Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Dear Aunty Pam

 

I agreed that my wife and daughter could adopt a dog from our local shelter on one condition: that they don’t get a little, yappy dog, but a bigger dog, because I don’t like little, yappy dogs and nobody ever adopts the big dogs. Anyway, they got a hound mix, a really good dog, and we all love him.

 

The problem is they’ve started calling him Bitty Boo, don’t ask me why. Even worse, it’s all he answers to and it’s driving me crazy. They talk baby talk to him like he’s a little, yappy dog: “Come here, Bitty boo, do you want a treat?” On Fridays, I’m supposed to take him to the dog park and I’ve told them that I am not going to stand in the middle of all those other people and their dogs and holler, “Come on, Bitty Boo, time to go home.”

 

I want to give him a name that fits, like Ranger or Max, or something, but they refuse. And now they’re mad at me because I won’t take him to the dog park.

 

Who’s right?

 

Signed,

Embarrassed  Dad

 

Dear Dad,

 

Come on, dude, is a silly name for a dog really emasculating you? It is ridiculous, and it made me laugh, but will you actually lose testosterone calling out, ‘Bitty Boo?’ Why not make a joke out of it—give the others a good laugh. You can always explain that you didn’t name the dog.

 

It’s possible that Bitty boo, over time, might start responding to just the Boo part, and then you know how it goes with dog names: He becomes Boopy, Booberama, The Boomeister…even Boomer! That’s not a bad name for a big dog, is it? Boomer? Give that a shot. 

 

Start at home by giving him a treat every time he responds to that and remember, hearing isn’t a hound’s strongest attribute. It’s scent. So if he doesn’t respond right away, be patient.

 

And be a bit more secure.

 

Cheers, dear!

Aunty Pam