Nicknames

I have never been a person that uses nicknames for people.  I can't think of one person that I use a nickname for, young or old, or ever have. Okay, except for my father-in-law, who goes by Bob even though his name is Charles. No one can explain that one to me.

The thing is, every pet I have had over the last 13 years has wound up with numerous nicknames, some cutesy, mostly unexplainable as to origin.  And the thing is, they typically actually know and respond to all their nicknames. 

 Our dog Vegas, that we had for 12 years, was the first to have a series of nicknames.  She somehow became Pooh Bear, Pooh, Booh, Poobaloo, and Veggie, among others I can't recall now.  We have a cat, Cirrus, who has the fewest names...mostly C, and P (complicated explanation for that one).  Fee, our other cat, has and responds to Bee, Busy Bee, Feasel B, Feasie Bee, Fizz...you get the idea.  Our new dog, Grace, has started to acquire nicknames quickly...G, Gracie, Gracie Mae, and my favorite, Grace-a-saurus. 

I have thinking about this lately and trying to decide how unusual we are.  We talk to the pets a lot, not like crazy people that think they will respond or that they even really understand us.  I think we do it (maybe me more than the husband, I'll admit) because they respond to us based on our tone, and they learn what different tones mean to them by us talking to them a lot.  Maybe that's crazy talk, or maybe that's dog whisperer talk.  Either way, I'm certain I will not stop doing it anytime soon, so think what you want about it.