877-929-9673, or send it an email. That address is words@waywordradio.org.