Dog with no name

zaksmum

Just got back from visiting relatives in Ireland. They had the cutest little dog who came over to me for a cuddle, so I asked what it's name was. Oh, they said, we've only had her for a year, we haven't thought of a name for her yet!!

I can't imagine having a dog with no name! Is this common practise in very rural areas in Ireland, maybe even parts of the UK too?

peachyprice

How do they call her?

splishsplash

Most farmers' dogs that I knew when I was growing up were called either 'Pup' or 'Spot'. Any dog named Spot was probably named by children or grandchildren.

My cats never had names until my children started naming them. Until our last lot, all names were descriptors, not proper names, for example Shy, Dot, Big Kitty, Baby Kitty (who ironically was the biggest cat we have ever had), Tux (tuxedo cat), Ginger etc.
I would say to this day, most cats are not named... just custom I guess.

snowman2_2

"No Name" is by far the most popular name at my surgery - people get by calling them cat or dog

lostinrates

I've known people who always call the dog the same name....so you think the golden retriever called Jack is the same one, but one closer inspection its the second or third Jack you have known them to have!

looopylala

I have found some of my pets names have just evolved they started of as one thing and become something completely different.. my dog we named Mitzee which became Mitzee-moo and now she only answers to Moo-moo!!!! I also have a cat now called Lala.. when I got her she was called Maddie but she was a fussy-lala and the name stuck.. oh and I have two bald dumbo rats and one normal rat their names.. Rat-boy, Ratgirl and Furry!!

Lirin

I know a lot of rural farmers in Ireland and Northern Ireland who address working dogs simply by 'Hound'.....

pinkcandyflossprincess

we have 10 birds all with names- no wonder the woman who i got the last one off thought i was odd, she couldnt believe we named them all:o

zaksmum

Lirin wrote: »

I know a lot of rural farmers in Ireland and Northern Ireland who address working dogs simply by 'Hound'.....

They just called her "dog"...like "come here dog!" or whistled her and she responded to that. When I expressed surprise that she had no name I was told "But she's only a dog...why would she need a name??"

Just didn't seem right somehow.

lkmc01

It does seem a bit weird. I suppose alot of people (myself included) treat their pets (esp. dogs and cats) like children. You wouldn't not give your child a name. Our pets are Frankie and Fred (goldfish), thunder and lightening (giunea pigs) and Zena the dog.

foreign_correspondent

lostinrates wrote: »

I've known people who always call the dog the same name....so you think the golden retriever called Jack is the same one, but one closer inspection its the second or third Jack you have known them to have!

My dad has had two dogs called Mick.. the frst one he named, the second was a rescue who was already called Micky, he now goes by Mick most of the time!

I grew up on a market garden and we had cats called by descriptors too when I was a kid.. tabby cat and tiger cat etc!