Throw that bone to another dog.
Throw that bone to another dog.
Meaning in plain English
The speaker rejects what is being offered and tells the other person to try it elsewhere. The bone and another dog express refusal to accept a proposal, without proving that the proposal is dishonest.
Example
A customer declines an unrelated bonus and asks for the original question about the service terms to be answered.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The addressed person is directed to give the bone to another recipient. Figuratively, a listener is declining an inducement or story that does not persuade them. The refusal can be useful when someone is trying to substitute an attractive offer for a satisfactory answer. Yet distrust is not evidence by itself. State the concern and seek clarification where appropriate, rather than using a sharp dismissal to avoid a fair hearing. The image expresses a boundary, not a verified accusation.
When to use it
Use it to refuse an offer or explanation that does not address the actual concern.
Keep in mind
The refusal does not prove deception; avoid treating suspicion as established fact.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 200; Spanish section, paragraph 4167; source wording: A otro perro con ese hueso.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗