It's come to my attention that some of my friends and admirers think that I am a boy. I have nothing against boys--I live with three of them (this is not my choice exactly, but the people haven't ever asked me before hauling another one of those scamps into my life)--but I am, decidedly, not one. (I mean really, do you see any evidence of testosterone in that picture of me up there?). Not only am I not a boy, I am very much a girl--one might even call me a girly girl. A diva. A lady. I give very delicate kisses (unlike my goofy brother Hamish whose kisses can leave bruises on unsuspecting human skin); I watch my manners carefully around people and other dogs (unlike the oaf puppy Rafe who barrels through life as if the world is his oyster); I do not abide any humping and certainly would never dream of such myself (unlike my buddy Renzo who can be most embarrassing in his zeal). Even my gal pal Tansy is a little rough around the edges and barks much more and much more loudly than the mores of refined gentlepupdom really allow.
I think some of the confusion about my gender comes from my name. Thanks to the Broadway muscial and the character from Lord of the Rings, Pippin has been claimed mostly for boys. I myself was named for an apple, however (like my friend Pippin in N.Y., who left me a comment but has no blog for me to reciprocate on and also left no e-mail address). The person who "bred" me has an apple last name (McIntosh). My people had some different names picked out for me: Scout and Spy were at the top of the list, but didn't really fit once they met me. My goofy brother Hamish, who came from the same apple person, also has an apple in his name--Hamish Braeburn.
My people call me all kinds of other things, too. Here are a few of them: Pippy, Pip, Pipkin, Pippy-dip, Pippy-dippy-do, Pip-dip, Dipples, Dippykins, Pip-slip, Pippikins, Pippineaster, Pippin Noodle, Noodlehead, Dippiy-do and so forth (I agree, they do seem somewhat limited in their imagination....)
So, I just wanted to set the record straight about my girlishness since I know it can be embarrassing for anydog to suddenly discover that the pup you thought of as a possible beer-drinking, slap-on-the-butt kind of buddy turns out to be a delicate flower who would never dream of doing anything more than politely lick the top of the beer bottle before retiring to her bed. And definitely no derriere slapping.
Picture of the day from the Pippin Puppy Archive
My first puppy bone
My first puppy bone
5 comments:
I know exactly how you feel Pippin. I too am a girl with a boy's name. People who see me out with my dad say "oh what a nice dog, what's his name". Hello... don't you people know how to tell a girl from a boy? If you can't, how did you get all those children?
sheesh! I think people thought you were a boy because of the flyball thing and they don't bother to read the "about" at the top right hand of your page! Personally, I think we are probably better at the sports thing cause we aren't out there overdoing the testosterone thing! Just calm, calculating, going for all it's worth and not being distracted by other things!
Oops - I have a confession to make -
"My name's Opy, and I thought Pippen was a boy"
Big apologies Pippin :-(
I have the same problem too - alot of peeps think I am a boy - but I'll tell you a secret - Opy is short for Oprah, as in Oprah Winfrey, who was on the TV when mum and dad bought me home.
Love
Opy
Um... sorry Opy, I thought you were a boy named after that goof-ball on the Andy Griffin Show (with the annoying whistle theme thing), but quickly realized that you were a girl.
No offense either Pippin, totally thought the name meant boy, and had no idea there was an apple named that either. Guess I need to spend more time reading books rather than shredding them.
Meeshka
(it means teddy bear dammit, not Mike in russian)
Well I am a boy .. a gentle sweet boy .. but a boy. Which one of you gals wants to be my dog friend?
Pippin -
You are a beautiful girl! I think I have a crush on you!
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