英语里dog经常用来指人，比如说在《趣味英文成语（八）dog and lion》里，提到的old dog就指老人，后来引申为顽固的不容易改变的人。
dog在UK可以指无辜的人或者弱小的人
It is easy to find a stick to beat a dog
这个谚语被翻译成“人非圣贤，孰能无过”。也就是说，如果打算找某人的麻烦，总能找到事儿责备某人。
I know it is easy to find a stick to beat a dog, but you need to stop criticizing your son—he's not being malicious, he's just a child!
不管在漫画书里，还是在电视上，当人们看到坏蛋用脚踢狗的时候，总是觉得这个人怎么连狗都踢？英语里就用这种不可理喻的说法指故意找别人的麻烦。尤其是当对方很无辜的时候
look/looking for a dog to kick
吹毛求疵，找人责备／惩罚／撒气=To seek out someone to blame or castigate, especially someone who is not at fault. (Usually said in the continuous tense.)
例子：
My dad had a famously short fuse when we were growing up, so we soon learned to get out of his way when he was looking for a dog to kick.
The troubled economy is the result of many factors, but the president is usually the first one blamed by voters looking for a dog to kick.
类似的说法还有
shouldn't happen to a dog 不应该发生在任何人身上. (一般都是很严重的情况）这个词美国也用。1946年美国有部电影就叫“It shouldn't happen to a dog”
I wouldn't wish that on a dog.= I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy 形容情况很惨
例子：
This cold I got shouldn't happen to a dog.
What a hideous disease! I wouldn't wish that on a dog.
在美国，dog指朋友，跟朋友打招呼的时候也可以说Hey, dog! 有的时候也被拼成dawg或者dogg。Snoop Dogg是美国一个很有名的黑人歌手Cordozar Calvin Broadus, Jr.的别名。
my dog = my dawg = my dogg（黑人英语里常用）
例子：Jane’s my dawg. We cruise together.
人们很少否定自己的朋友，如果一旦发生这种事情，那就有麻烦了。
(It's) not my dog = It's not my problem.
例子：So what! It doesn't matter! Not my dog.
现在养狗的人越来越多，所以人多的地方狗也多。
everybody and his (their) dog 人山人海，很多人，大部分人
例子：I'm so jealous, everybody and his dog is going on a vacation this summer except for me.
Now，everybody and their dog has a cell phone.
我记得曾经有人在网上写过一篇文章，大概就是主人什么德行这个狗也什么德行。主人温和狗也温和，主人愿意找事儿，养个狗也讨厌。所以法国有句谚语：
The best thing about a man is his dog. 以狗识人。有点儿像汉语里“物以类聚，人以群分”的道理。
类似的
Love me, love my dog 爱屋及乌
而换种说法，则不是一个意思了
（go to ）see a man about a dog 则是“上卫生间”比较幽默的说法
很久以前，在狗不是宠物的年代，狗与狗之间为了生存竞争而不惜吃掉对方。后来就比喻人类、行业之间残酷的竞争。
dog eat dog 弱肉强食，人吃人，自相残杀，不惜代价，每个人都考虑自己的利益
例子
In showbusiness it's dog eat dog - one day you're a star, the next you've been replaced by younger talent.
It's a dog-eat-dog industry （竞争异常激烈，没有职业道德的行业）
而对这种行为的否定，就显得非常理智，有职业道德。不过也都指不好的事情发生。
Dog does not eat dog. “同室不操戈，同类不相残。”
Prov. Ellen: My lawyer did such a bad job that l want to hire another lawyer to sue him. Jane: You'll never find a lawyer to take on that job. Dog does not eat dog.
所以学短语和谚语是一件很有趣的事。希望你读我的系列文章不仅能够记住这些英文短语和谚语，而且能够从相关的故事中体会到异国文化，一些书本上没有，生活里必知的知识。
