Grapes of Wrath

[mwtzzz]

I just started reading the Grapes of Wrath and I've come across a couple old-time expressions that I had never heard. I was wondering if someone was familiar with these and could explain what they mean and something about their origin:

"He just done it for ducks. He wasn't puttin' on no dog." I've no idea what this means.

"My dogs was pooped out." From context, I understand this to mean his feet were tired from walking. It's curious the use of "dogs" in this manner.

Are these real expressions from the first half of the twentieth century, or are they merely something Steinbeck made up?