Many people with hangovers have reached for that famous “hair of the dog” cure. They hope it will make them feel better after drinking too much. But few people know where this strange phrase came from.
Like many sayings about our furry friends, it’s quite a story. The phrase suggests that a small amount of what caused your problem might also fix it.
In this case, we’re talking fixing the damage you’ve likely inflicted on yourself- which was drinking alcohol.
This weird phrase goes back to ancient times. Back then, people believed something crazy. They thought putting hair from a rabid dog on a bite wound could prevent rabies.
Sounds believable, right?
Now in modern times, “Hair of the Dog” has become a funny way to suggest something. People say that a small drink of alcohol might cure your hangover.
So how did we get from ancient wound treatment to fixing hangovers with a Bloody Mary?
Let’s find out!
Contents
Where “Hair of the Dog” Really Came From
The phrase hair of the dog is a shortened version of “the hair of the dog that bit you.” This peculiar idea – that a rabid dog’s hair placed in the wound it caused could prevent rabies – stems from an ancient notion of like cures like.
In other words, the homeopathic medicine we know today.
It surfaced in various ancient texts, hinting at the sheer longevity of the concept.
However, this notion didn’t stay lodged in medical practices; it wagged its way into the English language, undergoing a metaphorical transformation.
When one cries out for a morning tipple to stave off last night’s overindulgences, they are unwittingly hearkening back to this curious historical treatment.
The First Time It Was Written Down
The first time someone wrote down “hair of the dog” for hangovers was in 1546. A man named John Heywood wrote a book of common sayings. He wrote:
“I pray thee let me and my fellow have
A hair of the dog that bit us last night.
And bitten were we both to the brain aright,
We saw each other drunk in the good ale glass.”
This collection of sayings made “hair of the dog” famous. It wasn’t just a saying anymore—it was part of drinking culture. Later, the phrase showed up in a French writer’s work called “Gargantua and Pantagruel.” This helped make it popular across Europe.
A man named Ebenezer Cobham Brewer wrote about the phrase in his famous dictionary in 1898. He explained both meanings: the old Scottish folk remedy and how people used it for drinking.
Hair of the Dog Around the World
From Scotland to Korea, many cultures have their own version of the hangover cure. This idea has spread everywhere, with funny and interesting variations.
Proverbial Pints: European Traditions
In the misty highlands of Scotland, one might fancy a spicy “wedge” of whiskey to ward off the woes of last night’s revelry.
Meanwhile, in Germany, they don’t horse around; the Germans traditionally reach for a hearty Katerfrühstück, a “hangover breakfast,” often featuring a bold beer.
Even the Hungarian beverages Unicum (snicker, snicker) and Pálinka are a testament to central Europe’s lasting affair with morning-after elixirs.
Across the North Sea, Norwegian and Danish Vikings might not have said no to a nip of mead, and in the Czech Republic, Becherovka kicks the rooster away.
Should you wake in Japan with a spinning head, a jolt of Ukon no Chikara, a turmeric drink, could set you straight.
Hop across to China, and you might be offered suanmeitang, a hearty beverage made from rock sugar and smoked plums.
Crossing into Costa Rica, the solution might be a fiery Chili guaro, an eye-opener made with local liquor and hot sauce.
In Korea, morning salvation comes in the form of Haejangguk, a “soup to chase a hangover,” chock-full of veggies, and often, a heartwarming wedge of pig.
Wrapping it Up
In English-speaking parts of the world, this phrase has lasted longer than many other old sayings. It proves that sometimes humor is the best medicine—even if the science doesn’t work.
Whether it’s a special cocktail or a local drink, it’s clear that people everywhere have tried to cure hangovers since alcohol was invented. The phrase’s journey from ancient medical practice to modern drinking culture shows how language changes.
It carries forward both old wisdom and fun ideas from our ancestors, for sure.