From Linken Bark to Elmer McEars Fudd, how does your dog's name compare?
Unlike christening your child something uncommon, the beauty of giving your dog a wacky or whimsical name is that it’ll never be teased by the other kids.
And dog owners go to town on this delight. Peek online and you’ll find gems like 50 Scent, Bark Twain, Jabba The Mutt, Orville Redenbarker, Mary Puppins, and Anderson Pooper.
OhMyDog! asked around the Lower Mainland for what you dubbed your dogs. There were too many to choose from, but here are 10 names and stories that OhMyDog! absolutely adored.
1. Yankee Poodle Dandy & Adorabelle Stormageddon
Andra and Jeremy McKay saved their Poochon from a shelter in California, hence the Yankee Poodle name. His Bichon buddy’s name Adorabelle comes from a warrior out of Terry Pratchett’s fantasy novels. Her last name, Stormageddon, stems from a Doctor Who character, a baby who speaks its mind. “She will tell you exactly what she thinks, so we thought it appropriate for our little puppy with a big attitude,” says her owner.
2. SMASH BOOM BANG
Corkscrew Kennel owners Meghan and Nate Turnbull are quick to point out their pit bull terrier’s name is always spelled in ALL CAPS. SMASH was named from the way she’d constantly crash through her littermates like a bowling ball. “Now she does canine parkour and truly lives up to her name,” says Meghan.
3. Elmer McEars Fudd
Elmer was the runt of a 13-puppy litter of coonhounds. He was tiny, but constantly stepped on his enormous ears. Brenda Hagan tells us these hunting dogs always have their noses to the ground, so her daughter dubbed him Elmer Fudd, after the cartoon hunter who sniffs out that wascally wabbit, Bugs Bunny.
4. Grampa
A nod to Homer Simpson’s dad, Abby and Dave Shumka’s dog started to earn his name as he became slower and whiter with age. No longer with us, Grampa lives on through Dave’s Vancouver-based podcast Stop Podcasting Yourself - one of the most popular and top-rated comedy podcasts in North America.
5. Grandma
We couldn’t include Gramps without a Grandma, could we? Owner Rafaella Rebelo wanted a friendly name for her pit bull to ease fear of the breed, but her choice was also based on good old comic relief. “I wanted to say things like ‘Grandma pooped on the carpet again!?’ and ‘Grandma stop eating garbage!’ I couldn’t be happier with my choice.”
6. Larry David
Owner Brittni Noble and her boyfriend - both huge Seinfeld fans - almost named their golden retriever Jerry Seinfeld, but thought Larry was a better fit. Named after the show’s creator and star of Curb Your Enthusiasm, Noble assures us her dog “has a sweeter disposition than the human Larry David.” We hope so too.
7. Ewok Dunnington
To honour his original name, DunDun, from Sunshine Rescue China, Christabel Song-Lau invented a posh last name for her little guy. But the resemblance to the Star Wars fuzzball was a no-brainer. “Especially with that snaggletooth of his,” Song-Lau says.
8. Linken Bark & Pirate Prince of Barkness
Janine Larsen runs a rescue that holds contests for every animal that comes into her care. Needless to say, there are a lot of votes for a lot of kooky suggestions. Linken Bark’s name turned out to be adorably ironic - the guy never barks.
9. Riddles
Kathy Smith named her dog from the comedy of errors that finally brought Riddles home. The rollercoaster story includes false promises, fibbing to her mother about money, begging to see him during quarantine, racing across cities, and too many tales to mention. Truly a riddle.
10. Rebel Without A Cause
Going by Karen Jennifer Williams’s cutesy descriptions of her bull terrier - this dog seriously doesn’t have a cause to rebel against.
Honourable Local Mentions
Gnarls Barkley, Benny Bonito, Donkey, Waffles, Freddy Mercury, Fish & Chips, Boba, Teenie Turner, Gregg, Fenton Montgomery McCoy Esq., Paulie Walnuts, Giggles, Cake, Wagon, Seven, and Mr. Buttons.