lindalove

Do you call the animal by it's real name or nickname?

I was thinking about this bizarre habit of mine yesterday...

I never call my pets by their actual names unless I'm mad at them or want them to do something. Taz alone has gobs of nicknames --Tuna, Baboon, Doodles, Pup-Pup, Tuna-Baboona, Land Shark and Mr.Stubby just to name a few. However, what he hears when I'm mad is...

"Taz! Leave the cat alone!" "Taz! Knock it off!" "Taz! Shut up! " and the most common one "Taz! Get your own damn bunny! Go ahead, bark your fool head off! I refuse to get your crusty bunny!"

In the end, I always end up picking up the green stuffed bunny off of the floor because my dog is too lazy to get his furry ass off of the bed, but I have to say something about it. Must not let the pets know how well the humans are trained after all...

Then there are times when I'm not mad at him, he just decides not to co-operate, like when I want him to "speak" but he ends up "whispering" instead. When I say "Speak" I expect him to to "BARK" but when I want him to "whisper, I expect him to use his inside voice which in writing would look like bark He is told no when he does the wrong one until he gets it right.

I think I figured out why I do this. It goes back to my childhood when the only time I would hear my first and middle name being called is when I was in trouble for something. Occasionally even now I hear "Linda Anne" when my mother wants me to know that something I said doesn't sit with her well. When I'm not busted for something I'm greeted with terms of endearment like "Toots!" and other assorted names.

I do this with all my pets, Taz just happens to be more troublesome than others, but even my birds cannot behave themselves.

Pepper wanted to go to bed the other night, so I covered him. A few minutes later I had to get something out of the paint supply tote that just so happens to be near his cage at the moment, so the bird that insisted on going to bed a few minutes prior decided to it was time to chat while hanging upside-down like a bat. That conversation went something like this:

Me: *sound of a Lowes plastic bag crinkling*

Pepper: Hello?

Me: Pepper- Go to sleep

Pepper: *makes birdy kissy noises*

Me: Pepper...Go To Sleep!

Pepper: Ahhh, Pretty Birdy!

Me: No, you're not a pretty birdy. Look at the mess you made on the floor!

Pepper: *laughs*

Me: Laugh it up dirty bird! I just might have to stick you in the oven.

Pepper: Whatever!

Me: * I found what I wanted. Leave the room saying "Good Night Dirty Bird!"

Pepper: *sends more birdy kisses and laughs*

I usually call Pepper Peepers or Poopers, but because I wasn't in the mood for his commentary, he was called by his name or the insulting "Dirty Bird" name.

Anybody else do this? I can't possibly be the only one. LOL