I have a thing about naming dogs. I think it’s important for a loved dog to have a proper name which includes a title, first, middle, and last name. And it should be based on something unique about the dog. It’s likely I got this from my dad, who didn’t necessarily give full names, but had some truly inspired names for his cats. Memorably: Pyewacket, Bartholomew Cubbins, and Mario Lemieux (of Pittsburgh Penguins fame) – and when you say the last name you emphasize the mew… I loved him, and those cats.

While I was in high school, my family got our first dog: Queen Juliana Zea Van Spartan. Zea was a Keeshond, so a Dutch dog. She was named for a Queen of The Netherlands, the Dutch word for sea because she laid in her water bowl, and Spartan because that’s where I was going to go to college. And everyone Dutch has a Van or De in front of their name. She was lovely, stubborn and picky. I loved her. 

MY first dog was Contessa Remy Bear Killingsworth DeVries. These were all names from her pedigree – except for Remy which I got from the bar I was working in. And yes, I bought her at a pet store while in college at the age of 20. I might have even been 19. Remy was a Keeshond and she was a delight. She stole food from coffee tables, ignored dogs at the dog park only playing with the people, and was a bringer of joy. I loved that dog. In my twenties we had a roommate with a Rottweiler named Dodge. Dodge was enormous, cranky, did a lot of couch resting, and I loved her.

Dodge passed and the roommate moved on. Enter Oktan vom Grafental. A DDR German Shepherd, born and bred in east Germany, he was named there and I didn’t see any reason to change it. Oktan was trained immediately as a puppy and sent to work for the Czech Republic border patrol, and then he became my next dog. How I got him is a story for another time, but he was the best gift I’ve ever received. Loyal, devoted, loving, brave – in fact, a true braverhund – huge, obedient, and oh so smart. I learned more about dog training in the first year I had Oktan than I had learned in all of the years before with any other dog. He could do all of the things a K9 does, and so we had a trainer teach me too. Oktan loved Remy and they were best buddies at home. It was just Oktan and me for several years after Remy passed. We bought a house together – literally – my realtor said he only felt good about selling me the house in my transitioning neighborhood because I had a trained K9. Turned out to be a great place for us and then a few years later we opened the door to Zuri. And then about a year after she joined us, Oktan’s body failed him. I loved him. He was my best friend and protector.

Dame Zuri Cameo vom Soprano is the leader of the current four-pack – the most dogs I’ve ever had at one time. She is a German Shepherd who was found starving and emaciated in Arkansas. She was rescued by the amazing Janice Wolf at Rocky Ridge Refuge and there she was named Cameo for her beautiful face. A friend sent me a link with an announcement about her, I applied, and within 15 minutes I had a response that said: I’ve been waiting for you to apply for her. Well, that was it. Zuri, which means beautiful in Swahili (a language I speak) moved to Washington, DC a couple of weeks later and she became my first dog officially adopted. I love this dog. She’s a dame for sure, and her last name is for my favorite HBO show and her tendency to vocalize. Zuri will always be hungry because of her time lost, but she will never have to actually know hunger again.

Zuri and I moved to Mississippi a year later and we found River, whose story is the inspiration for this blog. His name was Baron River vom Oberon Bahou DeVries. Baron, because he was regal. River because he was found by a river, and Oberon as a name means noble and bear-like in German. We got him shortly after I got married and he got the hyphenated last name. He was shy, sweet, alone for most of his life, and he captured my heart in the short time we had him after he spent a decade in the shelter. I loved him for a little while but a whole lot.

Papere Tank Lagniappe Boudin Bahou came into our lives about 8 months after River did. Tank has been Tank since he went into the shelter many years ago. Papere is Cajun grandpa for this probable Catahoula cur, lagniappe is that something a little special, and boudin because he’s built like a boudin ball. We had two dogs already, but I was following the Animal Rescue Fund of Mississippi on Facebook and was feeling drawn to so many of the dogs posted. We went to meet some – long story short, it didn’t work out. We went back and met Tank. My husband, the night before, was refusing to come and do the meet and greet. He said he didn’t want to get attached to a dog. To which I responded: are you not gong to get attached when I bring him home??? We brought Zuri, Tank came barreling out to meet her, and right into our life. I wasn’t prepared. We had waited a week to get River, checks all of the things. They said no, you can have him now. You’re already cleared. Take him home. I didn’t even have a leash. Tank rode home in my husband’s lap and he now claims Tank as his dog who he picked out. We love him.

After River – and then my father exactly a month later – passed, I started volunteering regularly at the shelter. I needed something productive and constructive to do. I joined a Saturday morning running club and quickly proceeded to deviate and just walk some dogs. I actually like to run…but it’s hot in Mississippi in the summer. I met Stanley (who went to Washington – more on him later), Dancer & Domino (part of the infamous Christmas puppy litter), Steve, Mrs. Bucket, and Courtney.

Foster Fail #1: Major General Courtney von Ludwig Wolfgang Puck entered our lives after I’d been walking him regularly on Saturdays for a couple of months. I took him to an adoption event where I had high hopes for him. I tried to bring him back to the shelter that night, but as it turns out the CEO of the shelter and I agreed, it was time for him to be a foster. So we were back to three with this fluffy long-haired unknown breed Mississippi Black Dog. He was named Courtney after a gospel singer when he was picked up on Christmas Eve. In short, in matters vegetable, animal, mineral, he is the very model of a modern Major-General. He is refined so he has not one but two names of composers, which is also a nod to my father. And Puck is his whimsical side. He has by far the longest name I’ve ever conferred. And that’s likely because I agreed to be his foster, and here he still is. I love him.

Foster Fail #2: And then, a Christmas Puppy came home, rounding us out to four. Just the right number so that when both my husband and I go for the morning walk, we have enough hands for all of them (because you have to properly hold a leash, and for the love of god…no retractable leashes!). Once I had Courtney at home I had to find some other dogs to walk regularly and settled in with Teddy’s siblings, Domino and Dancer. And then… then I found Teddy a few rows over. She looks like River, and was nearly as shy. I started taking her out. She was rooming with another dog who – in a very friendly way – jumped on her a lot. Teddy was less than thrilled. We spent almost two months on visits outside to the yards. And then one day, I picked her up, walked by our Board president and said: I’m just going to take her home for a bath and a little back yard time. I spent the next several days asking for additional nights to keep her with us, and then convinced our dog walker to accept four on an out of town trip, and she was home. Lady Teddy-A-Dora The Explorer came home in an act of pure theft. Teddy is her original name, she’s A-dora-ble, and she’s absolutely an explorer like Dora. She will spend HOURS in the back yard. I love her.  

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