Suck-egg dog?

Posted by Rose on August 02, 2000

In Reply to: Suck-egg dog? posted by Bob on August 02, 2000

: : : I am trying to find the meaning of a suck-egg dog. It is used in a story by Zora Hurston ("Sweat")and she is referring to hating her husband as much as a suck-egg dog.

: : Dogs that "steal" eggs are not welcome on the farm for obvious reasons. I don't know if dogs actually "suck" the eggs. They gobble down the contents and leave the shells behind. People "pepper" eggs to try and break a dog of the habit. But once they develop a taste for eggs, it's hard to make them stop. The way I've heard the phrase is "egg-sucking dog." It's a (U.S.) country saying. A companion saying would be a "sheep-killing dog."

: I have a vivid memory of a business trip to Fort Wayne, Indiana 20 years ago, staying at a zero-stars "budget" hotel. I walked into the almost-deserted bar for a nightcap, and saw a scene direct from a Fellini movie: an extremely obese woman in a black dress was alone on a small dance floor, blissfully turning, eyes closed, arms stretched out wide, dancing slowly to the music of a one-man band. The latter was a small balding man in a large powder-blue tuxedo, attached to a collection of drums, keyboards, and assorted other instruments. The mournful tune he was playing, and singing (after a fashion) was "Egg-suckin' Dog." And while I remember the scene clearly to this day, I'm proud to say I didn't need therapy to recover.

Oh. That was me.