“You know,” he quipped, “Mr. Jingles is so tiger-like at times.” The very nice man from the dog park pointed away to my left. I turned, scanning the horizon in search of a massive, rippling beast. None were to be found. I did locate Mr. Jingles, however. He was in a distant corner of the dog park, all six pounds of this ferocious Maltese. He was getting his ass kicked by a cricket….
I don’t know why we all feel the need, but the majority of us are guilty. I’m no exception. Every dog we have shared a home with has reminded me of some wild creature. Once that light bulb goes off, the notion sticks with you, and your dog is forever branded a _________. Perhaps it’s the suggestion of identifying with a truly wild animal that excites and encourages so many of us to pick an untamed alter ego for our four legged friends. Whatever it is, I may as well quit pontificating and share our chosen wild kingdom matches for our dogs, starting today with Nigel. May they forgive me.
NIGEL
The obvious comparisons are ones that match physical characteristics, and in that regard, Nigel is not too far off from a Gazelle. Or a deer. He’s notably fleet of foot and nimble. Ask any Greyhound owner (especially those with fawn dogs) about the deer comparison. We’ve heard that one many times. Oddly enough, Nigel also matches the Gazelle in spirit – he’s quick to flee at the first hint of danger.
Of course, he’s also been referred to as a stink bug from time to time.
SOLA
The mighty huntress. Fearless, fierce and strong. Aside from a near color match I know my seventy pound Labrador does not truly resemble a mighty Lioness. But she has that king of the jungle moxie, and she would lay down her life to protect her family. Soon I will capture her roar on video and extinguish any doubt. She’s the family beast.
TRUFFLES
Now that I see it for myself, it’s not much of a stretch! She loves to emit low, rumbling growls. She snores loudly to announce her hibernation practice sessions. She’s large, and huggable. And one day a few years ago, she almost met the real thing. Seeing her transformed, I’m fairly confident she’s ready to take on Mr. Jingles. And I’ll never look at her the same way again.
Am I crazy? Does your dog have a wild twin? If so, what is it? I hope you and your beasts are well this Friday.
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Well, Sam has always been more human than do to us, although in his Walter Mitty mind he becomes a wolf occasionally, and a bear at other times.
Sam
Oh deer, Stink Bugger. But meethinks me hath a twin? Hmmmnnnnn. I’d need photoshop and a hairy ibis.
We’re pretty sure Tucker was a piranha in a past life. Possibly an entire school of them.
Buddy Wilson epitomizes the Grizzly Bear. When he is playing with other dogs he will open his extremely large mouth in the face of his playmate and making the gutteral roar. For such a gentle young man it really catches you off guard. And believe me when you are looking directly into that menacing face the last thing that goes through your mind is that he is a gentle little boy!!
Twice I have stopped for deer on the side of the road because I thought they were loose greyhounds…………
Your pictures always make me laugh! Marvin has been known since he was first rehomed by us at 6 months old as “Wolfie”. If he had not already been named by his previous owners as Marvin (a name I really like anyway, and it suits him), I would have called him Wolfie. He is like a black wolf when he is powering down through the woods, or jumping the fences around where we walk. I guess it is his pointy face, although he has no Wolf Like habits thank goodness. He would suck a burglar to death, and not even do this if said burglar gave him treats! Not a bad Wolf Like Bone in his body.
lovely pics! Jeannie x
Angus has two, neither are evil, nor are they breathing….one is a sparkplug and the other is a fire hydrant…picture it…I may have to edit a few soon ;o)
..love Nigel aa a wild beastie!!!!
Hi there,
Thanks so much for visiting my blog ‘Spacial Peepol’. Love your comments. Maybe next week?! Look forward to seeing one of your favorite ‘Faces’! 🙂 You have so many of them!
Well, our mommy has a neck like a Giraffe! Does that count?
Great post as always!
Luv,
Riley and Star.
i’ve not really considered this before…i’ll have to think about it!
nigel as a stink bug is hilarious, but he is definitely more of a gazelle, with the whole graceful running thing and all. 🙂
the booker man’s mama
Holy crap..BOL
Benny & Lily
Hmmmmm, you have us thinking – what do you think?
Nigel makes a great gazelle, not so sure about the bug:)
Woos – Phantom, Thunder, and Ciara
I was thinking of a Pronghorn antelope for Nigel. Have you ever seen one? They’re the most amazing open field runners that I’ve ever seen.
Yes, one of our dogs has a wild alter ego. Our K is also called our Bear. Why? She loves to hibernate in the covers but fiercely defends us like a mother bear defending a cub. What’s more, as a puppy, she chased a full-grown black bear directly at us. Fortunately, the bear veered away from us and K stayed with us. It was then that our very serious training program throttled up to full speed ahead 🙂
What a great post.. Louie is our coyote, Gus is Mom protector a real lion.. One time while at the lake a huge unleashed Rotti came after us. Gus had him by the neck before I knew what to do.. Hey my 3 dogs were on leashes. Not sure how far it would have went if I hadn’t pulled Gus off.. At least now I know I will be safe as long as Gus is by my side. I am thinking Callie would also be a deer. No slow in that girl..
Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus, Louie and Callie
that first pic looks eerily normal
First, make sure Nigel-Gazelle doesn’t step on Nigel-stink bug, and I’ll tell you. Okay?
I am often called either a Key Deer or a The Bug (often a cucaracha). Do you think Nigel and I may be related? I’m going to investigate into this.
Twinkie
Hmmm. Will have to work on that one. Buddy is often referred to as Scooby Doo. He has the most uncanny way of reminding me of him.
Shiver reminds me of a baby deer. what’s it called – a fawn?!
Not sure what other animal little Chico would be like. Hmm…I’ll have to think of that one a little bit.
Wow Nigel, what an image to wake up to, too funny and kinda disturbing, especially the stink bug, although Remy is a little stinker.
Flash = Wile E Coyote
Remy = 11 year old nephew (juvenile delinquent) Humans can be wild animals – right?
Remy and Flash
Remy and Flash
Love the pictures! Especially the stink bug!
Ginger’s other name is Weenie
Toby is T-Man or Tobias
Halle is just Halle
Jeter is Little Goo
Have no clue why. It is what it is
Nigel… we love the first pic!! Our mom can’t look at bugs… so she’s disappeared! BOL
We read your blog on Dogster!! So cool to find our friends’ blog there!
Momo & Pinot
Hm, you’ve opened up a whole new way of looking at my four dogs. I’m sure they would all be fierce predators though. Poodles are deceptively mild looking.
Nigel, we’re feelin’ the gazelle but the stinkbug is just downright… scary. We knows what you mean about havin’ a twin. Gunther is often mistaken for Jabba the Hut.
Snorts,
Stella, Gunther and Betty
Oh, Nigel, we’ll go with the gazelle but the stinkbug?
No, I haven’t seen the Punchie video. Gotta see it – is it one of your links? (Says the naive girl who warns people of dog woodies on my blog).
Haha! I had to look like four times before I saw that that was Nigel’s face! I will have to ask mom what wild animals we remind her of. I’m not sure she’s given it too much thought. She does call me her little hippopotamus sometimes but I don’t know what that is. Probably related to a gazelle, don’t you think?
Wiggles & Wags,
Mayzie
Alas…Old Girl says I am…a vulture. A la Snoopy.
The gazelle is a given. The stink bug is just plain scary!
I have been called a “baby Deer” being 10 LBS but then I am so tall that I was called a Kangaroo.!!
Bambi (grin).
Our Billy is surely a bunny! This was great! Waiting for the next segment!
Hehehe.
Our 6 dogs are trying out to be the Cadbury bunny!
They make me think of horses…wild Australian brombies.
The stinkbug thingy may be due to eating butt barker beans. I’m just sayin’ Nigel.
My mom calls me one kind of animal butt I don’t agree with that one… I’m thinkin’ I am more like a BEAR.
Love the pics….can’t wait to see Sola & Truffles. Dixie is our grizzly bear, with her big growly growl and her grizzly paws. Grace is like Nigel, very much like a deer or gazelle. She is swift and nimble.
Oh dear (not deer, that’s for sure).
I am so lost in this comparison with our wild brethren in the animal kingdom. Why? Just listen to Mom: “Oh Jakey, you look just like a stuffed animal.” Or better: “OK, Professor, what do you want for breakfast?” And finally, “Mr. Nosy Parker, enough research.”
So, I am either an inanimate faux-fur creature or kin to several types of homo sapiens.
What’s a wire fox terrier to do?
But Nigel is truly a deer…
Jake of Florida
Love Nigel’s alter egos. Too funny! My Indy at the age of ten has become sort of like a boa constrictor. Always curled up in a ball!
Deer and gazelle are absolutely greyhound look alikes! Love the photo shop!
Is that where Nigel “buggers” came from? One of Stumpy’s nick names is freak show. I haven’t found a sild animal to go along with that!
Nigel, I’m leaning more towards the gazelle than the stink bug! I’d have to say that Bunny reminds me the most of a coyote. She’s convinced that she can take down any prey that she chooses! I’ll have to ponder a bit on the other two.
Oh my word this is a GREAT post….we can hardly wait until tomorrow. The Gazelle is perfect for Nigel…the stink bug made us lol and remind Mom of a neighbor’s dog when she was a child. I used to notice all the matches around the house but no one smoked. I finally asked about them…I was told they were used to neutralize Jeff. He could definitely be a stink bug.
Madi and Mom
I like the gazelle/Nigel comparison and can hardly wait to see the rest of the family. Will Mr. and Mrs. Author also be showin’ their wild side? BOL!
Hmmmm-a wild side of me??? I’m thinkin’ more like there is a domesticated animal out there somewhere that resembles ME!
Woofs and wild slobbers,
Chester ;0=)
Most curious. Momma thinks my wild life twinner is a rock.
Slobbers,
Mango
For some reason mum says I equal satan or some sort of demon. I just don’t know why either…go figure.
Looooove the gazelle pic.
Puddles aka: bitey face
You look like the gazelle ! I thought it was an actual gazelle and not you at first. haha
I can definitely see the gazelle comparison. 🙂
I am a Tasmanian Devil BOL! At least that is what human Granny says I am when I do the ‘Crazy Puggle’ thing… <3
We are thinking now, Nigel as a Gazelle great, as a stink bug well poor thing, I think we could all be like them sometimes, that includes humans.
oooo now you got me thinking! i have to think about it! good post for pondering!
Oh yeah, Sophie = deer. No question about it. My dear.
Me?
A wyld twin?
Not sure the world is ready BUT maybe I do!
Hugz&Khysses,
Khyra
OMG I definitely know what you mean!
Mickey is, of course, a little brown bear. He is about 20 lbs.
Kayloo is… a cow. And sometimes a shark. But mostly a cow.
I don’t really understand why other people don’t see it.
😉