Wondering if your dog’s name is among the most popular? We’ve got a list — in pictures — of the most common names for both male and female dogs. Is your favorite four-legged friend’s name on the list?

Check out the list here

Agribusiness

Bill Roest appointed to Synlait Milk board

Harvesting hazards cut down

$35,000 in fines for animal neglect

MPI to face questions over palm kernel security claim

Synlait plans NZX listing

Climate extremes hit PGG Wrightson income

Winning ideas on display

Transpower, Feds deal on the cards

Ireland ‘eyes New Zealand’s markets’

Frustrations over lack of agri-food progress

Arriving at the championship sheep dog trials in Blenheim yesterday, I was met with calls of ‘Dufus’, ‘Freak’ and ‘Thug’.

“Charming,” I thought, and carried on about my business.

It wasn’t until one competitor shouted, “Oi, Whanga” that I drew the line.

Clearly, I misheard the stocky, rugged farmer-type, at least twice my size, and was soon regretting my instinctive retort, “you’re the only whanga around here mate”.

As it turns out, competitors at the Tux South Island Championship dog trials have some bizarre names for their companions.

How was I to know?

My attempts to backtrack fell on deaf ears and quoting Shakespeare probably made matters worse.

“What’s in a name?” I said. “That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.”

I think he thought I was coming on to him.

Taranaki man Bryce Jensen, though, had good reason to call his three-year-old huntaway ‘Forste’, after he was “forced in, forced out and force fed”.

Forste’s mother was artificially inseminated using semen from a New Zealand champion, Mr Jensen said.

Complications during birth meant she needed a caesarean section to remove her single pup, Forste.

Even after birth, his mother struggled to feed him herself.

“He was forced in, forced out and force fed,” Mr Jensen said. “So I called him Forste, which also means ‘first’ in Danish.”

Forste was quite a character and he was very entertaining for people to watch, he said.

“He is a little bit . . . how do I put this? . . . he’s not quite settled yet. The anaesthetic is still affecting him.”

Forste needed slightly different training methods.

“He has always been keen but different methods suit different dogs. I’m not professing to be an expert. In fact, the way I went this week, maybe I need to change all my methods.”

Other interesting dog names at the Tux South Island Championship dog trials : Sledge, Donkey, Brew, Punga, Zoom, Tweed, Bolt, Scorch, Coke, Troll, Moon, Drum, Rock, Norm, Pound, Thump and Zoom.

– © Fairfax NZ News

Sponsored links

Ask Dog Lady
by . .

MySouthEnd.com Contributor
Wednesday May 15, 2013

By Monica Collins

Dear Dog Lady

What do you think about dogs that never get to go out for walks? I am concerned about somebody in my condominium building who apparently is keeping her dog in the apartment all the time. This is new dog and she uses pee pads of some type because she works and is out all day. But I think dogs need to go for walks for many other reasons than doing their business. Isn’t that right?

–Jeannie

Dear Jeannie,

Dogs need walks like plants need rain. The daily outings are a canine’s connection to the world. The animals sniff out the news, whiff kith and kin, and bond to their human keepers during every walk. To deprive a dog of this ritual and reality check seems inhumane. Also, our pets must understand that outdoors means business. And, remember, responsible dog owners clean up after their pets; responsible owners carry bags to pick up.

By scattering pee pads around indoors, the misguided dog owner expects a dog to understand the difference between relieving itself on a pad and the carpet. Also, once a dog is allowed to go inside without consequences, the animal rarely goes back to outdoors only. This questionable behavior presents all kinds of problems for the owner and the dog; the pet believes it can mess anywhere indoors. After much bad bathroom manners, the owners inevitably resent their dogs. Dogs that soil the house because of human sloppiness can wind up abandoned in shelters. And the rest is a long, sad story.

Dear Dog Lady,

I recently adopted a puppy, a black Labrador retriever. I thought I had come up with the best, most original name for him: Cooper. I knew no other dogs with this name. It is two syllables and I can condense it into lots of nicknames. I was feeling so good about my new dog and his name until I went to the veterinarian’s for a first checkup and the vet tech called out “Cooper” to those of us in the waiting area. Another woman and her bull dog stood up and went toward the examining room. I said, “Excuse me, my dog is Cooper.” And she said, “So is mine.” I was crushed. I’ve since heard of five other Coopers. I’m not exaggerating when I say nearly every dog I meet is named Cooper. I want to change my dog’s name. Should I?

–Karen

Dear Karen,

Think of how all those people who named their dogs “Bailey” felt; and those who bestowed lovable “Lucy.” Dog names come in and out of vogue. So do people monikers. Hello “Brittany” and “Tiffany;” “Brody” and “Logan.” Don’t sweat this. If you continue to be super-irked about copycat Coopers, you can change the name but any switch could cause some stress for your pup.

You just might be living in a hot “Cooper” zone because the name doesn’t even show up on Loving Pet Products’ list of the 25-most popular dog names as published on babble.com. On that roster, “Max” is number one.

Dear Dog Lady,

A guy from an online dating site suggested we meet for the first time at the dog park where he brings his dog every weekend. He gave me good directions and I went there one Saturday afternoon. To be honest, dogs scare me but I figured any man who liked animals was probably a good guy.

The man was awesome looking, the dog not so much. I don’t even know what kind of dog but the beast wore a thick choke chain collar, which looked very scary and hurtful to me. The dog seemed nice enough with other dogs at the park but the guy yelled at it a lot when it was doing nothing but sniffing around. I don’t even like dogs all that much but I felt sorry for this dog. Between the collar and the yelling, I decided I had enough so I took out my phone, called my own number and pretended to have a weekend work emergency. I keep thinking about the guy. I might have been interested but I couldn’t stand the way he treated his pet. Do other women judge potential boyfriends this way?

–Gloria

Dear Gloria,

Of course. The way someone treats animals is a surefire indicator of how he or she will respond to members of the human race. You keyed into the clues: a choke collar and yelling at nothing are signals. He may have a very good reason why he a puts a punitive metal collar on his dog but, usually, animals wearing this hurtful neckwear do not hang out at a dog park. And his screaming at the dog for nothing is stupid. He probably did it more for your attention. Dog Lady is a big fan of dating; but you made the right decision to throw this one back in the dating pool.

Ask a question or make a comment at askdoglady@gmail.com. Read more at askdoglady.com or facebook.com/askdoglady.

Nicole Ebat

OMAHA(FOX 42 NEWS)– Doctors say getting up and moving is one of the best ways to prevent and alleviate symptoms of arthritis–and that advice isn’t just for people.

Pets can suffer from the painful joint problems too, but there are alternative treatments for dogs too.

Eleven-year-old Sadie is a Shepherd/Husky mix and has always loved walks.

Thursday afternoon, it just happened to be underwater.

Besides arthritis, Sadie suffers from several diseases with some very long names.

“Before she came to see me, she was almost on death’s door,” said Dr. Michelle Beck, a Canine Rehabilitation Specialist at the Backlund Animal Clinic.

Sadie spend time on a lot of medication.

“She was just in excruciating pin and I didn’t know it. She’s very stoic, which a lot of dogs are, but she’s particularly stoic,” said Joei Hoffman, Sadie’s loving owner.

Hoffman had been taking Sadie to a specialist, but she eventually decided to look into what else could help.

Now Sadie is undergoing acupuncture, laser therapy and underwater walking treatments.

“She went from barely functioning and being in extraordinary pain most of the time and just not wanting to do much,” said Hoffman. “Now she’s just like a puppy again, I had someone think she was a 6-month-old puppy the other day.”

That turnaround happened in just a year.

Now, the Arthritis Foundation has named Sadie its Canine Hero.

“One of the best ways to alleviate pains of arthritis is to keep moving,” said Andrea Milton, an event specialist with the foundation. “A lot of people think ‘I’m hurting, so I’m going to sit, I’m not going to do anything’. Well, when they hear that their dog arthritis and needs to move, people are more apt to get up and walk with their dog because their dog needs that exercise and in turn it will help them.”

The Arthritis Foundation is holding a walk to build awareness and raise money for arthritis and similar diseases.

The walk is Saturday, May 18th at 10 am at Stinson Park in Aksarben Village.

Registration begins at 8 am with entertainment, food and awards at 11:30.

Here are just some of the dogs at Project Rescue Chicago who were named for Blackhawks and other hockey terms. Bridgid Nolan, owner of Project Rescue Chicago, describes how they got their names. For the full gallery, visit redeyechicago.com.

.

Bickell

This beefy guy was strong, capable, got along with everyone despite some serious injuries when we first got him. Another dog had attacked him and his wounds were infected and painful. Weeks of treatment until he could play with other dogs was tough on him, but he brought his a-game whenever he was with other dogs and was a great group player. (adopted, changed name)

Bolland

This guy brought a lot to the table and could maintain a great energy while in playgroups. He was social and soft, but formidable. (adopted, changed name)

Bollig

This bulldog puppy liked to play and throw his weight around, even at a young age! (adopted, kept name)

Brandon Saad

This guy is solid with amazing potential. He gets along with everyone! (available for adoption)

Carcillo

After one surgery and a month of medicine without improvement, we decided to remove his eye. He is now pain-free and doing well. Named because he is a scrappy, funny, social player who is fearless. (available for adoption)

Coach Q

This adorable, scruffy guy was dumped at a shelter when his owner died and no one wanted to take him on. He had bilateral luxating patella and a serious thyroid problem that required daily medication, but he was so cute and social that he was worth it all! Named Coach Q because of his stoicism and ability to influence the other dogs in a playgroup as a leader!

Crawford

This French mastiff was easygoing, super social, soft-spoken even though he played a massive role in every setting. (adopted, kept name)

Duncan

This puppy is so rock solid that he will be a pivotal member of any play group or home. He isn’t one to seek out attention but gets it anyway. (available for adoption)

Emery

This formidable little pitbull could hang with the best of them! Loved other dogs and all people. (adopted, kept name)

Banfield Pet Hospital has been busy. They’ve done some research that shows spaying and neutering your pet can help them live longer. And pets are living longer now than they did 10 years ago.

Neutered male cats live 62% longer than unneutered males. Spayed female cats live 39% longer than unspayed females. And the lifespan of cats has increased 10% since 2002 to 12 years.

And dogs are living longer too. Neutered males live 18% longer than unneutered males. Spayed females live 24% longer than unsprayed females. And the average lifespan for dogs is 11 years now. Toy and small breed dogs still live 41% longer than giant breeds. I’ve always been told the bigger the dog, the shorter the life.

Banfield did this study from their electronic records for pets they have treated in their 800 hospitals. They have hospitals all over the country, in all but seven states. Just about everywhere there is a PetsMart, there’s a Banfield Pet Hospital next to it. Since the hospitals are all connected electronically, they can track and analyze trends in pet health. And this is the third year they’ve done this study.

They’ve made all the info available too. Go to www.stateofpethealth.com and click on the state you live in. You’ll find state specific info about pet health trends like lifespan, number of spayed and neutered cats and dogs, and pet diseases common in that state. You can even filter the info by sex, breed, breed size, and whether the pet is spayed or neutered.

They even list the most common breeds and names of dogs and cats in the state. Labrador Retrievers and Yorkshire Terriers are the top two breeds in Virginia. Labs and Chihuahuas are the top two breeds in North Carolina. Domestic Shorthair and Domestic Medium Hair are the top two breeds of cats in both states. Bella and Max are the most common dog names and Bella and Kitty are the most common cat names in both states.

Dental tartar, being overweight, fleas, and ear infections are the most common diagnoses for cats in both states. And dental tartar, ear infection, skin infection, and being overweight are the most common diagnoses for dogs in both states.

You can get info about Banfield, find the nearest location, explore the report, and even download the entire report from the web site. In the report, I found out that Virginia and North Carolina have a moderate lifespan for cats. Virginia has a moderate lifespan for dogs. And North Carolina has a shorter lifespan for dogs.

Montana, Colorado, Rhode Island, Illinois, and Nebraska have the longest lifespan for cats. Montana and Oregon are tied for the states with the highest number of geriatric cats. The states with the shortest lifespan for cats are Delaware, Ohio, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Mississippi.

Dogs have the longest lifespan in South Dakota, Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, and Colorado. Oregon has the highest number of geriatric dogs. The states with the shortest lifespans for dogs are Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Delaware, and Massachusetts.

Banfield has found that the two states with the highest number of unsprayed and unneutered dogs and cats also have the shortest lifespans for both species. Louisiana and Mississippi get this distinction. States with higher numbers of spayed and neutered pets have longer lifespans for pets.

So go check out the report. You’ll learn a lot about pet health all over the country. And consider making a pet wellness appointment for your pet no matter which veterinarian you go to.
 

COMMENTS ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here; comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its websites. Users must follow agreed-upon rules: Be civil, be clean, be on topic; don’t attack private individuals, other users or classes of people. Read the full rules here.
- Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the report violation link below it.

I read a posting on the “Ask Dog Lady” Facebook page that after the Boston Marathon bombings, many Bostonians kindly offered up their blow-up beds and pull-out couches to help stranded runners who needed a place to stay. One kind-hearted guy even offered a “fuzzy dog to pet.” Seems like a brilliant incentive and cure-all. Do you know if he had any takers? — Daphne

After a frightful bloody day at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon, there were no stranded people who stepped up to pet the fuzzy dog, a rescue mutt named Rufus, according to a blog on Slate, the online magazine.

Still, the software engineer who posted the offering was glad he made the gesture. Other Bostonians promised to provide a swab of pet love for marooned marathoners, offering homes with “‘a loving bunny,’ ‘a gentle black lab named Bettie,’ and ‘a cuddly cat to love you.’ Some apologized in advance to anyone with allergies.”

The famed K9 Comfort Dogs — golden retrievers associated with Lutheran Charities — also traveled with their Chicago keepers to Boston to provide solace.

I recently adopted a puppy, a black Labrador retriever. I thought I had come up with the best, most original name for him: Cooper. I knew no other dogs with this name. It is two syllables and I can condense it into lots of nicknames.

I was feeling so good about my new dog and his name until I went to the veterinarian’s for a first checkup and the vet tech called out “Cooper” to those of us in the waiting area. Another woman and her bulldog stood up and went toward the examining room. I said, “Excuse me, my dog is Cooper.” And she said, “So is mine.” I was crushed.

I’ve since heard of five other Coopers. I’m not exaggerating when I say nearly every dog I meet is named Cooper. I want to change my dog’s name. Should I? — Karen

Think of how all those people who named their dogs “Bailey” felt; and those with lovable “Lucy.” Dog names come in and out of vogue. So do people monikers. Hello “Brittany,” “Tiffany,” “Brody” and “Logan.”

Don’t sweat this. If you continue to be super-irked about copycat Coopers, you can change the name but any switch could cause some stress for your pup.

You just might be living in a hot “Cooper” zone because the name doesn’t even show up on Loving Pet Products’ list of the 25 most-popular dog names as published on babble.com ( http://tinyurl.com/bt62jdf). On that roster, “Max” is number one.

I lost my beloved Graham, a shepherd mix, after 12 years. He was very close to me and I’m wondering how come he’s never been in any of my dreams? I think about him all the time, and I would very much like to see him. Any thoughts? — Gary

Your question has confounded brighter lights through the ages. Shakespeare’s Hamlet famously wondered: “To be, or not to be: that is the question. . . . To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come . . .” Tortured Hamlet struggles with lack of dream control.

Alas, you will have to visit with the late Graham in your memory and conscious imagination.

Ask a question or make a comment at askdoglady@gmail.com. Read more at askdoglady.com or facebook.com/askdoglady.