---
name: "dog"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "dog"
version: "0.1.0-8"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dog"
---

# dog(1)

a command-line DNS client

## NAME

dog — a command-line DNS client

## SYNOPSIS

dog \[options\] \[domains...\]

**dog** is a command-line DNS client. It has colourful output, supports the DNS-over-TLS and DNS-over-HTTPS protocols, and can emit JSON.

## EXAMPLES

- dog example.net

  Query the A record of a domain using default settings

- dog example.net MX

  ...looking up MX records instead

- dog example.net MX @1.1.1.1

  ...using a specific nameserver instead

- dog example.net MX @1.1.1.1 -T

  ...using TCP rather than UDP

- dog -q example.net -t MX -n 1.1.1.1 -T

  As above, but using explicit arguments

## QUERY OPTIONS

- \-q, --query=HOST

  Host name or domain name to query.

- \-t, --type=TYPE

  Type of the DNS record being queried (A, MX, NS...)

- \-n, --nameserver=ADDR

  Address of the nameserver to send packets to.

- \--class=CLASS

  Network class of the DNS record being queried (IN, CH, HS)

By default, dog will request A records using the system default resolver. At least one domain name must be passed — dog will not automatically query the root nameservers.

Query options passed in using a command-line option, such as \`--query lookup.dog' or \`--type MX', or as plain arguments, such as \`lookup.dog' or \`MX'. dog will make an intelligent guess as to what plain arguments mean (MX is quite clearly a type), which makes it easier to compose ad-hoc queries quickly. If precision is desired, use the long-form options.

If more than one domain, type, nameserver, or class is specified, dog will perform one query for each combination, and display the combined results in a table. For example, passing three type arguments and two domain name arguments will send six requests.

DNS traditionally uses port 53 for both TCP and UDP. To use a resolver with a different port, include the port number after a colon (:) in the nameserver address.

## SENDING OPTIONS

- \--edns=SETTING

  Whether to opt in to DNS. This can be \`disable', \`hide', or \`show'.

- \--txid=NUMBER

  Set the transaction ID to a specific value.

- \-Z=TWEAKS

  Set uncommon protocol-level tweaks.

## TRANSPORT OPTIONS

- \-U, --udp

  Use the DNS protocol over UDP.

- \-T, --tcp

  Use the DNS protocol over TCP.

- \-S, --tls

  Use the DNS-over-TLS protocol.

- \-H, --https

  Use the DNS-over-HTTPS protocol.

By default, dog will use the UDP protocol, automatically re-sending the request using TCP if the response indicates that the message is too large for UDP. Passing --udp will only use UDP and will fail in this case; passing --tcp will use TCP by default.

The DNS-over-TLS (DoT) and DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) protocols are available with the --tls and --https options. Bear in mind that the system default resolver is unlikely to respond to requests using these protocols.

Note that if a hostname or domain name is given as a nameserver, rather than an IP address, the resolution of that host is performed by the operating system, *not* by dog.

Unlike the others, the HTTPS transport type requires an entire URL, complete with protocol, domain name, and path.

## OUTPUT OPTIONS

- \-1, --short

  Short mode: display nothing but the first result.

- \-J, --json

  Display the output as JSON.

- \--color, --colour=WHEN

  When to colourise the output. This can be \`always', \`automatic', or \`never'.

- \--seconds

  Do not format durations as hours and minutes; instead, display them as seconds.

- \--time

  Print how long the response took to arrive.

## META OPTIONS

- \--help

  Displays an overview of the command-line options.

- \--version

  Displays the version of dog being invoked.

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

dog responds to the following environment variables:

### DOG\_DEBUG

Set this to any non-empty value to have dog emit debugging information to standard error. For more in-depth output, set this to the exact string \`trace'.

## RECORD TYPES

dog understands and can interpret the following record types:

- A

  IPv4 addresses

- AAAA

  IPv6 addresses

- CAA

  permitted certificate authorities

- CNAME

  canonical domain aliases

- HINFO

  system information and, sometimes, forbidden request explanations

- LOC

  location information

- MX

  e-mail server addresses

- NAPTR

  DDDS rules

- NS

  domain name servers

- OPT

  extensions to the DNS protocol

- PTR

  pointers to canonical names, usually for reverse lookups

- SOA

  administrative information about zones

- SRV

  IP addresses with port numbers

- SSHFP

  SSH key fingerprints

- TLSA

  TLS certificates, public keys, and hashes

- TXT

  arbitrary textual information

When a response DNS packet contains a record of one of these known types, dog will display it in a table containing the type name and a human-readable summary of its contents.

Records with a type number that does not map to any known record type will still be displayed. As they cannot be interpreted, their contents will be displayed as a series of numbers instead.

dog also contains a list of record type names that it knows the type number of, but is not able to interpret, such as IXFR or ANY or AFSDB. These are acceptable as command-line arguments, meaning you can send an AFSDB request with \`dog AFSDB'. However, their response contents will still be displayed as numbers. They may be supported in future versions of dog.

## PROTOCOL TWEAKS

The -Z command-line argument can be used one or more times to set some protocol-level options in the DNS queries that get sent. It accepts the following values:

- aa

  Sets the AA (Authoritative Answers) bit in the query.

- ad

  Sets the AD (Authentic Data) bit in the query.

- bufsize=NUM

  Sets the UDP payload size field in the OPT field in the query. This has no effect if EDNS is diabled.

- cd

  Sets the CD (Checking Disabled) bit in the query.

## EXIT STATUSES

- 0

  If everything goes OK.

- 1

  If there was a network, I/O, or TLS error during operation.

- 2

  If there is no result from the server when running in short mode. This can be any received server error, not just NXDOMAIN.

- 3

  If there was a problem with the command-line arguments.

## AUTHOR

dog is maintained by Benjamin \`ogham' Sago.

**Website:** https://dns.lookup.dog/

**Source code:** https://github.com/ogham/dog