Dogs apparently do not like the word “ooga” and owners have been testing the theory in a hilarious new TikTok trend.
Dog owner, Rach (@redsettersadventures), filmed her dog’s reaction to the word, racking up 90,900 likes and 1.1 million views on TikTok.
“Saw on TikTok dogs don’t like the word ‘ooga,’ so I had to try it,” she shared in the text overlaying the video. “I can confirm, they do not like ooga,” she wrote as the caption.
In the video, the dog mom repeatedly says the word, struggling to get it out because of her laughter. At first, the pooches don’t seem to mind, but soon both dogs begin barking uncontrollably. Rod, her red setter, walks away from his owner and circles the table, still barking, with the other dog, Bonnie, following closely behind.
Rach told Newsweek: “My sister told me about it, I am not sure where she heard of it, and she told me to try it out to see what would happen.”
What’s the ‘Ooga’ Trend?
The trend of saying “ooga” to dogs has gone viral, with many pet owners trying the word to see how their furry friends react. While some dogs bark or appear confused, others seem unbothered. The reasons for their different responses have sparked curiosity and led dog behavior experts to weigh in with Newsweek on the phenomenon.
“The repeated saying of ‘ooga’ might have been perceived by the dogs as their owner sounding the alarm,” Alexandra Bassett, Lead Dog Trainer and Behavior Consultant at Dog Savvy in Los Angeles told Newsweek of the apparent trigger word.
Nicole Kohanski, a dog behavior expert and trainer at Wiggle Butt Academy in Dallas, Texas, tried the word with her own dogs and got playful reactions.
“I have eight personal dogs ranging in age from 14 weeks to nine years, and no one was worried,” she said.
A stock image shows dogs playing. Dog owners have reported varying reactions to the word “ooga.”
anothersteve/iStock / Getty Images Plus
She speculated that dogs who react negatively to neutral words may have previously associated those words with something unpleasant. For example, the pronunciation of “ooga” might resemble sounds they’ve been conditioned to dislike, or the body language of the person saying it could be causing stress.
Bassett added that the word itself isn’t likely the issue—it’s how owners interact with their dogs while saying it.
She explained: “When dog owners stare at their dogs and say the word with emphasis, it can make the dogs feel like they’re being challenged.”
Eye contact, depending on the intensity, can be interpreted as a threat in dog body language.
In the video Rach shared, the repeated saying of “ooga” might have been perceived by the dogs as their owner ‘sounding the alarm,’ prompting them to bark in response as if there were an intruder.
Commenters on the video found it hilarious and chimed in with their own theories. One user pointed out: “In Hungarian ‘ugat’ means bark, and you kinda pronounce it like ooga, just add a T at the end.”
Another said: “I swear it’s because it sounds like ‘who’s that,’ so they start alert barking to nothing.”
Others shared their attempts to try the word on their dogs. “Said it to my dog, he lifted his head then went back to sleep,” said one amused viewer. Another commented: “Said this to my yorkie and she just rolled her eyes and laid back down.”
One TikToker, Israel Rodriguez (@memyselfandizzy), tested the trend on his small dog, which racked up 118,600 likes and 2.4 million views. He saw a video of a German shepherd reacting to “ooga” and decided to try it with his own pet. After saying “ooga,” his dog pricked up its ears, grunted in what seemed like disgust and then started barking.
Bassett, reflecting on the wide range of reactions, explained that smaller dogs like Yorkies may instinctively react strongly.
“For dogs with strong guarding instincts, sudden engagement can make them think something is up, so they start barking,” she said. “It’s more about the disruption in energy than the word itself.”
Newsweek reached out to Israel Rodriguez for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
