Awareness of the outside world. NIFA.USDA: Veterinary Services Shortage Situations Map. Blanket thank you to Amy for being my go-to dog person. [Archive]
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For direct address, we use the dog’s name. Usually.
For referencing in conversation, we have all kinds of names.
Jasmine
Name Change. The name we used is technically a nickname. Her registered name is CH L’Ile De Feu’s Lady In Red. Her call name was Jezebel. We changed that early on. [Meet The New Dogs, scroll down]
Duchess. For her ability to manage her minions and for her stately head and square jawline. [AiW Wiki: The Duchess]
Floppsie, Wobbles. We really shouldn’t. Sometimes they just pop out.
Rose
Weird Little Dog. Basset Hounds are not small dogs, they are simply short. However, Rose plays the small card when something is happening that she doesn’t like. For example, when it’s time to go bask on the patio and she rather stay inside on her chair. No one here but a tiny ball of adorable dog fluff. Easy to overlook. Nothing to see here. Hence Little. When there is something she really doesn’t like she stares at you in horror and skootles around the house. Nope, sorry dog. I was there when you were picked up at the breeder. I know the house you lived in for ten years. You are not a feral beast who survived by her wits on the mean streets. Hence Weird. [Spotted in Boston]
The Sausage. Another one we shouldn’t. Not only is she long, round, and overstuffed, but she is remarkably straight-sided and she trots with a gait that resembles a sausage on wheels.
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Jasmine & Rose Fan Club [list of posts]
Onwards!
Katherine
Virtual Brush Box 
Love it. Eowyn was registered as Miley Smith when I got her. I changed that to Lady Eowyn of Rohan. In addition to Eowyn and Lady Eowyn (this one by her neurologist) I sometimes call her Baby Girl or Baby Cakes. Or just baby.
You have made me realize how individual each non-human friend is. You make their personalities glow.
Thank you.
The veterinary situation is really sad. Beyond the shortages, there’s also staffing shortages of all levels needed to run a practice; enough that vet ERs are changing their hours or not accepting patients at times (many), clients are often less than nice which has always been a problem but gotten worse. Suicide in the profession is a significant problem too.
Nicknames….oh so many! And my dogs know a lot of them and respond to them too. They also morph over the years. It’s quite funny when I start thinking about them.
🐶