What’s in a name?

First off, know this: the names I call the puppies today need not follow them to their forever-homes.  In fact, when they leave my home they’re likely to think their name is “Don’t Chew That,” “No Bark!,” or “Who Pooped Over Here?”

That said, I will tell you that I’m calling each of the puppies by a name associated with Flag Day since that’s when they were born.  So, we have: Banner, Bennington, Wilson, Renner, Quincy, Fremont, Glory, Gilly, and Bear.

Okay, so Bear is a little different.  …The Bear Flag Revolt occurred the same date as National Flag Day (June 14th), and calling him “Bear” is an affirmation of my hometown history.  Also, this little guy is a bear when it comes to muscling his way in to get a teet.  He wasn’t the first born, but he is the biggest.  Maybe I’m letting my imagination run wild and reading too much into his demeanor, but I’m telling you this little guy has a calm, top-of-the-food-chain confidence about him.  He pushes his brothers and sisters off the teet with no real malice intended – just a slow, methodical “sorry, but you’ll have to get out of my way” approach.  And he sleeps like he’s in hibernation!  The other pups squirm and whine when I pick them up to weigh them, but Bear just yawns and indulges me with his patience while I go through my ritual.

Gilly?  Namesake for Mary Pickersgill, maker of the Star Spangled Banner flag, and Elizabeth Duane Gillespie, a direct descendant of Benjamin Franklin and the president of the Colonial Dames of Pennsylvania, that tried to get the city to call June 14th ‘Flag Day.’ Resolutions by women were not granted much notice, however, and it wasn’t until 1937, that Pennsylvania became the first state to establish Flag Day and is today the only state that recognizes it as a legal holiday.

“Glory” is kind of obvious.

Renner is short for Rennerdale.  You’ll have to look it up if you’re curious how it fits with Flag Day.  Same for Quincy.  Bennington (Benny) is easy if you’re up on your flag history.  And Wilson was our President that proclaimed Flag Day.  …though I’m still having trouble NOT hearing Tom Hanks cry for Wilson in my mind.

Fremont is interesting because his namesake was prominent both in national flags and the Bear Flag Revolt.  I specifically attached the name Fremont to the pup that seems to do the most exploring of the whelping box.  Granted, he’s only 3 days old and not a lot of exploring can be done, but let’s see if over time his early appetite for adventure holds true.

All are doing well.  They are well cared for by super-mama Zoey – who would have killed a possum last night had I not made her drop him, and tonight considered taking the head off our beloved cat when he made the mistake of jumping the baby gate to join us in the whelping room.  As with all jobs, she takes this mama job seriously!