12 replies to this topic

[Michelle K]

Well, I got in touch with the trainer I had trained with a few years ago in herding. She is doing it again and is only about 45mins from me. We're looking at Sunday for Bonnie to be evaluated. She told me to call her Saturday night to verify time and to make sure all is still good, but she's anxious to meet her. She has some of Bonnie's relatives there now for training. She's actually friends with Steve McCall and knew Bonnie's grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather on both sides. I'm anxious to get this girl introduced to herding.

BTW, I'm having major issues with her name. I normally don't use human names for my dogs. What do you all think of her name? I've never had a problem changing a dog's name in the past and she's never had a litter, so ABCA will allow a name change.

Anyway, just had to share the news!!

Attached Files

•  Bonnie8 2-15-12.jpg   43.69K   13 downloads
•  Bonnie 2-15-12.jpg   88.47K   13 downloads

[Cynthia P]

Well, I got in touch with the trainer I had trained with a few years ago in herding. She is doing it again and is only about 45mins from me. We're looking at Sunday for Bonnie to be evaluated. She told me to call her Saturday night to verify time and to make sure all is still good, but she's anxious to meet her. She has some of Bonnie's relatives there now for training. She's actually friends with Steve McCall and knew Bonnie's grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather on both sides. I'm anxious to get this girl introduced to herding.

BTW, I'm having major issues with her name. I normally don't use human names for my dogs. What do you all think of her name?

have a great time when you go for her lesson

I love the name bonnie; A very classical name for a border collie! And they should have human names..

mine are: Libby, Nickie, Pam, Becca, Sue, Dave, Duke, Max, Fred, Eva, Charlie, Roger, Spec, Dixie, Preacher...ok a couple aren't people names...but you get the drift!

[Michelle K]

have a great time when you go for her lesson

I love the name bonnie; A very classical name for a border collie! And they should have human names..

mine are: Libby, Nickie, Pam, Becca, Sue, Dave, Duke, Max, Fred, Eva, Charlie, Roger, Spec, Dixie, Preacher...ok a couple aren't people names...but you get the drift!

Thanks! I plan to!

Really? It's just not what I'm used to, I guess. I have Rain, Frost, and Griselda (aka Zelda). Also, I have a friend named Bonnie, so it isn't very easy. LOL

[gcv-border]

That is exciting news. You will have to post an update.

Although I generally like names (for BCs) that are single syllable and end in a hard sound (Mac, Kate, etc) and are a little off-beat, I think the most important thing will be if you think Bonnie will respond favorably to a name change.

P.S. In spite of my name preferences, there are always exceptions - I have always liked the name Moss.

When push comes to shove, the name is unimportant, but if you REALLLyyt don't like it.... go ahead and change it.

Jovi

[Gloria Atwater]

Gosh, a LOT of classic border collie names are also people names! My own dogs are Jesse, Gael and Nick, and Nick & Gael's parents are Annie and Dan, with a cousin Jim and a grandfather Ben! They have a sister Sara and any sheepdog trial run order is going to have names like Craig, Liz, Ross, Bill, Bob, Meg, Kate, Jan, Dot, Molly, Pete, Rob, Troy, Lyn ... Well, you get the idea.

~ Gloria

[Michelle K]

Thank you all for the insight! I guess I just never really thought about it. You know how it is with some things...you get used to something, and you tend to stick within your comfort area. Change can be good, though. I'm just going to leave her name the way it is. Looking at her pedigree, she does have some *human* names like Henry, Bess, Bo, Jo, Dot, etc. Then she has Katch, Ipswitch, Hinton'sTishTwo, Lacy, Shep, Jet, etc. One didn't out number the other, so I didn't think much about it.

I'm really looking forward to getting back to the farm and getting her evaluated. I'm going to take my camera and camcorder. Hopefully, one of them will pick up decently in the dim lighting if we're inside, using the indoor round pen. That way I will be able to show you all how she did.

[Chip]

Around here, we belong to the " names (for BCs) that are single syllable and end in a hard sound (Mac, Kate, etc) and are a little off-beat," camp.

When DH was young and learning to train dogs, his trainer advised him to never give a bitch a woman's name because that might also be the name of your future mother-in-law!

Our new pup came with the name "George" which none of us liked and he didn't respond well to it anyway. Since his puppy coat was a very dark brown, he got named "Chip" which is short for Chocolate Chip. As he developed, he became keen on chasing chipmunks, eating ice chips and he's definitely a chip off the old block. The name seemed to fit.

As long as the dog learns to respond to her name, it's really irrelevant what it is.

[juliepoudrier]

Michelle,
If you have Katcher in your dog's pedigree, then your dog is related to my Pip and Phoebe, whose sire is a littermate to Katcher.

FWIW, I generally don't use people names for my dogs, just never have. I guess some could be considered people names, but that's not what's behind the reasoning for choosing those names. The only one with a definite people name is Jill, and she came with that name. The others are Willow, Twist, Kat, Farleigh, Lark, Phoebe, Pip, Ranger, and Kestrel.

J.

[Journey]

Ok, what's the origin of Phoebe?

[Sue R]

Bird names - Pip (pipit), Phoebe, Kes (Kestrel), Lark.

Some of Julie's dogs came with names, but I think Ranger is just the odd dog out, namewise (and coatwise, and maybe otherwise)!

[Michelle K]

When DH was young and learning to train dogs, his trainer advised him to never give a bitch a woman's name because that might also be the name of your future mother-in-law!

LOL!! Ok, so never name a dog of mine Pam, then...

Michelle,
If you have Katcher in your dog's pedigree, then your dog is related to my Pip and Phoebe, whose sire is a littermate to Katcher.

FWIW, I generally don't use people names for my dogs, just never have. I guess some could be considered people names, but that's not what's behind the reasoning for choosing those names. The only one with a definite people name is Jill, and she came with that name. The others are Willow, Twist, Kat, Farleigh, Lark, Phoebe, Pip, Ranger, and Kestrel.

J.

Love your dogs' names and that is cool about Pip and Phoebe! Looking at Bonnie's pedigree, Katch had been bred to Bess. He is her grandfather on both sides, so she's got his lines coming in from her sire and dam. I need to go and make a copy of this pedigree before I mail it in to ABCA. Of course, the mail won't run Monday with it being President's Day, so I may just get it copied over the weekend and mail it on Tuesday.

Keep all fingers and paws crossed for good weather Sunday, so she and I can get to the farm! I don't really want to wait another week. I'm too anxious to wait!

[juliepoudrier]

Ok, what's the origin of Phoebe?

Sue already answered, but I'll give my two cents. I just don't think of Phoebe as a woman's name, though obviously it can be (I knew a girl named Kestrel once, too). I named her after the bird (when I chose the name I hoped people wouldn't think I was naming her after the character on Friends), as Sue noted. And the bird is named because its call sounds like "fee-bee." But ultimately the name dates back to mythological times.... There's a phoebe that hangs out in my yard. I get a kick out of the fact that she repeatedly calls Phoebe's name!

And the fun thing about Pip's name is that pipits are members of the wagtail family (birds who move their tails up and down in a wagging motion).

Sue,
I couldn't come up with a bird name that fit Ranger. Robin suggested Scout from To Kill a Mockingbird (the book being the bird connection), but Lark's mom is Scout. But thinking about the word scout led to Ranger. Yes, he's the odd man out in many ways!

The bird names just sort of stem from my days as an avid birdwatcher.

J.

[Michelle K]

Well, we're not getting to go to the farm today due to the weather (Winter Storm Warning). I'm disappointed, but it's ok. I have a sick daughter (Strep), plus I'm taking Bonnie to my vet on Tuesday to have her microchipped and thoroughly examined. This gives me time to get her fully checked out and everything, plus the trainer is wanting me to video one of her dogs on sheep, so I may go up there one day this week. If not, we're aiming for next weekend.