watchpuppy

plural watchpuppies

1. humorousinformalA young, small, or insignificant watchdog.

   Brute lay in the boy's lap, a sleeping watchpuppy.

   1999, Pamela Kaye Tracy, It Only Takes a Spark, Heartsong Presents, →ISBN, page 155

   2 more examples

   The latter power, incidentally, will no doubt be welcome over at the Bank of England which has nurtured the infant City watchpuppy with a very sizable unsecured overdraft and will be looking forward to the first tranche of repayment.

   1988, The New Law Journal, volume 137, page 622

   Consumer watchpuppies by the basketful start yapping, led by legislators seeing a no-lose position to trumpet at election time.

   2004, Broadcasting & Cable, volume 132, numbers 45-46, page 38