Equestrian Inspired Dog Names

In the history of humankind, few animals have held such importance as horses. For centuries, ever since we were able to domesticate them in any facet, horses have provided us transportation, the ability to haul materials great distances, companionship, and in some places, even sustenance. 

Surprisingly enough, dogs have held an even longer tenure next to our sides, as many archeologists believe them to be the very first domesticated animal, one we chose to include in our lives as long as 30,000 years ago by some estimates. 

And despite their obvious differences in structure, size, and historical use, these two animals share a significant amount in common, most importantly for our purposes, they represent two of the top 15 most intelligent animal species on Earth, each with their own ability to develop distinct personalities. But although many have lived in close proximity, their differences have largely kept them apart, many dogs intimidated by their large size while the horses themselves prefer to stick to animals that aren’t quite so loud and unpredictable. 

That is, until Doug. While they have been many cases of dog and horse friendship before him, he’s been one of the most notable in recent years, thanks to the accessibility of the Internet.

Doug was originally rescued as a puppy, pulled from the streets as a stray when he was still only a few months old. He went to a foster home and a video was taken of him and put online. His future owner, Came Jendrzejewski, saw it and immediately fell in love. She went for one visit and ended up bringing him home that day. 

It wasn’t long before Doug was introduced to a stable of horses that Cami worked with and despite his sometimes spastic nature, many of the horses took to him and in turn, he to them. It was then that she noticed that Doug even began acting like a horse, trying his best to squeeze into the stalls and eating hay and bran mash with the horses themselves. He eventually became obsessed with the ponies and wanted to do as much as they did, including being tied to the hot walker, which he enjoyed immensely. 

Although many of the horses tolerated him and interacted with him in small parts, none of them came close to that of Nigel. Nigel was originally shipped over from the United Kingdom, but considering the distance and methods of transportation, it was a harrowing experience that left Nigel significantly stressed. Cami had to stay with Nigel the entire first night to get him settled and Doug was by her side. It didn’t take long before Nigel was resting his head on Doug, treating him like a form of comfort. Since then, they’ve had a bond like few others. 

Now, they’re the best of friends, bumping noses, cleaning each other, sharing food, and even playing together. And thanks to the folks at The Dodo, they’re now officially an Odd Couple and have been fawned over by the hundreds of thousands of viewers that have seen, heard, and read their story.