What's In A Name?
Ryas Batteries Not Included
By: Amanda Kelly
Originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Black & Tan Magazine
One of the most challenging (and entertaining!) parts of showing dogs can be finding the perfect name for your new hopeful. Over the years, there have been some truly great wordsmiths in our breeds and here’s a peak at the legacy they left behind.
What Were They Thinking?
· Let George Do It
· My Destructive Peaches
· Partytymes Hossenfeffer Inc.
· Penny Pebbles Pebbley Pooh
· Twisel Dances With Bulls
· Pinepatch Poor Pitiful Pearl
· The President
Searching For Inspiration
Not surprisingly, some of the most common naming themes have revolved around our breeds’ historic prowess as ratters, both in and out of the rat pit. North Americans will be familiar with the Standard Manchester Steelcrest Pit Boss, but may not have heard other inventive names like Red Roof Rat’s Bane, Gren’s Little Ratcatcher, Tebue’s Rug Rat, Fantasy’s Remarkable Ratter and her kennel mate, Mighty Mouser. Kennel names of years gone past were equally as reflective of our breeds’ abilities, including prefixes like Rat-Tat, Rattler, Manchester Ratter, and The Rattery. The Gentleman’s Terrier moniker is reflected in dozens of Gentlemen Jim’s, Jack’s and Joe’s as well as in an English Gentleman, Southern Gentleman, and Lancashire Gentleman. And then there are those who were slightly less inventive, opting for derivatives of the breed’s name, including Lady Manchester, Little Miss Manchester, Merry Manchester, Manchester Pride and Little Man Chester.
Other breeders looked to the breeds’ unique physical characteristics for inspiration – most notably, their colour. Our history is full of “black” names, including everything from black crickets to daisies, ties, arrows, buttons and velvet. We lay claim to innumerable Black Beauties and more than a few Black Jacks. Precious stones seem to be popular too, with Black Pearls, Jades and Opals as well as the odd Black Orchid. The famous American Canyon Crest kennel of Standard Manchester Terriers had a Blackout as well as a Lady Charcoal, and in Europe we find Cocaine’s Black Viper alongside Chaka’s Sooty Angel. A hint of tan sneaks in now and then through names like Denworth Touch of Tan and, of course, no list would be complete without recognition of the two colours that inspired the name of the magazine you are reading. Though it is undoubtedly harder to work both into one name, a few breeders managed to do it with names like Black and Tan Boy, Mersey Black N Tan To The Max and BlackandTanAmbassador.
With a nod to the breed’s athleticism (and perhaps high hopes for brilliant agility careers), we find dogs like Acrobatic Lady, Barlen’s Athletic By Design, Kimblewick Nimble Feet, Moonfire’s Perpetual Motion, Porsha’s Blink You Missed Her and Rendition’s Ever So Clever. It’s no surprise to find one of the most successful Toy Manchesters in Canadian dog sport history with a name like Ryas Batteries Not Included. And California owner Barbara O’Dell gave a tip of the hat to the Manchester’s mischievous nature when she dubbed her Standard Manchester “Naughty” and registered him as Salutaire Notoriously Bad.
But the best names of all seem to hint at a penchant for vocalization. Hidden Hill’s Yap Yap Yap, Nannah’s Bark at the Moon and Pat White’s Ryas You Talk Too Much (not surprisingly called Gabby) seem to insinuate that our little black and tan friends might have a lot to say – now, who would ever believe that?! My favourite entry in this category? Artvir’s Damnit Shut Up.
Books, Themes and Letters
Need a little more inspiration? You can always turn to the arts, as did the breeders of dogs like Y-Not Where For Art Thou Romeo, Bell’s Vanity Fair, Tempest’s Sense and Sensibility, Seaquest’s Great Expectations and Gwinny Willow’s Dr. Jekyl (a name that leaves this writer scratching her head!). Nursery rhymes and fairytales brought us Bam-Saw’s Sleeping Beauty, Alabiss Princess Jasmine, Aldercrest Tinkerbelle, dozens of Cinderellas, and both Van’s Little Jack Horner and his son, Van’s Hop On My Thumb. And music fans will enjoy names like Elmwood’s Boy Named Sue and Miniacres I Got You Babe, while pop culture experts will recognize Here’s The Beef of Canty as a nod to one of the most recognizable North American advertising slogans of the 1980s.
Then we have those who name in themes or sequences. The most famous example of this has to be Elsie Puleo’s prolific Golden Scoops Toy Manchesters, where lines were clearly identifiable by letter. Myrtle Klensche had themed lines, the most famous of which began with Salutaire Word To The Wise who was followed by progeny like Salutaire Mark My Words, Word For Word, More Than Words, Say No More, The Word Is Out, Sweet Talkin’ Man, Now Hear This and Talk To Me. Bred more than 40 times, “Whiz” can be found somewhere behind the majority North American Standards today and his impact on naming conventions can still be felt more than 30 years later.
Mari-Beth O’Neill’s Charmaron’s Cheddar of Toy was the first in a line of cheesy names that included important producers like Pamelot’s Big Cheese, Charmaron’s Gouda of Wateroak, Charmaron’s Imptd Cheese Please, Salutaire Better Cheddar, and Saint Lazar’s Velveeta. And Pat Dresser’s money themed names included Money In The Bank, Night Deposit, Preferred Stock, Mutual Funds, Primerate, Foreign Exchange, Break The Bank, No Deposit No Return and, with a nod to one of the United States’ richest and most notorious characters, Leona Helmsly, there was was Dress Circle’s Queen of Mean. Two of my favourite theme names? The Irish Manchester sisters, Arachne Dominatrix & Arachne Exhibitionist. Try explaining those names to your kids!
Optimists and Pessimists
Those who see the darker side of dogs and dog politics will appreciate the feelings that may have inspired names like Barrcu’s Eavesdropper, Talk of the Town, and National Enquirer. In the same vein, we have Salutaire Games People Play and Show No Mercy as well as Rosewood Clearly Ruthless and Thalia’s Ask Me If I Care.
Sometimes good names are all about hope. Breeders and owners had to be aiming high when they picked out names like Hodge’s Numero Uno, Mejay’s Victory Lane, Matchless Blue Ribbon, Salutaire Steal The Show and, one of my favourites, Just An Easy Blue Ribbon. One also has to wonder if Born Beauty, Dahl’s He’s a Spellbinder, JA’s Ain’t She Nice, and Grenadier’s Gorgeous George lived up to their monikers. Did Beddydane’s Breed Booster turn the tide for the breed in the show ring or in the whelping box? And what would you do if you named your dog LSKAM’s It’s All In The Genes and he turned out poorly?! If cautious optimism is more your style then names like Steelcrest’s Life’s a Gamble, Charlin’s Calculated Risk and Digelsa’s Definitely Maybe may be a safer choice.
So there you have it, a look back at some of the greatest (and not so great) names in black and tan history. One thing that is clear is that we are all, in fact, searching for the same thing – a name that will last through the ages. Decades from now, even the most successful of us will be but a footnote in our breed’s history. And long after our dogs’ names have fallen off of paper pedigrees, our most lasting contribution may be as single entries among the thousands of names in a dusty database. So, choose something that will stand out from the crowd, because we can’t all choose the single name that sums up this wish best: Forget Me Not.
Originally published in the Fall 2010 issue of Black & Tan Magazine
One of the most challenging (and entertaining!) parts of showing dogs can be finding the perfect name for your new hopeful. Over the years, there have been some truly great wordsmiths in our breeds and here’s a peak at the legacy they left behind.
What Were They Thinking?
· Let George Do It
· My Destructive Peaches
· Partytymes Hossenfeffer Inc.
· Penny Pebbles Pebbley Pooh
· Twisel Dances With Bulls
· Pinepatch Poor Pitiful Pearl
· The President
Searching For Inspiration
Not surprisingly, some of the most common naming themes have revolved around our breeds’ historic prowess as ratters, both in and out of the rat pit. North Americans will be familiar with the Standard Manchester Steelcrest Pit Boss, but may not have heard other inventive names like Red Roof Rat’s Bane, Gren’s Little Ratcatcher, Tebue’s Rug Rat, Fantasy’s Remarkable Ratter and her kennel mate, Mighty Mouser. Kennel names of years gone past were equally as reflective of our breeds’ abilities, including prefixes like Rat-Tat, Rattler, Manchester Ratter, and The Rattery. The Gentleman’s Terrier moniker is reflected in dozens of Gentlemen Jim’s, Jack’s and Joe’s as well as in an English Gentleman, Southern Gentleman, and Lancashire Gentleman. And then there are those who were slightly less inventive, opting for derivatives of the breed’s name, including Lady Manchester, Little Miss Manchester, Merry Manchester, Manchester Pride and Little Man Chester.
Other breeders looked to the breeds’ unique physical characteristics for inspiration – most notably, their colour. Our history is full of “black” names, including everything from black crickets to daisies, ties, arrows, buttons and velvet. We lay claim to innumerable Black Beauties and more than a few Black Jacks. Precious stones seem to be popular too, with Black Pearls, Jades and Opals as well as the odd Black Orchid. The famous American Canyon Crest kennel of Standard Manchester Terriers had a Blackout as well as a Lady Charcoal, and in Europe we find Cocaine’s Black Viper alongside Chaka’s Sooty Angel. A hint of tan sneaks in now and then through names like Denworth Touch of Tan and, of course, no list would be complete without recognition of the two colours that inspired the name of the magazine you are reading. Though it is undoubtedly harder to work both into one name, a few breeders managed to do it with names like Black and Tan Boy, Mersey Black N Tan To The Max and BlackandTanAmbassador.
With a nod to the breed’s athleticism (and perhaps high hopes for brilliant agility careers), we find dogs like Acrobatic Lady, Barlen’s Athletic By Design, Kimblewick Nimble Feet, Moonfire’s Perpetual Motion, Porsha’s Blink You Missed Her and Rendition’s Ever So Clever. It’s no surprise to find one of the most successful Toy Manchesters in Canadian dog sport history with a name like Ryas Batteries Not Included. And California owner Barbara O’Dell gave a tip of the hat to the Manchester’s mischievous nature when she dubbed her Standard Manchester “Naughty” and registered him as Salutaire Notoriously Bad.
But the best names of all seem to hint at a penchant for vocalization. Hidden Hill’s Yap Yap Yap, Nannah’s Bark at the Moon and Pat White’s Ryas You Talk Too Much (not surprisingly called Gabby) seem to insinuate that our little black and tan friends might have a lot to say – now, who would ever believe that?! My favourite entry in this category? Artvir’s Damnit Shut Up.
Books, Themes and Letters
Need a little more inspiration? You can always turn to the arts, as did the breeders of dogs like Y-Not Where For Art Thou Romeo, Bell’s Vanity Fair, Tempest’s Sense and Sensibility, Seaquest’s Great Expectations and Gwinny Willow’s Dr. Jekyl (a name that leaves this writer scratching her head!). Nursery rhymes and fairytales brought us Bam-Saw’s Sleeping Beauty, Alabiss Princess Jasmine, Aldercrest Tinkerbelle, dozens of Cinderellas, and both Van’s Little Jack Horner and his son, Van’s Hop On My Thumb. And music fans will enjoy names like Elmwood’s Boy Named Sue and Miniacres I Got You Babe, while pop culture experts will recognize Here’s The Beef of Canty as a nod to one of the most recognizable North American advertising slogans of the 1980s.
Then we have those who name in themes or sequences. The most famous example of this has to be Elsie Puleo’s prolific Golden Scoops Toy Manchesters, where lines were clearly identifiable by letter. Myrtle Klensche had themed lines, the most famous of which began with Salutaire Word To The Wise who was followed by progeny like Salutaire Mark My Words, Word For Word, More Than Words, Say No More, The Word Is Out, Sweet Talkin’ Man, Now Hear This and Talk To Me. Bred more than 40 times, “Whiz” can be found somewhere behind the majority North American Standards today and his impact on naming conventions can still be felt more than 30 years later.
Mari-Beth O’Neill’s Charmaron’s Cheddar of Toy was the first in a line of cheesy names that included important producers like Pamelot’s Big Cheese, Charmaron’s Gouda of Wateroak, Charmaron’s Imptd Cheese Please, Salutaire Better Cheddar, and Saint Lazar’s Velveeta. And Pat Dresser’s money themed names included Money In The Bank, Night Deposit, Preferred Stock, Mutual Funds, Primerate, Foreign Exchange, Break The Bank, No Deposit No Return and, with a nod to one of the United States’ richest and most notorious characters, Leona Helmsly, there was was Dress Circle’s Queen of Mean. Two of my favourite theme names? The Irish Manchester sisters, Arachne Dominatrix & Arachne Exhibitionist. Try explaining those names to your kids!
Optimists and Pessimists
Those who see the darker side of dogs and dog politics will appreciate the feelings that may have inspired names like Barrcu’s Eavesdropper, Talk of the Town, and National Enquirer. In the same vein, we have Salutaire Games People Play and Show No Mercy as well as Rosewood Clearly Ruthless and Thalia’s Ask Me If I Care.
Sometimes good names are all about hope. Breeders and owners had to be aiming high when they picked out names like Hodge’s Numero Uno, Mejay’s Victory Lane, Matchless Blue Ribbon, Salutaire Steal The Show and, one of my favourites, Just An Easy Blue Ribbon. One also has to wonder if Born Beauty, Dahl’s He’s a Spellbinder, JA’s Ain’t She Nice, and Grenadier’s Gorgeous George lived up to their monikers. Did Beddydane’s Breed Booster turn the tide for the breed in the show ring or in the whelping box? And what would you do if you named your dog LSKAM’s It’s All In The Genes and he turned out poorly?! If cautious optimism is more your style then names like Steelcrest’s Life’s a Gamble, Charlin’s Calculated Risk and Digelsa’s Definitely Maybe may be a safer choice.
So there you have it, a look back at some of the greatest (and not so great) names in black and tan history. One thing that is clear is that we are all, in fact, searching for the same thing – a name that will last through the ages. Decades from now, even the most successful of us will be but a footnote in our breed’s history. And long after our dogs’ names have fallen off of paper pedigrees, our most lasting contribution may be as single entries among the thousands of names in a dusty database. So, choose something that will stand out from the crowd, because we can’t all choose the single name that sums up this wish best: Forget Me Not.