The lyrics detail a struggling relationship between a man and a woman; it uses the metaphor of a dog and its master to illustrate the female's desire for control and dominance.

Following the release of No Doubt's self-titled debut album in 1992, Interscope Records was disappointed in the project's lack of success, both commercially and critically.

[3] According to the single's liner notes, the songs were recorded at the band members' homes on Beacon Street, a local road in Fullerton, California.

The B-side song was "You Can't Teach an Ol' Dog New Tricks", a previously unreleased track written by Eric Stefani.

[8] Like the majority of the parent album, it contains synth arrangements and new wave-style influences to create a rawer sound than the music from its predecessor, No Doubt.

Additional instrumentation is provided by Gerard Boisse on saxophone, Phil Jordan on trumpet, and touring member Gabrial McNair on trombone.

"[7] Jeff Apter, music journalist and author of the 2009 biography Gwen Stefani and No Doubt: A Simple Kind of Life, suggested that "Doghouse" was another song on The Beacon Street Collection that was in desperate need of a tune-up for a more satisfying sound.