Silly Dog Names

The much-loved sidekick of Tom Hanks in the 1989 comedy classic Turner and Hooch, this canine character bears a silly name appropriate to his clown-like appearance and crazy antics in his role in the film. Hooch, whose real name is Beasley, is a Dogue de Bordeaux, a breed also known as a French Mastiff. The movie details the career of a detective named Turner who finds himself the unwitting owner of an unnamed French Mastiff who has witnessed a crime. The dog earns his "handle" through his slovenly household habits which included destroying the contents of his living quarters and his penchant for sourcing then drinking beer when left unsupervised. The website Mental Floss recently released an article detailing 12 little known facts about this family favorite film. In keeping with one of the facts reported, "Hooch" could have just as aptly been named "Slobber" since his incessant drool was intense enough to ruin a seat in a police cruiser. 

The 2005 movie Because of Winn-Dixie features another canine character who earns his silly name in a most unusual manner. When a lonely young girl who has just moved to town with her pastor father finds a scruffy-looking dog at the local supermarket, it is only fitting that she bring him home and give him a name suited to the place she found him, the local Winn-Dixie supermarket. Winn-Dixie, a Berger Picard with a penchant for causing trouble, becomes a valued family member who helps his sweet young owner Opal to come to terms with some heartbreaking circumstances in her life. 

Spuds Mackenzie, a white Bull Terrier, bears a name that brings a chuckle to even the most stoic of people. The star of many 1980's Bud Light media campaigns, this silly dog earned tremendous popularity, brought recognition to a lesser-known breed, and also created a little scandal. The controversy began when it was publicly revealed that Spuds Mackenzie was not actually a male dog, a fact that enraged many of the beer-buying public who also claimed that the inclusion of Spuds in Budweiser branding was done with the intent to seduce young children to purchase and drink their product. Bred with the highest hopes for a career as a top-winning show dog, Spuds Mackenzie's real name was Honey Tree Evil Eye, a humorous name in its own right. Though Honey Tree Evil Eye, known as Evie to her family, did relatively well in the show ring, she lacked the true terrier temperament to attain the highest awards within her breed. Fortunately for Evie, a talent scout spotted her and felt she had the "right stuff" to make it as a television star. With that, Spuds Mackenzie was born.