prairie dog

noun

Definition of prairie dog

: any of a genus (Cynomys) of gregarious burrowing rodents of the squirrel family chiefly of central and western U.S. plains especially : a black-tailed rodent (C. ludovicianus) that usually lives in extensive colonial burrows

Examples of prairie dog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The cutest animal practitioner of this method is undoubtedly the prairie dog, which connects its long burrows with entrances at two heights. — Helen Czerski, WSJ, "Ventilation Tips From the Animal Kingdom," 1 Aug. 2018 Before September 26, 1981, the ferret — a 19 to 24 inch-long, 1.4 to 2.5 pound predator who mostly targets prairie dogs in the United State’s Western plains — was not just considered endangered; it was considered extinct. — Dylan Matthews, Vox, "How to save a species (if you really want to)," 21 Nov. 2018 Most ranchers and farmers view prairie dogs as pests that dig holes where cattle can fall and break legs, yet these remarkable rodents are essential to the ecosystem. — Andrew Evans, chicagotribune.com, "Feel the pull of the prairie on a uniquely American safari in Montana," 5 July 2018 But Slobodchinoff wasn’t content just to understand prairie dogs. — NBC News, "Dogs can't speak human. Here's the tech that could change that.," 11 Jan. 2018 Convincing cattlemen not to shoot or flood or poison a prairie dog colony is part of the long conservation battle and fundamental mission of the American Prairie Reserve. — Andrew Evans, chicagotribune.com, "Feel the pull of the prairie on a uniquely American safari in Montana," 5 July 2018 Franklin Park Zoo’s prairie dog colony is welcoming 15 tiny additions, as young pups emerge from their underground burrows to greet visitors. — Laney Ruckstuhl, BostonGlobe.com, "At Franklin Park Zoo, a family of prairie dogs welcomes 15 pups," 17 May 2018 The park is home to a wide variety of wildlife, from prairie dogs to wild horses and bison. — Washington Post, "North Dakota tries to establish Theodore Roosevelt library," 27 Mar. 2018 The four zones are: Desert: Just beyond the entrance will be a dung beetle globe fountain, rope climb and an animal care facility adjacent to an exhibit featuring prairie dogs, burrowing owls and fennec foxes. — Roger Showley, sandiegouniontribune.com, "$30M record gift will jumpstart a new Children's Zoo, opening in 2021," 12 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'prairie dog.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.