Sunday, April 4, 2010

Another Naming Story Unfolds...



Within an hour, I went from being totally unencumbered to completely encumbered. Turns out I've been very busy this holiday filling the sad little hole left in my life when Pippin died last year.

I've been waiting and waiting for the right dog to come along, and yesterday, as I made my way upstate, he just sort of appeared. A 4-month-old redbone coonhound mix (I can't figure out with what--lab? beagle? who knows what moment of love produced him): beautiful, rangy, ginger. A rescued pup from Tennessee (will he be a Tennessee wildcat like Mr. Edwards? Some of you know the reference).

I suspect he'll be a handful for awhile, but I've done the puppy thing and I know the drill. But he's got the silkiest ears, a soft droopy muzzle, and a good handful of dewlap, just like I like. Plus the enormous ill-fitting puppy paws.

The only problem is he hasn't got a name--he came with "Roger," but since he only had the moniker for a day, well, it's on us now. Any suggestions for a wildcat red coonhound Tennessee rescue with oversized paws and a penchant for chewing pinecones?

33 comments:

savannah said...

tennessee:

beale (st) birthplace of the blues

smoky for the great smoky mountains

crockett (davy), jackson (andrew), houston (sam) all from the great state

memphis, the capital and also a very strange furniture movement/style

how about, muscogee? tribe that inhabited the tennessee river valley?

ok, maybe, i've already had too much coffee and chocolate cadbury eggs, but y'all see where i'm going, sugar, right? ;~D xoxoxox

Princess said...

What about "Hobbit"?

They have oversized hairy feet don't they? :)

Brian Miller said...

Galyndohr!

i want a coon hound!

Ponita in Real Life said...

I really like Savannah's 'Crockett'... easy to say, easy for him to learn and very fitting for a coonhound, don't you think?

I always name my animals as I get to know them... Something will keep popping into my head as I get to know their personality...

Can't wait to see pics!

The Unbearable Banishment said...

Is this pooch going to be transplanted to Brooklyn? Think he'll be a good city dog?

Pat said...

Were you brave enough to choose him without Sarge and Hedgie?
One of our favourite dogs was called Havoc.

CSI Seattle said...

As an aspiring author, I not only read your blog posts for enjoyment and a peephole view into your life, but I look for those clever "ah ha" moments as well.

These are the simplest of lines, ones which produce the most vivid images. They are the lines that flow with simplicity, but may in fact have been the most well thought and edited until perfection was reached. And today, I found such a line.

"who knows what moment of love produced him"

Excellent! I will now go forth, on a Sunday morning, with the image of two ugly dogs, getting it on.

nick said...

I'm sure the as-yet-unnamed puppy has come to a very good home. He won't be short of TLC. As for names, that's a bit hard in the abstract. I think I would have to see him in the flesh for inspiration to strike.

LẌ said...

Crockett!

Oh Hai Savannah & Ponita!

faycat said...

He didn't have a first name in the books, but on the TV series, Mr. Edwards was Isaiah. That's quite a noble name for a coonhound, I think.

nick said...

The name that just occurred to me was Rufus - which of course means red-haired.

Ronda Laveen said...

He just doesn't seem like a Roger.

Hmm...a number of names come to mind but, I always have to live with a pup for a week or three to see what their personality is like before the right one comes.

kylie said...

how adorable!
he looks part lab to me, but then i dont know coon hounds.....

he looks like a dog i once knew called rastus

how did he appear?

Barlinnie said...

Shaw... what other magnificence could there be in one dog or one word?

Harnett-Hargrove said...

Whatever his is named, I'll bet he'll be called by sweet little 'pet' names mostly! -J

savannah said...

Oh Hai, xl and miss ponita! xoxoxo

Tess Kincaid said...

Aww, he's adorable! I think Roger rather fits him.

Baino said...

I'm hopeless at naming dogs and used a baby book for my first and the second stole my sister's idea of 'flower'names. Definitely a lot of labrador in that boy apart from the dark colour! He's just beautiful.

corticoWhat said...

"Lucky", because surely he is.

Anonymous said...

The dogs I grew up with always were called "Ar(r)i", no idea why. Hope he is nice.

Beverly said...

My two favorite redheads (besides my husband) are Howard (Roark) and Henry (Tudor).

If I had had children, I would have named my girl Eleanor Fern and my boy Henry Otto. I've never said that publicly before, but I was so moved by your naming story...

mapstew said...

Dearg (pronounced Darrug) meaning Red. :¬)

xxx

leahsimone said...

sav: wonderful names. I smiled over "Jackson" because we had a doberman when I was little called Jackson Pollack (my grandpa's last name was Pollack and he was a funny guy). I like Muscogee especially.

Princess: haha! Truly lol-ed. But you know, it's not a bad idea.

Brian: nice one! And yeah, coonhounds are beautiful. You generally don't find them at all in NYC--only pit bull mixes and chihuahuas at the shelters here, but I guess down South they're all over the place! I read that they make great family dogs.

Miss P: I like Crockett too...and I agree about living with him for awhile...although he still doesn't have a name, and now people have been suggesting SO many great names I'm more confused than ever (see below Stew's great idea)...

UB: I brought him to Brooklyn today, and he seems surprisingly to love it! All the dogs to meet and greet, all the excitement. He couldn't stop wagging when I walked him this evening.

Pat: I chose him as a surprise, but then had to tell them over the phone! I hope it's a love match--I think it will be. And p.s. Havoc is a great name!

leahsimone said...

Brian: you goose! Now that the pictures are up we can't call them ugly anymore... ; ) but yeah, that's the picture I was going for...

Nick: he really is getting a lot of TLC from us--it's nice to be able to do it, he was so sad and scared when we first got him. It's amazing what a couple of days can do!

XL: Crockett is a good one, eh?

Fay: So I wonder whether Mr. Edwards' name really was Isaiah? I've always loved that name...come over and meet him anytime! He's a lovey.

Nick: Rufus is going in the hat.

Ronda: it makes me feel better to know that other people let it go for awhile before naming their dog! It seems like such a hard decision...

leahsimone said...

Kylie: I think he is a bit of lab. And I guess he didn't really appear--actually I got him from the ASPCA in upstate NY...

Jimmy: Shaw. Also going in the hat. Wonder if he could live up to the name?

J: mostly being called "doggy" so far, lol...

willow: we're still considering Roger too...

Baino: I'm having more trouble naming this dog than I did naming the baby!

Corticowhat: I am SO hoping he's a lucky dog!

mago: more than one named Ari? That's a good idea--makes things easier! Maybe we should call him Pippin?

Beverly: your potential-child names are really beautiful! Thanks for sharing. I like your dog names too. In the hat they go.

Stew: Yes. I love that name. Will run it by Sarge.

Alan Burnett said...

Sepia, it's got to be Sepia.

Merely Me said...

Okay - now with the pics...he is precious. I was a little worried you'd have an eyesore. Cuddle him well for me.
Our dog is Charlie and boy is Duke. Don't go asking for suggestions from me! ;)

Subby said...

"Hunter" is a good one. Sorry I've not been round in a while...

..and you are re-linked ;)

Leah said...

Alan: he really is sepia! : )

Merely Me: he is a pretty dog...but SO energetic! He's a walking gym membership!!!

Subby: I'm so glad you're up and running again--I will be over to visit! Hedgie likes Hunter. But we just can't decide...

lettuce said...

oh what a sweetie, that top photo is adorable

The Clever Pup said...

If it's a Redbone why not call him Leon. I've read that dogs respond best to names with an open sound at the end. Vowels. Our yellow lab's called Jersey because she's the colour of a Jersey cow. I also thought of Taffy and Trilby when naming her.

I knew a guy called Havoc. What a great name.

just bob said...

Severus

muralimanohar said...

So did you name him yet? :p