# Would we have to give back our dog? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 27, 2025, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533 "2025-08-27T16:10:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2025, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/41 "2025-08-28T21:19:39Z")
I renamed by daughters Chihuahuas. Well, I had help. Their names were _Teenee and Tinee._ Yes. Embarrassingly spelled like that. Embarrassing to call them. I think they were even ashamed. They are now _“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid”_ a mouthful, I know. So I call them _“the Outlaws”_ Fits their personalities to a tee. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/42 "2025-08-29T00:41:30Z")
Spoiled little furball(s) named something akin to “Bougie” are much more about the parents than the son or the now-slightly-interested son’s-gf. Do not tar the critters w their human owners’ brush. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/43 "2025-08-29T01:11:55Z")
Yeah, no clue who your are reprimanding or for what. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/44 "2025-08-29T01:30:49Z")
Merely suggesting that you and the college girl have no blame for the critter’s former name. So the former name should not be polluting your relationship with the dog or with the college girl. Sorry to be unclear. I wish all of you only the best outcomes. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/45 "2025-08-29T01:35:49Z")
It could have been _much, much_ worse. The OEM name could easily have been Tralfaz: > **[Tralfaz. Yeccchh!](https://yowpyowp.blogspot.com/2009/07/tralfaz-yeccchh.html)** > > Many mysteries grip the world of Hanna-Barbera cartoons, ones the Scooby-Doo gang in the Mystery Machine could never solve (like why some pe... There’s no dog like an old dog. But I’m quite sure I don’t have to tell _you_ that. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/46 "2025-08-29T01:36:17Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Merely suggesting that you and the college girl have no blame for the critter’s former name. So the former name should not be polluting your relationship with the dog or with the college girl. It’s not. Where did you get that from? All we did was change the dog’s name. And TBH, kinda offended you’re accusing me of that. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/47 "2025-08-29T15:58:53Z")
I would imagine that surrendering a dog to a shelter comes with some sort of “I give up all rights and privileges to said dog” type clause in the paperwork you sign. And while I haven’t gone and dug up all the paperwork for our rescue dog, I don’t recall anything saying that the previous owners have any sort of rights or ownership to exercise. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/48 "2025-08-29T16:57:22Z")
Considering pounds are county-government entities, that might be written into law. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/49 "2025-08-29T17:32:40Z")
Considering the reasons why some creatures wind up in shelters, I’d expect that in some cases the previous humans would be forbidden to take them back. I think some shelters require adopters to agree to return to the shelter rather than rehome elsewhere if they ever can’t keep the pet, though. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533/50 "2025-09-01T13:17:59Z")
[nevermind] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-we-have-to-give-back-our-dog/1022533.md?page=2)