Naming a Puppy

It has never been hard for me to name my pets.  The name just burbles off the tip of my tongue, and sticks.  With Maxie, I picked him up from the breeder and on the way home I just knew he was ACE MAXIMILLION.  His father's name was Ace.  He was full of maximum attitude, and my heart was so full of love for him, he was worth a $million to me.  Ace Maximillion von Fry.  Easy.

Lucky was easy too.  She was so lucky to have been found on the side of the highway at 5 weeks, adopted by me and John at 8 weeks.  She was so long legged, loose-jointed, floppy eared, and malleable, Lucky Loosey just flowed off the tongue.  Nothing could hurt her, stop her, or scare her.   Sometimes we added Lu-Lu because she was so loopy.  She could wiggle out of anything. Loosey became spelled Lucy on the AKC CAR paperwork.  Lucky Lucy Lu-Lu von Fry.  Easy.

Fooh Fooh was easy too.  As our first foster dog, we thought he pooped so much at about 10 weeks of age (4 times a day seemed excessive, so little did we know), we just called him Poo Poo. We weren't planning on keeping him.  Fontenot came from a cajun notary joke circulating at the time.
Poo Poo Boudreaux goes to a notary to have his name changed.  He said "I'm so sick of people making fun of my name, I have to change it."  Notary replies, "Yes, I can certainly see why.  What do you want to change it to?"  The cajun replied, "Poo Poo Fontenot!" 
That cracked us up.  (Perhaps only funny if you're from the South and/or hear a lot of Boudreaux Jokes.)  But then you can't go around the neighborhood calling "Here, PooPoo". Well, FoohFooh rhymes with Poo Poo, and since we found out FoohFooh means "the crazy one" in French, and FoohFooh was/is so crazy, his name devolved into Fooh Fooh Fontenot von Fry. Easy.

"Winnie" at 13 weeks.

Naming this new pooch, though, is proving a tougher job.  Winnie The Pooch is a great working title for a few weeks until I get him sold.  He's so open-minded, patient and docile.  Marshmellow would work as well - he's so soft, sweet, squishy and white.  A comfort dog, always yearning to be in my lap, nuzzling my neck. Eyes on me all the time.

But calling him Winnie is beginning to grate.  It's a girl's name.  I thrashed all night mulling over a more suitable name, then wrestling with the FACT that I don't really need to come up with a better name.  I'm not keeping this dog.  But I so often call his name, he needs a better nickname.

Then, I ran across this photo on the internet and couldn't help imagining that with Winnie's similar markings, ample snow white coat and long plummage growing 1/4 inch a day, he might one day look very similar to this AKC conformation champion.  With his excellent lineage from The Pines Papillons kennel (good genes) and good looks, and being still intact, he would make a superb first sire if I decided to become a breeder. In which case, he would really need a better name.  Not that I'm keeping him.  Jester would be cute, and accurate.  He's very entertaining. Boomerang would describe his nature of retrieving and scampering back to me with whatever I throw out to him.  A retrieving Papillon?  Tugger?  He tugs vigorously and for as long as I keep it up.  Digger?  He loves to dig.  Does a name have to describe a dog's personality traits? I can't seem to settle on anything.  How about Honey Bear?

Dearie me, someone better buy this dog AT ONCE.  I'm on dangerous ground.  With a tough year of training/trialing with 2 dogs I adore who won't be retiring for 8 more years at least, this dog can't be mine.  How could I manage 3 competitive dogs, struggling as I do with 2? Do I want an intact male in my household?  Followed no doubt by a female? Or two?  What does that entail?  I don't know.  Every pet I've had has been neutered or spayed except for Annabelle Lee, but that was 30 years ago.    Will there ever be another dog I like as well, with all the traits I see in Winnie Pooch/Honey Bear?  Will I regret letting him go, or am I just a sucker for all puppies? Yes, darnit, I've loved them all so far.  Whoever dares buy him will have to prove they will provide the best of circumstances to this awesome little champion of a pooch, and when he leaves there will be a another big hole in my heart.

Meanwhile, I'm busy polishing him up every day, and he's learning very fast.

Upwards and onward!