spacedog

• space dog

Compound of space +‎ dog.

spacedog (plural spacedogs)

1. A dog who travels in outer space.
   • 2008, Kate Atkinson, When Will There Be Good News?, Toronto, O.N.: Anchor Canada, published 2009, page 48:

     'Love me, love my dog,' Dr Hunter said. 'A woman's best friend.' Timmy, Snowy, Jumble, Lassie, Greyfriars Bobby. Everyone's best friend. Except for poor Laika, the spacedog, who was no one's friend.

2. (science fiction) A person experienced in space travel.

   Synonym: spacehound

   • 1980 April, A[rthur] Bertram Chandler, Asimov's Science Fiction, New York, N.Y.: Davis Publications, Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 97:

     But Station Yorick's customers liked that first interview. The grizzled old spacedog, pipe in mouth, glass in hand, spinning a yarn.... […]

• Jesse Sheidlower, editor (2001–2024), “space dog, n.”, in Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction.