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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Mums offended by my dog?

230 replies

SpareChangeDownTheSofa · 16/06/2017 12:10

I have a friendly, cuddly dog, he's a cross breed but one that most kids want to happily stroke (most adults too). Since he is a rescue he is always on a leash to prevent running off when not in a dog park area (so people approach him to meet him).

He has quite a common name that is being used for boys these days but is also a very common 'dog' name. Alfie.

The other day I was walking him and a mum and son came over, all ''aww he's so cute! can I stroke him?'' It was all good, then the kid asked me his name and I said ''Alfie'' and the mum got this sour look on her face and huffed, ''That's my son's name'' and ushered her son away in a mood.

Now its happened before that kids have had the same name as him and the parents laugh or the kids are quite happy but I was so Confused at this woman's reaction. Would you be annoyed if someone had a pet with the same name as your kid??

OP posts:
SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 17/06/2017 09:09

I turned around to somebody calling my name a few days ago - and found it to be a woman calling her dog. It didn't even occur to me to feel offended Grin.

DD's name is a very common dog's name. So much so that DSis did ask why I'd named her a dog's name!

Over the years I've had pets called;

Rebecca
Lucy
Holly
Sally
Kitty
Tim
Max
Sam
Holly (another one)
Henrietta
Charlie
Holly (3rd one)
Fern

I think the only non-human name we ever had for a pet was Goldie the goldfish.

TroysMammy · 17/06/2017 09:13

My parents have had a tortoise since I was 5. My younger sister's friend gave her daughter the same name as the tortoise because she liked the name.

MrsJayy · 17/06/2017 09:14

Few people on my facebooks dogs and cats have cracking human names inc
Uding a dog called Elsie and frank the cat

CommonSenseIsNotAllThatCommon · 17/06/2017 09:14

Dd3 has guinea pigs called Phil and Winston. They are both female.

Dd1 dog used to be called ShittyMcShittykins. Now we call him Trevor.

MrsJayy · 17/06/2017 09:19

Trevor Grin , friend had budgies stan and hilda

SuperBeagle · 17/06/2017 09:19

There's a golden retriever at the local dog park called Olivia. I love it. Never shortened, always Olivia.

CrawlingNotRunning · 17/06/2017 09:20

Errr....she is an idiot.
Who the fuck would be offended at that. If you named your dog after a niece/nephew I could just about understand but wouldn't give a shit myself.

I know loads of Alfies!

gingersketcher · 17/06/2017 09:43

My DD named our dog Isaac. The breeder had told us her kids' names but it hadn't sunk in, or not with me anyway. I became friends with the breeder so now I know all about her son Isaac. I did feel bad for a while referring to DDog Isaac this, Isaac that, but then luckily she named a pup the same name as my DD, at least the shortened version, so we're kind of even. Luckier still she's extremely cool and wouldn't bat an eyelid anyway.

wherethewildrosesgrow · 17/06/2017 09:45

my goldfish was named slash, after the guns n roses guitar wizard, I have a cat and a neighbour called keith, a dog named dave

Siwdmae · 17/06/2017 10:15

We took a relative's puppy on until he relative got back from a working away thing. He had already named the pup, the same name as the ndn's youngest! We called on them as soon as we got home to explain, the youngest thought it was hilarious that we'd be calling his name so much.

fairiedemon · 17/06/2017 10:17

My dog is called Alfie. She sounds a bit unhinged!

FairyDogMother11 · 17/06/2017 10:19

I've got a dog called Archie. My friend laughed so much when we got him because she was going to use that for her baby boy. She crossed it off her list but she wasn't annoyed Grin

gamerwidow · 17/06/2017 10:22

My mums best friends cat has the same name as my daughter. In fact her cat has the name first. It's never been a problem it just means it's a really great name Grin

amusedbush · 17/06/2017 10:23

My dog is called Archie. I offended a woman once because that was her son's name but I know six dogs called Archie so it's a dog name to me Grin

My friend had a ferret called Robert, which always made me laugh.

waitforitfdear · 17/06/2017 10:27

The woman is unhinged.

Your dog sounds lovely op. We had cats called Graham and Nigel.

Fabellini · 17/06/2017 10:28

A lady who walks their dogs in the same place I go with ours sometimes, has a dog called Heathcliff......and the one particularly rainy evening when she could be heard wailing "Heathcliff, come back, Heathcliff...pleeease" in the distance - like a dodgy Kate Bush tribute act, will have the power to cheer me forever Grin

LadyMonicaBaddingham · 17/06/2017 10:36

If I'd named my DC after my childhood pets, they'd be called Roundabout and Guinness... Grin

innagazing · 17/06/2017 10:40

We used to have a goldfish named Frank Bob, also known sometimes as Honest Bob...
Never had anyone get upset at it's name though.

angieloumc · 17/06/2017 10:44

My 12 year old's name is Molly which is apparently one of the most popular female dog's name.
Neither of us mind, we think it's funny and cute.

DorisMcSweeney · 17/06/2017 11:47

I have yet to meet a child with the name BastardCat

SunsetBeetch · 17/06/2017 12:04

I have had cats called
Molly
Louie
Monty
Bob
Frank

And my brother had a cat called Steve.

There are two feline Ollies in my parents street, and a George and an Ellis.

So, who have I offended? Grin

SunsetBeetch · 17/06/2017 12:05

I forgot about my goldfish when I was little: George and Mildred.

ToastyFingers · 17/06/2017 12:06

I have a 'dog name'.

I've lost count of the number of times I'd introduce myself as a teenager and someone would tell me I had the same name as their dog.

It was quite shit actually, although I love my name now, but, I think there is a difference, because Alfie is a really popular name. If your son is called Alfie, there's probably another kid with the same name in him class, at the park or whatever, the same as if your name is Jake or Logan.

I'm called Sally which was a really unpopular name when I was growing up, so when people told me I shared a name with their dog, I felt like I might as well be called Pickles.

ToastyFingers · 17/06/2017 12:08

Also, I'd love to see a pic of your doggie.

BeanyGodkin · 17/06/2017 12:17

An old colleague of mine has a daughter called Bella....which is a nice name, but our dog was called Bella and she was really smelly. I could never really listen to her talk about her child without imagining our loving, but stinky hound

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