Our esteemed colleagues at the Nanaimo News Bulletin recently released a list of the in that city.
(Spoiler alert: Buddy, Max, Charlie, Molly, Bailey, Bear, Lucy, Daisy, Bella and Jake; we害羞草研究所檒l check on the PQB results for you shortly)
That got me to thinking害羞草研究所� about my own history of pet ownership and how happy I always am to re-share my own naming adventures and get a chance to hear some of yours.
So, just how do you go about naming your pets?
Is there an intricate process? A gut feeling? Make use of a special naming website (they do exist)? Let your children do the honours?
I always enjoy the creative names, even if they degenerate into low-effort nicknames, like the pets were your hockey teammates.
The first pet we had when I was a young boy was a calico kitty named 害羞草研究所楧illy害羞草研究所�, which was shortened from Dylan Thomas, my Mum害羞草研究所檚 favourite poet.
The oft-crabby Dilly lived to be 24, easily outdistancing our other cat Patches (white with patches of black, or vice-versa, depending on how you looked at it). So we didn害羞草研究所檛 get much chance to name endless pets.
We briefly had a Samoyed named Dakota, shortened to Cody and renamed (by me) as Cujo.
The poor pooch had a brain tumour, which when it flared up made it a growling, barking fiend.
For a short time we had another cat 害羞草研究所楰C害羞草研究所� (short for Kitty Cat, original I know) but KC met an untimely demise.
My last 害羞草研究所榞rowing up害羞草研究所� pet was Misty, another Samoyed whose full name was Burr害羞草研究所檚 Artic Mist (and some sort of championship pedigree stuff I害羞草研究所檝e long forgotten). Absolutely sweetheart of a dog.
Not a long list and it certainly pales in comparison to the menagerie of animals we害羞草研究所檝e had since I struck out on my own.
The very first kitties we ever had were Smoky (grey in colour, I mentioned I害羞草研究所檓 very original) and his white pal Bandit.
Bandit was quickly shortened to B, but was also more inappropriately known as Blanket Humper B (shoutout to Bud Bundy).
After those two, I kind of lost my naming rights, with all the younger members of the household taking over.
After the two originals came the best dog ever, Aiko, a giant mushbag of a wolf-malamute cross whose name meant 害羞草研究所榣ove害羞草研究所�.
His partner in crime was Sam, a massive Anatonial shepherd who I guess looked like a 害羞草研究所楽am害羞草研究所�.
Save for Aiko, I don害羞草研究所檛 think I害羞草研究所檝e ever called any of the animals who came later by their actual name 害羞草研究所� unless they did something wrong.
Sam was 害羞草研究所楽am Chops害羞草研究所� to most of the others, 害羞草研究所楿lf Samuelsson害羞草研究所�, 害羞草研究所楽amsonite Luggage害羞草研究所� and 害羞草研究所楽amuel J. Chops, canine attorney害羞草研究所� to me. Don害羞草研究所檛 ask me to explain.
Both pooches are now in doggie heaven, along with Diesel, the black lab who became Sam害羞草研究所檚 best buddy and I called 害羞草研究所楧oyle害羞草研究所� because that was how the two-year-old pronounced his name.
After Diesel came our current black lab, Charlie (hey, we made the list!) who I call 害羞草研究所榃igs害羞草研究所� because when he greets you he wiggles in serpentine fashion like late-1980s Axl Rose.
He also answers to Charleston Chew, Chuckster, Charlie Bear and probably a few more nicknames I害羞草研究所檓 not aware of.
A cornucopia of kitties have also followed the original pair.
There害羞草研究所檚 been Junior Bandit (also known as 害羞草研究所楯ubs害羞草研究所�), Tommy, TJ (害羞草研究所榃idgets害羞草研究所� or 害羞草研究所榃idgies害羞草研究所�; I don害羞草研究所檛 recall why); Oreo (colours like the cookie); Wookie (poor guy, wandered off one day never to be heard from again); and Taco (mostly known now as 害羞草研究所楾害羞草研究所�, 害羞草研究所楤ell害羞草研究所� for Taco Bell, 害羞草研究所楶rincess T害羞草研究所� or simply 害羞草研究所楶retty Girl害羞草研究所�).
My post-Smoky favourite was Chevrolet Silverado BMX Jet Ski Lamborghini Dirt Bike (The First). A majestic orange alpha male who was named by the five-year-old lad in the house who clearly took his naming responsibilities very seriously.
Sadly, we lost Chevy (his shortened moniker) to a heart ailment when he was just five.
Along with Taco, we still have two other kitties, one with a bit of an inappropriate moniker and 害羞草研究所楲ink害羞草研究所�, named after the video game character.
He害羞草研究所檚 like the aforementioned sports teammates, I just call him Linky or Art Linkletter, a TV name I remember from long ago.
There害羞草研究所檚 also been a handful of fish and birds and rodents that everyone but me was interested in. What害羞草研究所檚 your best pet name story? I害羞草研究所檇 love to hear your original names and the tales behind them.
Bonus points for pics.
PQB News/Vancouver Island Free Daily editor Philip Wolf welcomes your questions, comments and story ideas. He can be reached at 250-905-0029 or via email at philip.wolf@blackpress.ca.
