# What do you say to an unwanted animal: "Git," "Shoo," or something else? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043 "2007-10-09T04:40:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/1 "2007-10-09T04:40:54Z")
And where did you grow up and/or learn to say that? I say “Git!”, and grew up in NE Ohio. Any examples from non-English languages are also welcomed. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/2 "2007-10-09T07:24:04Z")
Go I figure that any word good enough for humans is good enough for animals. Nor do I use baby speak with them (nor with babies.) ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/3 "2007-10-09T07:41:46Z")
When I was a kid, my aunt told me that if a stray dog understands any commands, it probably understands NO! Made sense to me, so I say NO and clap my hands loudly to get stray dogs to go away. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_C](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Captain\_C](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_C)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/4 "2007-10-09T07:43:54Z")
Vamanos! ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/5 "2007-10-09T08:02:22Z")
Fuck off you mangy bastard ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/6 "2007-10-09T08:50:56Z")
I hiss at cats. For others, it depends if I’m thinking in English or Japanese and I’ll either say “hey” or こら which is Japanese for “hey”. It’s the tone of voice which is important, as animals seem bilingual. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/7 "2007-10-09T11:47:51Z")
I also say “Git!” in as firm and mean a tone possible. I grew up in North Carolina. I guess I grew up hearing my family say it. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/8 "2007-10-09T13:03:40Z")
Voetsek! It’s a local thing. Derives from an Afrikaans expression used to direct oxen, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Charlotte\_Russe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a183cd/32.png) [@Charlotte\_Russe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlotte_Russe)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/9 "2007-10-09T13:37:36Z")
Go away. Where I grew up they said Shoo. I hope I never live anywhere they say Git, to animals or just in conversation. How hokey. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/10 "2007-10-09T13:59:29Z")
“Git!” Born and raised in SoCal, but my parents were from the MidWest and Texas. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/11 "2007-10-09T14:12:20Z")
“Git!” Born and raised in South Carolina, so it’s no surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/12 "2007-10-09T15:16:48Z")
“Begone, foul beast!” Growing up “shoo”, but decided that “shoo” doesn’t make much sense so I now use one of the following - “Git” (or “Go on, git”) “Psshht!” (very effective with cats) “AAARRGGGHHHH!” (Angry raccoons, bears, etc) ETA - Suburbs of Denver ---
**Author:** ![rhythmonly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rhythmonly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhythmonly)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/13 "2007-10-09T15:32:27Z")
“Cite?” ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/14 "2007-10-09T16:21:56Z")
[QUOTE=madmonk28] When I was a kid, my aunt told me that if a stray dog understands any commands, it probably understands NO! [/QUOTE] Sounds right to me. “No! Go on!” while pointing away. Then again I love dogs so I only ever used this when I was eating and the dog was begging. Cats, on the other hand, I throw tennis balls at. (Joke.) ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/15 "2007-10-09T16:54:11Z")
I say “shoo, shoo”. In Hindi I would probably say “Chal!” which means “Go!” Funny, the difference. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/16 "2007-10-09T17:14:33Z")
Just this sort of alarming sound that goes something like “aaht!” ---
**Author:** ![Euryphaessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Euryphaessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euryphaessa)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/17 "2007-10-09T18:04:17Z")
I use a contraction of “Go on!”, comes out something like “G’wohn!” If I’m standing with the door open and the cat is trying to decide if he wants to go out or not, I usually say “Scoot!” ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/18 "2007-10-09T19:05:14Z")
Mildy, I say “Shoo” and wave it away. If the animal ignores me, I then stomp my foot (or clap my hands if not on pavement), say deeply “Go Home!” and give the evil eye. Works on teenagers too. 😉 Oh, from NE Ohio, originally. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/19 "2007-10-09T21:15:06Z")
[QUOTE=Pleonast] Mildy, I say “Shoo” and wave it away. If the animal ignores me, I then stomp my foot (or clap my hands if not on pavement), say deeply “Go Home!” and give the evil eye. Works on teenagers too. 😉 [/QUOTE] How about cows? Years ago I was visiting a friend in a small Vermont village and went for a training run. On my way back, a bunch of cows came through an open gate and started galloping after me. I’d worked on a farm, so knew the critters are not endowed with super intelligence, but anyway, I stopped, yelled at 'em, tried various languages, both human and and bovine, all to no effect. Each time I started running, the stupid cows followed me, so after assuring myself there was no bull amongst them, I just continued on back into the village. It resulted in all the residents rolling on the ground it riotous laughter. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043/20 "2007-10-09T21:25:17Z")
[QUOTE=KlondikeGeoff] …On my way back, a **bunch of cows** came through an open gate and started galloping after me… [/QUOTE] Good story. Reminds me of an old third-grade joke: What do you call a bunch of cows? A herd. Herd of what? Herd of cows. Sure I’ve heard of cows! 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-you-say-to-an-unwanted-animal-git-shoo-or-something-else/422043.md?page=2)