Dog's heaven
Dogs don't care about the names they have been given. They don't even get the meaning of it. Hence, I cannot feel much compassion for them when they are referred to as with names that conjure up negative associations with us. No – we have any reason to envy them. Since their peers are dogs, too, and don't savvy the name of their fellows either, they are not in danger of being bullied for their names, how weird whatsover. You can call your dog "lampshade" - they don't care about it, and neither does their peer group.
Rather, an infelicitous name can be embarrassing for the holder of the dog.
In case of Stink, Bruno's pet, some people might think the poor little fellow has it's name for a good reason. It might cast a bad light on Bruno himself: Usually, well-groomed dogs don't reek - and dogs, held in a tidy household don't take on nauseating odors neither.
Granted, I never saw a dog being tooth-brushed – they don't need it. But you don't kiss a dog welcome and you don't make face-to-face conversation with them (usually). Hence, let's assume that a well-groomed, shampooed fur is enough to be human-socially compatible.
But, assuming you are a jogger: In this case, heavy reeking pooches are advantageous, particular when they are teeny-weeny like those little dogs you're afraid of squashing them under your sole when stepping on them accidentally (and let me tell you: You can't get the sticky goop off your shoes for weeks!), a conspicuous reek (mainly of the dog, but also of the jogger!) works like an early warning system. But that only goes for free-running pooches, which are unleashed by their holders (or kept on a long leash) and hence loitering ten meters behind them – or scurrying out of the bushes of all sudden. In case they are leashed, on a 2 meter line at the most, it's also sufficient if the holder exudes a salient odor (then there is no need to distinguish between dog and owner).
In those rare situations when the owner is smaller than his dog (I've never seen these cases, but I heard of them) AND the dog is not kept on a short line, a groomed owner is at any rate permanently in danger when sharing the sidewalk with joggers - provided they fit under your jogging shoes like Chiwawas.
Dogs are said to have got the sixth sense. They obviously feel the mood or atmosphere, when the owner calls for them with this name and people standing around react with disgust, revulsion or sympathy and pity with them.
CW
hello Gwendo,
I'm the wiser for it, are you a dog whisperer? Tell me more about dog's soul.
Nothing from the dog whisperer? I read about some of them: Nicole Schöfmann, she has studied animal communication and instruct it to dog's owners by meditation dvd's and books. Has somebody heard or read it? Please your comments:
Posts: 2715
30 March 2010