How to Say ‘Good dog’ in Japanese
いい子
ii ko
[ee ko]
💬 Usage Tip: [いい子] literally means “good child,” but it is very commonly used for pets too. Super natural for praising a dog in a warm, gentle way.
🇯🇵 In Japan: In Japan, people often talk to dogs almost like small children, so [いい子] sounds affectionate and very everyday.
Phrase Breakdown
いい
ii
[ee]
good
A common praising word meaning good or well-behaved. In dog talk, it warmly praises the dog's behavior.
いい子だね、いいって言われたよ。
You’re a good boy/girl; you were told “good.”
子
ko
[ko]
child; kid
Literally child, but in いい子 it means a good boy/girl or good little one, often said affectionately to a dog.
うちの子はほんとうにいい子です。
My dog is really a good boy/girl.
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