Yes, that was this dog’s name.
And that’s why I’m sure about the Dam Busters are so rare. In American films, his name is usually edited to “Trigger.”
Here’s a film that uses that word:
The dog’s name was actually a code word that they were to use when the Möhne Reservoir was breached.
The poor Labrador was hit by a car and killed the day before the Dam Busters launched their famous raid.
This would be a great dog and war story that could be made into a very good modern film.
And Peter Jackson is set to do a remake.
The dog’s name has not been revealed, but it has been suggested that he will be called “Nigsy.”
***
Today, we would never call a dog by such a name– at least I hope not.
The word itself isn’t bad.
It’s what it represents.
Unfortunately, that word happens to be the name of a dog that was the mascot of some real heroes of World War II.
[…] The shocking answer. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Dog culture warsBird dogs: Instinct + TrainingChow Chows have interesting gaits and raise interesting questionsPeace Loving Vandals […]
I wonder if there are words we use casually, that our grandchildren will find offensive and unenlightened.
Speaking of anachronistic, there is no way that lab is 60 lbs. I have borrowed the description “snipey” to describe my dogs muzzle.
Just fot 2 years ago, we had an ice cream called “Eskimo”.
Now they don’t print it in the wrap anymore but everyone is using the name like water.
I have a photo of a 1913 Pom of the same unfortunate name (illustrating before the larger size division was remvoed from the UK standard- he’s the same size as a modern kleinspitz). I’ve seen the same photo on another website where someone’s obviously done some digital touchup work- the dog’s name has been changed to “Nigel”. (And I suspect they stole my photo because of the lousy resolution.)
it was a fairly common name for Groenendael. Now one has to be careful giving a dog a name descriptive of their coat color. I understand the issue, but as with the furor over the words in the current Census, sometimes people take offense at just about any word. If it’s a descriptive word, it can (and probably will) be abused by someone who doesn’t like that group of people. So you get Nationality insults, religious insults, color insults, even eye color insults. And don’t forget the hair color insults. Blondes don’t happen to enjoy being the butt of jokes about their intelligence any more than any OTHER group would. It’s funny — unless it’s “YOU”.
The result is a “bend over backwards” attempt to avoid offense that pretty much forces avoidance of any descriptive term.
Lots of things went on in WWII that aren’t “done” anymore. I’m not sure that changing facts to avoid offense is the right thing to be doing, even in a film. I’d rather have something at the beginning of the film explaining it. It probably doesn’t matter regarding a dog’s name, but if we did this for everything (how about “adding” a woman pilot so women won’t feel excluded? or providing “diversity” in the pilots?) — eventually, the actual facts become muddled.
VR, Peggy Richter
Negro used to be a political correct term as United Negro College fund. Colored was, too. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
But none of those terms has the same effect as that particular n word.
That particular n word is offensive. I understand what it means.
I use the term African American, but I don’t care if they call me anything.
I’ve never been discriminated against because of my race.
But I do have sensitivity toward those who have.
And trust me, it still goes on, whether we have Obama as president or not.
How did the dog’s descendents make it to WV as working retrievers?
LOL.
No seriously, I thought Willie Westfall said that he hunted over Nigsy’s grandson. I must have been confused, I can’t find the comment.
Bill, it’s a joke.
Willie is a JRT.
https://retrieverman.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/willie-and-the-squirrels/
I don’t think he’s ever been pheasant hunting, although he does have squeaky stuff toy pheasant.
Ahh. I thought he was just an overly proud/involved relative who liked to read your site. Glad noone reads this post much anymore. He has good grammar for a dog tho.
Think I will put myself in the commenting penalty box for a while, unless you do a post on how in the world Boykins have gotten so unhealthy so quick, when their book has only been closed since 1976. They should be the most roubust spaniels in the world.
Growing up in the South, I heard this name for black dogs not uncommonly–I have a cousin that named his Black-And-Tan hound the now infamous “N” word. There was a real traditional history of it. It is the name of a pup in Fred Gipson’s(the author of “Old Yeller”) book on early Texas settlers in “Hound Dog Man”. In those days it was not used in this fashion as a racial slur–who would want to name a beloved dog a racial slur? It simply related to the color of the dog. Kinda like naming a white dog “Honky”! But of course times have changed. One day it may be politically incorrect to name a beagle “Snoopy”, or a collie “Lassie”, or poodle “Fifi”, or any husky type “Yukon” or “Nanook” or any dog of any kind “Bear”, and the sooner, the better, in my opinion! :)