Long-Form Jokes & Shaggy Dog Stories
A long-form joke — sometimes called a shaggy dog story — is a joke that takes its time getting to the punchline. The setup may involve elaborate scenarios, tangential details, and winding narratives. The payoff might be a pun that didn't need a five-minute setup, or it might be the realization that there was no real punchline at all. Either way, the journey is the joke.
Why Length Is the Point
The longer the setup, the higher the audience's expectations. A shaggy dog story weaponizes that anticipation. When the punchline turns out to be a terrible pun — or nothing at all — the absurd imbalance between effort and payoff is itself the humor. This is closely related to anti-humor. Telling long-form jokes well requires strong timing and delivery skills, because you have to keep the audience engaged through a long setup.
A man walks into a bar and notices a jar of money on the counter. He asks the bartender what it's for. The bartender says, 'You put in $10 and complete three challenges, and you win the jar. First, you drink a whole bottle of hot sauce without making a face. Second, there's a dog out back with a sore tooth — you have to pull it out. Third, there's an old woman upstairs who's never been satisfied — you have to take care of that.' The man puts in his $10, chugs the hot sauce with tears streaming down his face, then stumbles out back. There's barking, growling, screaming. He comes back in, clothes torn, and says:
'Alright, now where's the old woman with the sore tooth?'
A man is driving through the countryside and sees a farm with a sign: 'Talking Dog For Sale.' He pulls over, knocks on the door. The farmer leads him to the backyard where a Labrador is sitting. The man asks, 'You talk?' The dog says, 'Yep.' 'So what's your story?' The dog says, 'Well, I discovered I could talk when I was young, and I wanted to help my country, so I joined the CIA. I was their most valuable operative for ten years — sitting in rooms, eavesdropping, no one suspects a dog. Then I did undercover work for the FBI, helped solve dozens of cases. Retired with honors. Now I just live here.' The man is astounded. He turns to the farmer and asks, 'How much do you want for him?' The farmer says:
'Five bucks.' 'Five bucks?! But he's incredible!' The farmer shrugs: 'He's a liar. He never did any of that stuff.'
Tips for Telling Long-Form Jokes
Commitment is everything. You need to tell the story as if it's a real story, with genuine detail and pacing. The audience has to believe you're going somewhere important. Maintain eye contact, use pauses effectively, and don't rush the setup — the setup is where all the tension builds. See our guide on how to tell a joke for more on delivery. The rule of three is also frequently used in long-form joke structures.