why keep a dog and bark yourself
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: why keep a dog and bark yourself?
Sense 1
Meaning · English
One should not do something that one has hired someone else to do.
Register: colloquial
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
Traditional English proverbial phrase; full definition pending editorial review.
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review.
Common questions
What does “why keep a dog and bark yourself” mean?
One should not do something that one has hired someone else to do.
Is “why keep a dog and bark yourself” formal or informal?
why keep a dog and bark yourself is generally colloquial.