What's in a Name? A Lot of Hootenany, That's What - Puppy Post

Now that we're on the path to certain puppydom x2.

Don't worry, it's a year and a half down the line. We got to recover from this one first...

Isn't she looking a lil Harry Connick Jr. in this pic? It's the eyes... just don't tell Harry. 

And expand... our current place is only big enough for the three of us... and maybe a few more misguided necessary art purchases (It was Phill Singer! How could I pass up on a Singer!?), but that's neither here nor there. Okay, where was I...

Oh yeah! Now that a 2nd puppy is as sure as Nymeria is cute - it's time to start thinking about names. I mean, how do you top an AKC name like Nymeria MacBattleby Logiealmond MacGold?! It's nearly impossible! And granted the lil' pup his or herself will have a lot of say in the matter as well... you couldn't name a Swedish Vallhund Melly Joe Carmichael, could you? No! 

So to start where our last puppy name search ended, I give you - potential AKC puppy names of the next puppy MacGold:

• Brodie Tighnabruaich Crieff MacGold
• Ullapool Rosemarkie Golspie MacGold
• Onich Banavie Halkirk MacGold
• Keiss Braetongue Cannich MacGold
• Altnaharra Scourie Plockton MacGold
• Bettyhill Gairloch Netherley MacGold
• Dalwhinnie Coldbackie Inveraray MacGold
• Torridon Wick Laggan Doune MacGold
• Shieldaig Poolewe Farr MacGold
• Thurso Whaligoe Kingussie MacGold
• Beuly Dalnaspidal Tyndrum MacGold
• Cammachmore Drumnadrochit Keiss MacGold
• Crieff Invergordon Lochgilphead MacGold
• Maryculter Lochailort Muir MacGold
• Shandwick Spey on Braemar MacGold
• Siar Tullich Groats MacGold
• Fairbairn Codswallup Dougal MacGold
• Lennox Spey Coldbackie MacGold
• Angus Waldroup Wallace MacGold
• Trask Urquhart Kirriemuir MacGold
• Brechin Ardbeg Turriff MacGold
• Cladich Ellon Rosehearty MacGold
• Iona Aven Cumnock MacGold
• Ailsa Rannock Thurso MacGold
• Texa Inverurie Glendaruel MacGold
• Oban Tayvallich Dingwall MacGold
• Gretna Sanquhar Dumfries MacGold
• Govan Balloch Kirkintilloch MacGold
• Tarbert Tiree Dornoch MacGold

And yes, any of these could be rearranged for the perfect Scottish puppy name, but what's the fun in just telling you a bunch of potentials, if I haven't created names with them. I do have some favorite first names for the pup - depending on the gender and you'll find all of them above, but I thought I'd share the basics with you as well. These are in no particular order.

Girls: 

1. Ailsa
2. Texa
3. Gretna
4. Ullapool
5. Aven
6. Banavie
7. Beuly
8. Dalwhinnie (could call her Winnie)

Boys: 

1. Onich
2. Oban
3. Brodie
4. Thurso
5. Crieff
6. Brechin
7. Lennox
8. Tarbert

So that's that! I mean something I've learned recently is that we did not properly name little Nymeria - apparently if you have a Shiba Inu, you are basically by law required to give the lil' kipper a Japanese name, like Hachi, Kenji, Hairu, Sumo, Nori, Yuki, Yoshi, Masa, Saki, Kuma, Kiko, etc...

Of course, if you've met me - you'll know I already disagree. Where's the fun in that? That's like finding a Scottish Terrier named Angus... how many of those are frickin' running around?!

It's cute for all about 5 mins before people realize you have absolutely no imagination. At this point in time, I've met 12 Shibas named Kenji... and that's only in the DC/MD/VA area. Come on people! Just because your dog is historically from X, doesn't mean you need to name them a name from that culture. Base it off of their sparkling (or unsparkling) personality. Granted yes, I go back to the Swedish Vallhund reference, no Vally should be named Melly Joe Carmichael, because I just don't see that fitting, but you could name them something other than Helga or Lars, couldn't you?

Yes. You could.

So that brings me back to my array of fine Scottish names - It fits with the MacGold that all our little AKC bundle of joys will have. It fits because it's fun, and what's not fun about naming a little pup that will be your forever companion? Nothing. That's what!

The Most Important Election of 2014 - Puppy Post

In case you didn't know. It's political season, and with five weeks left to go in this uncertain time of backstabbing, name calling, straight up deceit and dishonesty - It's time that we get to what really matters. No. Not next year's open enrollment for Obamacare.

Deciding the next member of the Gold/MacGold family. Pssst, the secret's out... it's going to be another puppy.

Okay, okay, okay.... I know we just got this little ball of joy, like 2 months ago, and it has been just the peachiest, but guys - it is way past time to start pondering which puppy to get next.

Lil' Nymeria Solving World Hunger and The Proper Way to Nom on a Wubba

So I know you are all on the edge of your seat, pondering what beautiful (and remarkably cleverly named) puppy we want next.

And let me tell you, this is a tough one. I'm sure you my loyal readers, remember the puppy debate that we had around this time last year.  And it was heated. I mean come on... how do you pick between a Swedish Vallhund and a Schipperke!? Nearly impossible... Nearly impossible. 

So I give you...

The 2014 Puppy Election Debate 

This is seriously the most important election of yours, mine, and America's life this political season. 

And we have some of the same contenders from 2013's vital race

The Oldies:

The Swedish Vallhund in all his Spitzy-Squat glory. 

This my friends, is a puppy that's just going to get cuter WITH age. 

SERIOUSLY! JUST AS CUTE IF NOT CUTER THAN THE PUPPY.

The Schipperke in all his Pint-Sized-Spitzy glory. 

Look at that face. And those eyes. And Just everything about him. UGH. ADORABLE. 

UGH. Imma puke. Look how adorable this lil one is. It's like a mini Shiba Inu, but equally as awesome in just a different breed. 

The Havanese in all his Adorably-Fuzzy-Non-Spitzy glory.

How can you say no to this face? You couldn't... There would be no disciplining this face. 

Come ON when they grow up you can make them look like miniature Old English Sheep Dogs... That's brilliant! 

VS The Newbies:

The Skye Terrier in all his Bizarrely-Shaped-Yet-Captivating-Non-Spitzy glory. 

Such a cute bizarre body-ear-head ratio, it's enough to make you squee with delight... SQUEEE! 

And their bangs are supposed to be in their eyes... Like that's how theyre supposed to look. All those years of "laura, fix your bangs," "laura your hair is in your face," or "laura why can't you just pin them back?" Should have been retorted with - because I want to look like my dream dog mom! Geez! 

 The Tibetan Spaniel in all his Adorably-Adorable-Quirky-Yet-Still-Adorable-Non-Spitzy glory.

This is a face that only a mother, her baby-daddy, her baby, her momma, her pops, her pop's mamma, her pop's pops, her mamma's mamma, her mamma's pops, and everybody would love. Everybody could love this frickin' adorable face. And - they're not just a pretty face - this pup is one smart unedible cookie. 

I mean COME. ON. It's an adorable adult dog, too?! This just isn't right. It's just tooooooo right! ;-)

So there you have the 2014 Puppy Debate contenders. Who do you choose?!