THE MONTHLY HOWL
MARCH 8, 2000
Woof woof! Hello! This time I'd like to share with you some information my mistress received in the email from the Bow Wow Meow Newsletter. They have interesting information about choosing a name for your dog. The info follows here:
HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR
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The year of the Metal Dragon began on February 5 of this year. According to Chinese astrology this promises to be a time of high energy and exuberance. The dragon demands trust and faith and a daring to fly high among the clouds. As this dragon is ruled by metal, the chances for wealth, authority and excellence are heightened.
For those who take risks, it is time to make lots of money. For those who do not believe in the dragon's magic, it is a time of wariness and outrage at the excesses of the year. For some it will be the perfect opportunity to develop creatively.
THE NAMING GAME
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Some Chinese names which caught our eye are Chen which means precious. Another is Cheng which translates as correct. For cute factor, there is Chu which means pearl, or Hong which means pink, suitable for a little dog with a pink nose or tongue perhaps. Then there is I Chih, or Chih for short, meaning honourable and intelligent.
If you want to name a new Shar-pei or Shih Tzu a suitable Chinese or Asian-influenced name, go to
http://www.bowwow.com.au/search/index.asp
and choose the Pet Names category, from which you nominate Foreign, and then select Chinese.
ASIAN BREEDS
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In the spirit of Chinese New Year, we thought we would profile some dog breeds which herald from Asian shores, for those of us who can't fit the dragon in our urban residences.
The Chinese Shar-pei is also known as the Sharkskin Dog, the Chinese Bulldog and the Chinese Fighting Dog, but is more commonly known as the Chinese Shar-pei. This dog, famous for its wrinkles, is believed to have originated over 2,000 years ago, according to Ellen Weathers Debo. It was used mainly for fighting and guarding homes and livestock. The breed was dying out until Matgo Law of Hong Kong made an appeal in 1973 to save it from extinction. From the 12 or so dogs of this kind left at the time, numbers grew to about 7,000 in the States '80s. The most common colours are fawn, black and cream, but more exotic colours such as red, chocolate, blue and silver are more common of late. There is also a spotted type described as the flowered dog. The animal is intelligent and is a protector by nature, slow to make friends with strangers. Shar-pei means sandy dog which refers to the texture of the shorthaired dog.
Another dog of Chinese heritage is the Shih Tzu. It is classified as a Chinese dog as it was bred there for many hundreds of years, but it is thought to have originated in Tibet where it was kept in the temples and sometimes given to the emperors of China as a tribute gift, Audrey Dadds tells us. From the time of Confucious, there are records of small and short-faced dogs in China which might have been ancestors of the Shih Tzu. Dogs were also imported from Turkey, Persia and Russia, and some believe the Shih Tzu is originally from Malta via Turkey. In China, in the Imperial Palace, the Shih Tzu was treated as a great pet with his own eunuchs to look after him. The Shih Tzu has been described as "a dash of lion, several teaspoons of rabbit, a couple of ounces of domestic cat, and one part court jester". The Pekingese and the Pug are also well-known and popular Chinese breeds.
NAMES OF THE MONTH
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If the naming game has whet your appetite, the bowwow website has a monthly feature which records the top names of the month for dogs and cats, entitled Names of the Month. One of the favourites for January 2000 was, appropriately, Millennium. You can check out the favourite names not only for the current month, but right back to the beginning of 1998. The name and its particular or quirky application are listed, and can inspire you when immersed in that confusing world of name selection. And if you want to be part of the fun, feel free to log your own suggestions in Your Suggestions. Just head to
http://www.bowwow.com.au/suggest/index.html
Best Regards
The Bow Wow team
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Copyright 2000 by Bow Wow Meow Pty. Ltd. May be reproduced for non-commercial purposes as long as attribution is given.
While Bow Wow uses its best efforts in collecting and preparing information for this newsletter, Bow Wow does not assume, and hereby disclaims, any liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions.
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Hope you enjoyed it! See you next time and have a happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!
Your Faithful Friend,
Brownie
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