The term dog can be used to refer to either a female dog or a male dog. It is no doubt that a female dog is referred to as a bitch, but what is the name of a male dog?
The name of a male dog is a dog, this will only change if you are using him for breeding purposes. A male dog that is available for breeding is known as a stud while a male dog that has fathered a litter is termed as a sire.
There are so many names that are used for female and male dogs. Some of these words are outdated and others have gotten a negative connotation over time. Scroll down for more.
What is the name of a male dog?
A dog that is not used for breeding purposes is called a dog. While inbreeding, a dog is either a stud or a sire.
Stud
Stud came from an archaic English word ‘studu’ which meant prop upright. In this case, am not speaking of anything else but the male genitals, which means they can get an erection and reproduce.
When a dog is referred to as a stud, it means that it can be used for breeding. He can father puppies but he is yet to. For the female dogs, they are known as bitches. The word bitch has gained a negative connotation over the years but it is the appropriate term for breeders.
Sire
When a stud has mated with a bitch and she gives birth to a litter, he is referred to as a sire. The counterpart for sire is a dame.
You cannot use the term sire alone without referring to the litter. This means you cannot use the term alone when introducing your dog. For instance, you cannot say that “This is my dog Lucky and he is a sire.” You will only use the term when you are done with the introduction and you want to talk about his pedigree. You can now say, “He is the sire of three litters.”
Jerry
Though it is not an approved term, many people, as well as breeders, use it to refer to a neutered dog. It has been argued over time that jerry is a made-up term and shouldn’t be used while others think otherwise.
Mutt and Mongrel
Either of the words can be used to refer to dogs of a mixed breed or mixed ancestry. Depending on one’s interpretation, this word can be offensive.
History of the word dog
The word dog was derived from the name “dogca”. “Dogca” is an archaic English term meaning strong.
In the early days, dogs were usually known as hounds from the German word “hund”. For males, they were “Hund” and for females “Hundis”. As time passed by, the names changed from hounds and dogca and the name dog was found. To sum up, it is yet to be known exactly where the name dog came from.
Nicknames and Endearment Terms for Dogs
When choosing a nickname or an endearment term, there is no specific rule. Most of these names are gender-neutral.
You can name your dog depending on his appearance or size, for instance, blackie, big boy, or fatty. You can also name him using the alternatives of dog, like pooch or doggie. You are most likely to use these names instead of the technical ones.
Not a Bastard
There is a common joke and myth that male dogs are also called bastards, this is a false belief.
People tend to believe this tale because a bitch can be used an insult to women, so they use bastard in return.
The name bastard has an entirely different meaning which is not related to dogs in any way.
Male Dog Name in UK and Australia
Though they are English-speaking countries, they have different names for male dogs. This is due to the variation of culture and environment.
In the UK male dogs are referred to as “rude” while in Australia they call them ‘mongrel.” Nevertheless, these names are only popular in some areas. In Australia, the term mongrel is not common in urban areas but it is in rural areas.
What is a Group of Dogs called?
Just like dogs have gendered names, they also have collective names. A group of dogs is known as a kennel or a pack of dogs.
If the dogs happen to be of the same sort, they can have a collective noun like a “cowardice of mutts”, or a “comedy of boxers”.
Conclusion
A male dog is basically called a dog, not unless you are using breeding terms. You cannot use technical terms to refer to your dog in a normal conversation. Instead of using these names, you can use a nickname or an alternate dog word like pooch or doggie.
You are free to call your dog by any name so long as it does not have a negative connotation.
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