What's In a (Dog's) Name...

I just received some new photos of the pups this morning, and it got me to thinking up a little scheme. First, gratuitous puppy photo:



Not sure if this is a boy or a girl, but it is a photo of one of the pups with their eyes open and you can also see how fuzzy they are getting!

When we first went to look at the pups and consequently, put down a deposit, I sort of forgot all about it when we got home. I knew that we were getting a dog, but it just didn't seem all that real or pressing. I'm gradually getting more excited as time goes by. I ordered an audio book yesterday on some dog training techniques and we're trying to figure out where we're going to put a dog crate in this puny apartment.

Anyhow, onto my little scheme. We're still in negotiations over the name and we're pretty much concluded that we'd like to actually have the dog before we decide, (want to get to see him and get a feel for his personality etc. etc.) but we're having a lot of fun throwing names back and forth. I was also really impressed by the suggestions that came in from others in the comments.

So here's the deal; as it's almost the first of November and the pups will be ready to go by the end of Novemeber, so from now until then, let's hold a little poll/contest here on the blog having to do with puppy names.

As per usual, I always speak before I think, so I haven't got all of the fine details worked out yet as to how this will all play out. I might go out into the interweb and see if I can't find a ticker or a poll counter thingy and post it in my sidebar. I might break this down into categories, such as serious names, ridiculous names, just for fun etc. At the end of the month, perhaps I'll give away a little sumthin' sumthin' for the best suggestion or for the name that got the most votes. Hmmm...alright, gimme a few days, until Nov. 1st to totally work this out and then we'll start. Until then, here are a few suggestions that have been kicking around here:

Our names (ones that the constable and I have tossed around):

Gherhardt (our first stab at a German-y name)
Heinrich (again, along the lines of German sounding)
Hank (my choice, I really like this one)
Maundaumin (to be called Manny...this is my husbands suggestion, just to be clear)
Johnny Utah (this and the following few would fall under the ridiculous category)
Brody
Busey
...this is what we have so far

Suggestions from Others:

from Heddy

Panzer (German armoured vehicle)
Schatzi (German term of endearment)
Schnapps (strong liquor associated with Holland)
Schnitzel (to go along with our eventual Weiner!)

from Kim B. (a blogless friend)

Sterling (of high quality)
Tavin (royal staff)
Saxon (a sword)
Kelby (dark haired)
Koen (honest advisor; Kim B's comment: "He'd tell you if you look fat in those pants!"--so cute!)

And that's it so far. I come up with a dozen or so absolutely ridiculous names a day, mostly to annoy the constable, but now I'll be putting them here to annoy everyone!

Anyhow, I invite any and everyone to post in the comments with a name suggestion and we'll have a little fun with it. I'm not guaranteeing that we'll pick one of these names mind you, but you never know! Be as serious or as silly as you like, I love 'em all.

I'm off to fine tune this idea.

Until later...

Addendum: I've added a poll over in my sidebar where you can vote for a current list of names, if you're so inclined.

We're Expecting...

So here's how it all happened. The constable has been bugging me to get a dog since we arrived on Nova Scotia soil. Actually, everyone has been inquiring. See, everyone here has a dog. Everyone. The first question after "Where are you from?" and "When did you get here?" was "Do you have a dog?" Not do you have kids...that question was well down on the list.

Because of our current living situation, with a house under huge renovation and us in the tiny apartment that is attatched, I was firm in my decision that yes we'd get a dog at some point, just not in the immediate future. I didn't think it was fair to a puppy to be in a cramped apartment nor did I think it was a good idea to have a puppy around potentially hazardous materials.

That didn't deter the constable though. We'd go over to friends house and guess who would end up playing with their dog most of the evening? Then we dog-sat a couple of times, and I'll admit, it was nice to have a four legged friend in the house once again.

Truth be told, it wasn't just our living situation that made me hesitant. The constable wanted a German Shepherd, and I wasn't crazy about having a big dog. More than that though, my heart still belonged to this guy...
Maury, the beloved Jack Russell terrier that belonged to my husband and his family.

I was there from the beginning. My husband has pulled this trick before. He wanted a dog for his...25th birthday? 24th? Man, how long has it been? Anyhow, it was a birthday. I was sure it wasn't going to happen. But lo and behold, he got a soft little lump of attitude and personality in the shape of this dog from his parents. He was a family dog.



We didn't get along right away. My husband and I had just started dating and the puppy was brand new, so I think we were kind of fighting for rank and attention. I never won out (jk). Long story short, Maury is the most affectionate, well natured and suckiest dog you'll ever meet and I love him dearly. I mourned him the most when we had to leave Ontario. Mostly cuz I couldn't talk to him and tell him how much we missed him, like we could with everyone else. No opposable thumbs...makes it difficult to use the phone. I felt like bringing a new puppy into the house was the ultimate betrayl. I've discussed this with my MIL, with whom Maury lives, and we've agreed that it's probably best not to tell him.

So where was I? Right. The occasion of my husbands 30th birthday was fast approaching, Oct. 12th, and I had no idea what to get him. We had company coming and that was my primary focus. During all of this, the constable finds out that there is a breeder of German Shepherds in Shelburne, about 40 mins. away from here. For about a week prior to all of this, he's on their website checking things out. So finally, I decide to get in touch with the lady in Shelburne, unbeknownst to the constable, as the info on her website says that she's expecting a litter to be ready to go in the spring. The timing worked well for me.

As it turned out, the info. was outdated and she was actually expecting a litter on Oct. 18th/07! I told her we were interested, and as I didn't have time to go and check things out on my own and I wanted the hubby to be in on it anyway, I let him know what I was up to. I told him his birthday present would be that we'd go and look at the puppies once they were born and to consider the trip more of an information gathering session than an actual committment to get a dog.

Well, the mama dog, Gaby, surprised everyone and delivered four males and five females on, would you believe it, Oct. 12th. If that ain't a sign, I don't know what is.



This past Friday we went and looked at the puppies. They're so small! I can't believe they get to be as big as they do. We met the mother, Gaby, and the sire, Dasko, both beautiful dogs. I wanted to see them in person to get a feel for just how big they can be, and, well, it's not so big. The lady who breeds them was a wealth of information and I felt pretty good about the whole thing. So needless to say, we left a deposit. We'll have second or third pick of a male, as there are a few people ahead of us, once the puppies are ready to go.

I still get a little weirded out about the whole idea of purchasing living beings. It just doesn't seem entirely right. And being in the presence of the mother, who was incredibly protective of her pups, seemed somehow cruel. She kept a close eye on us the whole time, as we sat in the kitchen and discussed Germand Shepherds in general. She wasn't vicious or mean, just knew where we were at all times. And this may be just me, but there seemed to be a look in her eye like she knew what we were there for, and she didn't like it at all.

In addition to all of this, the breeder lady also had a Dachsund, or Weiner dog, which is the kind of dog that I've always wanted. Her name was Trixie, and she came and curled up on my lap almost immediately. So on the drive home, the constable and I struck up a deal. He gets a Germand Shepherd for his 30th, and I get a Weiner dog for mine. There is just no point in knitting sweaters for a German Shepherd. It would be redundant. Weiners though...now they need extra layers.

Anyhow, the puppies will be ready to go by the end of November. The other stipulation was that this house project needs a good kick in the butt if we're to have a substantial animal very very soon. Not surprisingly, all of this was agreed to. Now we're in negotiations over a name. We're playing around with German names, the front-runners being Gherhardt and Heinrick. Who knows.

So that's the exciting news.
Until later...

Addendum: Turns out the breeder lady made a bit of a mistake...there are five males and four females, rather than the other way around. Actually works out better for us anyway...more males to pick from! Anyhow, had to add a pic she sent along of all the boys together. Wonder which one we'll get? Thanks also to everyone contributing names...great suggestions! I'll keep y'all updated.