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Quirky Registered/Full Names...AKC PAL Registration?


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Hello! I'm new here and thought who better to ask than the working Border Collie people themselves!

 

So here goes. Why do Border Collie people seem to stay away from the quirky or elaborate (for lack of better words) registered names? (So for example a dog with the call name "Type" would be "Blah Blah's Typing On The Computer" instead of just "Type" or "Blah Blah's Type".) I remember when I registered my puppy with NADAC for agility, I asked my trainer (who's had working Border Collies forever) what I should name him as a full name and she said, "Oh don't do the stupid naming thing, just register him under his name." So is there a reason for this? Is it just personal preference? Are Border Collies with longer registered names viewed disdainfully by people with working Border Collies?

 

Also, while I know this thread is very anti AKC, what do you think about registering for agility? I always competed through NADAC, but found out about the PAL registration which would allow me to compete in AKC events even though his parents weren't registered. Has anyone else done this? Is this a good idea?

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I think this is very much a "to each is own" kind of thing.

 

Often I thoroughly enjoy little things that other people consider "stupid". Their loss, says I!! :D

 

I always enjoy hearing about the "registered names" that people have for their dogs and how those are often connected to the call name.

 

In fact, Tessa has one - unofficially. She is not PAL'ed, but her "registered name" is "Contessa Benedicta" and one of her nicknames, based on it, is Tessa Bessa. I have her signed up in a few of our chosen sport venues (Rally FrEe is one) as "Contessa Benedicta" as her "registered" name and Tessa as her "call name". I get a kick out of the fact that her title certificates have a highfalutin' name on them!!

 

Why not?

 

Dean is "Dean Dog" call name "Dean", but in his case, we actually use "Dean Dog" as his name as much as "Dean" alone, so it's not quite the same.

 

Maybe some people are against it because it is an AKC tradition. Maybe some are against it because it can be done in a pretentious way. Maybe some people just don't see the point. Maybe some people resent some of the "registered" names that people use . . .

 

If you want to have such a "registered name" for sports - do it and enjoy. Really, your dog's name is your business. Not your instructor's. Not anyone else's.

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I compete in NADAC and USDAA, Rievaulx is registered with both organizations with that name, it is his name never thought about adding anything to it, I have had people suggest I should change the spelling to revo so it can be pronounced easily... But that is not his name.

Regarding competing in AKC, that is a personal decision, there are members of this board that do and there are others like myself who have made a decision not to, in my case it is despite there being more AKC trials convienant to me than any other venue.

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My agility trainer is a wizard with names! She is ASCA and two of my dogs have an ASCA tracking number since I support the trainers club with the herding trials. For the registration I was asked what Belle's registered name was and how it was spelled...ahhmmm B E L L E? She is now "Festerling's Belle Of The Ball"! :) <3

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I like making up "registered" names for my dogs, though I don't do any AKC. it is mostly to amuse myself and friends. Twitchs' registered name for nadac is MCP's Quit Twitching. MCP stands for Mon. County Pound, which is where we met. Nova's name for CPE is CBCR's C-atchaNova. a C-atch being the "championship" you train and trial for in CPE and CBCR is Carolina Border Collie Rescue, where we met. i also used to have FFA's Driving Miss Jazzy, 'cause running Jazz in agility,no one really knew who was driving! Hobbs doesn't have a registered name as nothing has struck me funny yet, though he is a very funny dog.

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I am an agility show secretary who has to read out the names at presentations. For obvious reasons I prefer short and simple registered names, especially on the 6th day of our show and when we get to the 200th + class.

 

But in UK KC competitions each name has to be unique to that dog so there is no possibility of confusing it with any other. There are so many dogs taking part in dog sports that simple and obvious names can be problematic because they can be easily duplicated..

 

As long as the name chosen avoids confusion, within certain parameters it doesn't matter how long or short it is, or how clever, fancy etc. Many are no longer than an ISDS registered name of breeder's affix + dog's everyday name.

 

Only the minor agility organisations here make do with just the dog's pet name.

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Can you really imagine a conservative hill shepherd naming his dog Farm's Pretty Fluffy Butt at Hilltop? This conservative attitude has spilled over into the remainder of the breed, even most of the trial people who come to working sheep from sports. Some find the fancy names demeaning to the nature of the breed (hard working, blue collar, dignified creatures). To each his own.

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yes, to each their own. my dogs "registered names" are never called at a trial. they are simply hobbs, twitch and nova. when we do earn a certificate or plaque, their fancy-schmancy name might show up.

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Thanks everyone! That makes a lot of sense. I think for her it may have to do with what Liz P was saying since she does compete in AKC agility. Although it could be resisting the kennel club mentality as Shetlander was saying. Either way, it's nice to know longer names aren't taboo! Maybe I'll get creative one day...

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yes, to each their own. my dogs "registered names" are never called at a trial. they are simply hobbs, twitch and nova. when we do earn a certificate or plaque, their fancy-schmancy name might show up.

 

No, mine neither. I don't recall ever hearing registered names being called out or used officially at a trial (I don't know if this might be done at some AKC performance events? I wouldn't know). But for our part, nobody who does not know us would know that some of Tessa's certificates read "Contessa Benedicta". They see and hear just Tessa.

 

Truth be told, I really wouldn't care if they wanted to shout out, "This is Contessa Benedicta on the line!" I'm not the least embarrassed by the name I have given her out of respect and appreciation for who she has become.

 

But they don't. They call out "This is Tessa on the line". In Freestyle and Rally FrEe, we are "Kristine and Tessa". Contessa Benedicta really is just for my enjoyment on the certificates. :)

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We don't get anything called out on the line in agility except at major finals, and not always then. We don't have to keep to running orders so couldn't just run down a list anyway. We tend to know who is who anyway.

 

Worse in the Obedience competitions I've been in though where presentations only give the dog's ring number and no one has a clue who has won what.

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I don't recall ever hearing registered names being called out or used officially at a trial (I don't know if this might be done at some AKC performance events? I wouldn't know).

 

In AKC agility, they use your dog's call name. In obedience, I seem to recall it being your dog's assigned number.

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Hello! I'm new here and thought who better to ask than the working Border Collie people themselves!

 

Also, while I know this thread is very anti AKC, what do you think about registering for agility? I always competed through NADAC, but found out about the PAL registration which would allow me to compete in AKC events even though his parents weren't registered. Has anyone else done this? Is this a good idea?

Personally, I think registering with AKC for any reason is giving money to the devil. So I would not do it.

 

As for long or silly names, some of the things I call my dog in the privacy of my own home are, frankly, embarrassing. The most common one being Muti-Toony Pantaloonie. She seems as amused by it as I am. She doesn't hang her head like a dog who hates being dressed up in felt reindeer antlers.

 

Name your dog what you like. :)

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Hello! I'm new here and thought who better to ask than the working Border Collie people themselves!

 

So here goes. Why do Border Collie people seem to stay away from the quirky or elaborate (for lack of better words) registered names? (So for example a dog with the call name "Type" would be "Blah Blah's Typing On The Computer" instead of just "Type" or "Blah Blah's Type".) I remember when I registered my puppy with NADAC for agility, I asked my trainer (who's had working Border Collies forever) what I should name him as a full name and she said, "Oh don't do the stupid naming thing, just register him under his name." So is there a reason for this? Is it just personal preference? Are Border Collies with longer registered names viewed disdainfully by people with working Border Collies?

 

Also, while I know this thread is very anti AKC, what do you think about registering for agility? I always competed through NADAC, but found out about the PAL registration which would allow me to compete in AKC events even though his parents weren't registered. Has anyone else done this? Is this a good idea?

 

 

As Liz said, I think it's firstly border collie tradition. Border collies have been named simple things like Moss, Fleece, Cap and Dan for 200 years, so why turn it into Mugglemumps Frosting on the Daisy, aka Fluffy, now? ;) Also, simple names are often preferred for simplicity's sake. It's a lot easier to holler, "Get out of that, Ben!" than "Get out of that, Riviera Joe!" (Which is not to say you can't get creative: I know a couple dogs named Tech and Gear!)

 

Plus there is perhaps a bit of reverse snobbery in that traditionalists (of which I am one) take pride in using those simple names for their dogs, as shepherds before us did, rather than seeming pretentious. The fact that AKC does encourage some pretty off-the-wall naming practices does lend to a reflex reaction against it. Plus ... it's AKC. :ph34r:

 

You will sometimes see kennel names in border collies, such as Red Top Spot, Blazin' Bob, Killibrae Fred or Tweedhope Nan. (All made up names, not real dogs.) But in the working world, that's about as fancy as it gets. :)

 

As for registering with AKC ... your call, but I'll never give them another dime. They are not the border collie's friend.

Best regards,

 

Gloria

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Personally, I think registering with AKC for any reason is giving money to the devil. So I would not do it.

 

Hear, hear!

 

I could have gotten the CGC when Bodhi was tested to be a therapy dog, since all components of the CGC were in the therapy dog test and the evaluator was also an ACK CGC evaluator. But I chose not to pay a nickel to the ACK to do it. No way, no how. <_<

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As Liz said, I think it's firstly border collie tradition. Border collies have been named simple things like Moss, Fleece, Cap and Dan for 200 years, so why turn it into Mugglemumps Frosting on the Daisy, aka Fluffy, now? ;) Also, simple names are often preferred for simplicity's sake. It's a lot easier to holler, "Get out of that, Ben!" than "Get out of that, Riviera Joe!" (Which is not to say you can't get creative: I know a couple dogs named Tech and Gear!)

 

Plus there is perhaps a bit of reverse snobbery in that traditionalists (of which I am one) take pride in using those simple names for their dogs, as shepherds before us did, rather than seeming pretentious. The fact that AKC does encourage some pretty off-the-wall naming practices does lend to a reflex reaction against it. Plus ... it's AKC. :ph34r:

 

You will sometimes see kennel names in border collies, such as Red Top Spot, Blazin' Bob, Killibrae Fred or Tweedhope Nan. (All made up names, not real dogs.) But in the working world, that's about as fancy as it gets. :)

 

As for registering with AKC ... your call, but I'll never give them another dime. They are not the border collie's friend.

Best regards,

 

Gloria

Just what I would have liked to say if I could have said it well!

 

And, since I never can keep my big mouth shut, what bothers me most of all about the rambling registered names is where people love to make plays on words like "ewe" and "herd" and so on - for dogs that have probably not been bred for anything to do with livestock for generations, and whose exposure to livestock is generally limited to following a few tame and well-schooled sheep around a little course to earn a title and a ribbon in "herding".

 

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am a Grinch when it comes to the use of certain words!

 

None of this precludes me from having nicknames for my dogs, some of which can be pretty silly.

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And, since I never can keep my big mouth shut, what bothers me most of all about the rambling registered names is where people love to make plays on words like "ewe" and "herd" and so on - for dogs that have probably not been bred for anything to do with livestock for generations, and whose exposure to livestock is generally limited to following a few tame and well-schooled sheep around a little course to earn a title and a ribbon in "herding".

 

Once again, I'm with you, Sue.

 

And most of the working bred dogs who have more than one word in their names is because the first word is the kennel name they come from. For example, among my registered border collies I had an "Ettrick Twill", but I also had just plain "Kate" and "Wren", too.

 

I guess if you're coming from an ACK (or KC) background, it could be a bit alarming to see 3471 dogs who's registered names are simply "Cap" or " Nan", but people seem to have managed to keep them straight for quite a long time (usually by adding the owners' names in conversation), and the registration number that accompanies the names on the pedigrees eliminates confusion.

 

I've learned to love the simplicity and lack of pretension that it reflects. B)

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Dear Doggers,

 

I've read 19th century doggy newspapers where it was decided there couldn't be more than one "Spot" because someone in Boston might buy a pup from an Illinois breeder and not get the Spot-get, they'd paid for. Hence, singular names.

 

Sheepdoggers named their dogs with monosylables for better communication in wind, over great distances, etc and it became traditional. The ISDS won't register "cute" names.

 

There's no reason to believe the relative small name pool leads to any confusion, indeed, I know one handler who named every single male "Glen" and people had no trouble distinguishing "the Glen that wrecked at Oatlands" from his "Glen who made the cut at Meeker, the year Cap won it."

 

Although I too have "pet" names for my sheepdogs and often "pet" songs as well, I dislike wittily naming a real dog "Latch of Storm Door" and his get "Screen of storm door" because naming is power (Cf W Bush and his nicknames) and long corny/cute official names belittles the sheepdog and centuries of sensible tradition.

 

Donald McCaig

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Best Border Collie name ever; FRedD on the ABCA papers. Working bred dog, trialed USBCHA. FRedD = F*cking Red Dog. (A joke for the anti red crowd.)

I'm really not one for crude language at all, but I love this and Micah's new name might just be FRedD. It certainly fits him some days.

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