Why are Male and Female dogs given different names?
Just like humans, all animal species are given specific names to differentiate them from others. Both male and female species are better to be given different names to make them easy to recognize. Unlike humans, the male and female species of a certain animal looks almost the same; therefore, they were given different names to avoid any confusion and mixing.
What do you call a Male Dog?
In terms of dog breeds, the male and female dogs were also assigned different names to not only differentiate them for scientific purposes but also make them easy to call and recognize for other people. If both the male and female dogs were called ‘’ dogs’’, how could we tell which one is a male and female?
Therefore, a female dog was generally called a ‘’bitch’’, while the male dog is simply called a ‘’ dog’’. Both the terms have acquired changes with the passage of time, and people keep changing them for their convenience.
Are there Different Names for Young and Adult Dogs?
There are many different species of dogs, and each one has been differentiated from the other due to their specific names. However, the name ‘’dog’’ represents all the male dogs, whereas the word ‘’bitch’’ represents all the female dogs of the entire class.
However, the term ‘’dog’’ basically refers to an adult dog, meaning that it is not the father of any dog, nor has it been used for breeding. If the male dog is used for breeding, it will be called a stud. On the other hand, if the dog is young, we call it a puppy or sire. All these terms have been assigned to the same sex to make it easy for people to differentiate them during different stages of their life cycles.
What is the History Behind the Male Dog’s Name?
The origin of the word ‘’dog’’ is not clear and is regarded to be mysterious. That’s because some different names were chosen in the beginning, but with the passage of time, when the English language switched to modern English, many of the words were changed, and now, some of them are totally different from what they were in the past.
Dogs were given their names on the basis of their structural and functional composition. As dogs are strong and sturdy creatures, they were called ‘’dogca’’ when they were first assigned a name. Dogca is an old English word of the 16th century and its meaning was powerful and strong and was used to describe mastiff-type breeds of dogs. Therefore, seeing their match, dogs were first called dogca.
Different languages have different names for dogs. In German, it was called ‘’hound’’, derived from the word ‘’hund’’. Hund is basically a masculine word; therefore, it was assigned to male dogs.
In Spanish, male dogs were called ‘’dogge’’, but to clear out any confusion, all male dogs were basically referred to as dogs, and this word is commonly used today.
What were the Name Changes Over Time?
One of the reasons for changing the names was the advancement of the English language. Male dogs were called ‘’cur’’ as it was used for male dogs in general. But some people thought that this word has a disrespectful sense, especially for men. Many people objected to it, and now, nobody calls dogs as cute due to its cursing and rude sense.
Similarly, female dogs were given the name ‘’bitch,’’ but many people have used it as a negative term for insulting someone. This has continued for much longer, and now, whenever someone says bitch, people think of it not as a pet, but an objection and assault. Female dogs are still called bitches, but due to the misunderstandings attached to it, people don’t like using this word.
What are the Different Breeding Terms for Dogs?
A male dog is generally called a dog, but when we are talking about its pedigree, we use different names to make it clear. When a female dog is breeding, we refer to her as a dam or a bitch. Similarly, a male dog used for breeding purposes is called a stud. The newborn babies of both are called ‘’pups’’, ‘’puppies’’, or ‘’whelps’’. Puppy is the most common name used for newborn babies of dogs as it refers to cute as small. Puppies are not differentiated as male or female. Before reaching adulthood, all dogs are called puppies.
Conclusion:
The origin and history of the name of male dogs were mysterious, but it has now been simplified, and male dogs are called ‘’dogs,’’ and female ones are called ‘’bitches’’. Although some people might think of them as a disgrace, especially for the female dog, these are all misunderstandings. Dogs are strong and powerful and were given names according to their qualities.