Tuesday, April 28, 2009

I've Got a Dog and Her Name Is..... ?

Well, now I've gone and done it. I've been wanting to get a dog for a long time (loooooooonnnnng time) and was just waiting till I got back from my travels to go find the perfect little puppy. A medium-sized, energetic, funny dog that I could train and love and snuggle and take on walks and hikes, and on all kinds of little Dog and Cheasty adventures. So I started looking online, thinking I'd probably better check out some of the local shelters to see what kind of dogs they get ahold of, and then I found this:



I can't explain it. Maybe it was the way she looked, maybe it was her rather pathetic and sad little life story, but whatever it is, I was a goner the minute I met her. I am now the proud owner of a 10 year old miniature mutt named Sweetie. Ten years. That's what... 70 in human years? Oh, and she's toothless. And deaf as a fence post. And she's also a little gender-confused, because she walks around and pees like a boy dog, lifting her leg and "marking" her territory. And she weighs seven pounds. And you know what? I'm kind of in love, because in spite of all that, in spite of starving and being a street dog and losing her teeth, and being old, she's still a spunky old gal, prancing around, snuggling on laps, and generally being awesome.

She's been with her foster dad for a number of months, and nobody's even put in an adoption application on her on account of how old she is. Doesn't that just break your heart? The good news is that her foster dad took very good care of her, and she's looking much spiffier than when he'd just gotten her (see photo above):



The other good news is that she came over to hang out at my house the other day, and she loved it. I'm taking a trip back east to visit family and get some work done, but when I come back in the end of May, she's all mine.

The bad news is I'm really stuck on the name thing. Sweetie? I mean, come on. I suppose it could be worse - she could be named Buttercup or Princess or Barbie, or something, but jeez. Sweetie. Since she's completely deaf, I can call her whatever I want and she won't know the difference, but it seems that after all my mocking (see yesterday's post), I've caught a derivation of the Umulu disease. I haven't named her anything yet, but only because I'm stuck on options. So here are my options, as I see them, blog. Help me decide.

Birdie.
Blue.
Sally.
Ethel Merman.
Little Dude.
Pocket.

So? What do you think?

21 comments:

Kate said...

She is pretty darn cute. For some reason, I love the name Pocket. I would be a fun name to play with!

Alison in CO said...

Definitely Ethel Merman if she barks and sings loudly. I like Little Dude considering that she is a little gender-confused.

Kate said...

IT would be a fun name not I. Here are some of the derivations that come to mind:

Pockotomous
Mrs. Pocky Pockington
Pockalockadingdong

Good grief, I need help.

Claudia said...

Cheasty! What a beautiful dog! I think you should go with Ethel Merman--I'm not sure how you came to associate the little dog with ethel merman, but I like it when dogs have human names.

Also, have I ever told you about my crazy misadventure with the austin maltese rescue group and little Howie Hokeypokey Chompers? it is the longest story in the world...and it is quite sad.

p.s. did I leave my softball mitt at your house last week?

Brown said...

I like Nessie . . . .but I suppose Ethel works too. Or Pocket.

H-SPO said...

Ethel Merman. Or Pee Wee Herman.

Anonymous said...

Omg she is too cute! I am a big fan of adopting old fart dogs - that's what my little guy, Dante, is. A 15 year old pomeranian with heart failure and pulmonary edema but the greatest little personality and cutest face EVER. Good for you, Cheasty!!! I definitely think she looks like an Ethel Merman.

Renny said...

I agree with Kate, I like Pocket! Or Scampers.

Anonymous said...

I like Helen. It suits her. I know its not on the list, but having the advantage of actually seeing you yesterday, the name was brought up. :) If that doesn't float your boat, my next choice would be Pocket, just cause it is totally random sounding.


The Fairy King

Unknown said...

Yay! Congrats on your new doggie! I think an old-lady name would be very cute (like ethel or helen or birdie) since she IS an old lady-dog. But so much fun could be had with Pocket! I suppose you could always make Pocket a nickname. Like my dog Bodhi... he actually went by his nickname (Mr. Brownie-Cakes) as often as his real name. Anyway, your new dog looks super bright-eyed and cuddly- I can't wait to meet her!

Prunella Jones said...

What a sweetie. Sally would be a good name. Although to be truthful, she looks more like a Thundercat to me. That's what I'd name her anyway

Cheasty said...

oh wow, so many suggestions. i've narrowed it down now to a few:

pocket
ethel merman
helen keller (my mom's suggestion)

i guess once i get to know her i'll choose. oh, and thundercat is awesome, pru. but no.

Drea said...

I love pocket!!!! Then you could call her pocket pup. Pocket pup where are you???Come on pocket pup.

But I love Scampers more!!!

Frank Irwin said...

Hmmm...I had a suggestion when I first read this post, but now I've forgotten it, so I'll go with Pocket.

She looks like a sweetie, BTW!

Kevin said...

Helen Keller. It has the most jokes, and you can say it's related to me and Renny.

Naoko said...

Cute, Cute, Cute!! I cannot wait to see her! naoko

Anonymous said...

What about "hot pocket" or name her after one of the golden girls. She is spunky just like all of them!

-Cookie

p.s. in case you forgot:
Dorothy Petrillo Zbornak
Rose Nylund
Blanche Devereaux (this is pretty ironic since your dog is dark)
Sophia Petrillo

Kate said...

Her name is. What?
Her name is. What?
Wicka, wicka.
Slim Shady.

Seriously, I really do need help. Maybe I should be slapped or something.

Cheasty said...

oh actually crying real live tears from laughing too hard.

now in the front running: Slim Shady. Also a friend recommended the name Blackie Chan. I believe this deserves due consideration, but for now my top choices are still Pocket and Ethel Merman. I'll let you know which I choose when I get to know her a little bit better.

thanks for the laughs and the suggestions, everybody!

Brown said...

Holy Shit! Blackie Chan is perfect!!! I LOVE it!

Anonymous said...

Ethel.

That way, Ethel and Melvin can hang out and play and they will both have ridiculous names that belong to people several generations older than us. It will be great.