The Naming of Dogs, by D.E. Hooker

T.S. Eliot wrote about “The Naming of Cats.” Regardless of the critics of the musical, Cats, Dwight and I loved it.

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,

It isn’t just one of your holiday games;

You may think I’m as mad as a hatter

When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.

Like T.S. Eliot, D.E. Hooker (that’s Dwight Edgar) knew “The Naming of Cats (and Dogs) is a difficult matter.”

* * *

In 1995, we adopted a Samoyed. Our neighbors, Robert and Lara, had the sire, Riley. When we visited the little puffballs, we fell in love.

The night we picked up our puppy, Dwight waited in the car. I carried the puppy and whispered, “We will always take care of you.”

Dwight said, “He’s a Russian dog. He needs a Russian name.”

“How about Boris?” I asked.

“No. I don’t like Yeltsin’s politics. Gorbachev. We’ll call him Gorbachev.”

And, so, Gorby earned his name.

* * *

A few years later, I found “Golden Retriever Puppies for Sale” when I went to the market in Orem. There was one left. The family selling the puppies lived in Wallsburg, a little way past Sundance. I told them to call if he did not find a home.

Putting away the groceries, I told Dwight about the puppy. He said, “We need a touch of gold around the house.”

The next morning, we picked up Midas.

* * *

“I love Himalayan cats,” noted Dwight.

“Okay,” I replied.

“After a shoot, we gave a hippy Playmate a Himalayan kitten. She loved the kitten like crazy.”

“Okay,” I repeated.

Then, I looked at the hardwood floor where our Samoyed and Golden Retriever were resting. Our home had a light layer of fur on the furniture and floor at all times.

“Really?” I asked. “There is so much fur around this house.”

A few weeks later, Dwight’s daughter and son-in-law visited from Canada. We found a “Himalayan” kitten in Orem. I explained, “Your dad really wants a kitty.”

We brought the kitten home.

Dwight exclaimed, “Oh, the cat, MANDU.”

I believed Mandu was Himalayan. Turns out, he was a Maine Coon.

* * *

When Dwight and I lived separately, Cooey, my friends’ dog, had puppies. There were only two in the litter.

I planned to adopt the male, but called Dwight in tears saying, “I can’t name a dog without you.”

“Well, you’re a teacher. I always thought if I had an all black dog, I would call him ‘Booker T. Washington.’”