Westminster Dog Show Dog Names Have Gone to the Dogs

on February 15, 2011 at 11:25 AM

bearded collie I was watching the Westminster Dog Show last night and have one question for you: What's with the names?

In this, the 135th time dogs have competed for the title "Best in Show," in the second-oldest sporting event that's been continuously held in the U.S. (first is the Kentucky Derby), I didn't hear one Spot. Or Rover. Or Lucky.

No, we have Tiara Nekabu Show Me the Bunny (a Pharaoh Hound) and Doc's Seven Ships of Acadia (a Weimaraner).

Sigh, Winky never would have had a chance. (Winky, you know ... the winner in the mockumentary Best in Show.)

The judges at Madison Square Garden are judging the gorgeous dogs against the ideal of their breed, how close to perfection that Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen or Whippet may be.

I think there's a better way to judge a dog. By his (or her) name. The more wonkadoo the name, the better chance of taking home the top chew toy.

Four of the seven Best in Group winners were selected Monday. The winners from the sporting, terrier, and working groups compete tonight. All seven best in group dogs go on to vie for the ultimate prize in the dog world: Best in Show.

Well, let's look at the ones we do know.

In the toy group, the winner was Palacegarden Malachy, a Pekingese (you know, the smushed face dog). In the non-sporting group, we have Vaje's Miss Jane Hathaway, a Chinese Shar-pei. A Scottish Deerhound by the name of Foxcliffe Hickory Wind won the hound group (trumping a Beagle named Lola -- she didn't stand a chance with that name, even if she was named after Barry Manilow's show girl).

And rounding out Monday's winners: Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins, the Bearded Collie from the herding group.

From these four, based purely on the wonkadoo-est name criteria, I have to say it comes down to either Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins or Palacegarden Malachy.

Palacegarden Malachy only has two names, but together they create the most "Huh?" factor of the bunch. And every time I hear Malachy, I think of Children of the Corn (the 1984 version, of course).

On the other hand, we have Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins. Not only does he have the Mister in an odd spot, but what the heck does Raintree have to do with anything in J.R.R. Tolkien's novels?

I just don't get it. Totally wonkadoo, so I have to hand the blue ribbon to the Bearded Collie.

Granted, if Rainbow Springs Wicklow's Warrior of Ber-D-Mar wins the Terrier group, all bets are off.

What's your wacky dog name?

Image via Westminster Kennel Club

Filed Under: animal shows, news

Comments (19)

Facebook comment from Hammerius Tiberius

on Feb 15, 2011 at 11:31 AM

The Inimitable Mister Snookums

Report this comment

mrsdangelo

on Feb 15, 2011 at 11:32 AM

My dogs have silly names, but they aren't as crazy as the ones about which you wrote! We have Rubeus, who is part boxer, part German shepherd. I named him after Hagrid in Harry Potter (whose first name is Rubeus) because he, also, is mixed of 2 powerful things (although it's a wizard and a giant) that make up a sweet, energetic being. We also have Raisele (RAY-zeh-leh) which I read in a book (Away by Amy Bloom). The book character is a bit crazy, which our Raisy is, and is sneaky, which our Raisy also is. :)

Nonmember comment from Annonymous

on Feb 15, 2011 at 12:01 PM

You obviously don't know much about showing dogs. Every dog has to have a registered name and it has to be unique to that dog. It can not have ever been registered before. They are long and sometimes silly. However, the dogs all have shorter call names which can have something to do with their show name or not.

Nonmember comment from Anonymous

on Feb 15, 2011 at 3:17 PM

Many of the issues you seem to have with these dogs names are not as 'wacky' as you want to make it out to be. The first portion of a dogs registered name is the "Kennel Name" with the last part of a name is unique to that particular dog. For instance, in the name Foxcliffe Hickory Wind, Foxcliffe is the kennel name and "Hickory Wind" is the part of the name unique to the dog. Additionally, as a previous commenter posted, the registered names must be unique. That's why you don't have dogs registered as simply "Spot" or "Rover" or "Lucky". The names must also be 36 characters or under. The dogs also have 'call names' which are the shorter names that they are typically called.

MaggieCC

on Feb 15, 2011 at 3:58 PM

One of my dogs is named Sir Don Diablo Pablo - Mr P. for short! All of our dogs have weird long names - I guess because we are crazy dog people!

kisses5050

on Feb 15, 2011 at 5:59 PM

MY daughter was obsessed with The Lewis Clark Expedition at the time we got our dog she was only 5 and didn't understand why we didn't want let her name the dog Seaman after the beloved Newfoundland on the journay my husband said he just could see the neighbors now as he stood in the street calling for a lost dog " SEEEEAAAMMMAN! COMMMMEEEE ON SEEEEEMAN"

o0laurie.love0o

on Feb 15, 2011 at 8:51 PM

I understand the reasoning behind the long names, but they're still funny. My dogs' have pretty simple names. My male golden retriever is William and my female chocolate labrador is Cabela. :)

Facebook comment from Meg Moore

on Feb 15, 2011 at 11:14 PM

the smushed face dog isnt to accurate,there are lots of brachycephalic dogs.

on Feb 15, 2011 at 11:15 PM

those dogs are often named the way horses are,which makes sense if you follow their lines.

on Feb 15, 2011 at 11:17 PM

at least thats my understanding,peopel i knew who bread show dogs named them like that..from previous comments i coul be wrong