How did the prairie dog get its name?

The prairie dog got its name due to its high-pitched bark, which sounds remarkably like the bark of a small dog.

Here's a breakdown:

* "Prairie" refers to the vast grasslands where these animals are native.

* "Dog" comes from the resemblance of their call to a dog's bark.

It's worth noting that prairie dogs are not actually dogs, but rather rodents closely related to squirrels.