Origin
The proverb is recorded in the 16th-century in English, but the idea is found in Latin in the works of the Roman historian Quintus Curtius.
Explanation
Don’t be afraid of dogs that bark or people that threaten you (say they will do something bad to you) – in both cases they rarely take action. Someone who makes threats all the time seldom carries out the threats. When a dog barks at you, this does not necessarily mean that he intends to bite you. He may be just scared or frightened of you. The proverb means that a man who utters threats in a loud voice, or is given to noisy boasting, need not be taken seriously.
Examples
My boss threatens to fire me at least once a week, but a barking dog seldom bites.
Old Mrs. Smith keeps saying that she’ll call the police if we walk across her lawn, but don’t worry. A barking dog seldom bites.
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