And the dog’s name is …

July 24th, 2008 by Eric Snider in The Morning Papers

I was a writer for the St. Petersburg Times from 1987-1993, and one of the first pieces of advice I got (I think I heard it initially from then managing editor Mike Foley) was “get the dog’s name.”

That turned out to be an old journalism saw encouraging writers to get as much detail as possible.

During my tenure at the Times, I don’t remember if I ever got the dog’s name. As the pop music critic, I didn’t have many opportunities (maybe if I interviewed someone at their house and they had a pooch).

Apparently, getting the dog’s name is still part of the modus operandi at the newspaper. In today’s front-page story about a young man, James Kenneth McElroy, who attacked his family in Tampa, Thomas Kaplan writes:

Another neighbor, Bob Torres, 56, never got to meet [the family]. On Tuesday night, Torres and his son had been walking their German shepherd, Jason, when they passed the McElroy family’s small, olive-colored ranch house, its lawn in need of a mowing.

That reads kind of silly to me. I really don’t care what the dog’s name is. As an adage, “get the dog’s name” works, but as far as including it in the copy, not so much.


19 Responses to “And the dog’s name is …”

  1. gabe Says:

    well, they didn’t get the bull’s name, but they did mention it’s genitalia…

    http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jul/30/400-pound-brass-bull-stolen-bloomingdale-high-scho/?news-metro

    “TBO.com

    Published: July 30, 2008

    Someone has stolen a 400-pound anatomically correct bronze bull from the Bloomingdale High School campus in Valrico, Hillsborough County deputies say.

    The theft of the $8,000 bull occurred Monday night or Tuesday morning. The school is at 1700 E. Bloomingdale Ave.

    The bronze bull was anchored to concrete with bolts.

    There are no suspects, deputies say.

    Anyone with information should call the sheriff’s office at (813) 247-8240 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.”

  2. gabe Says:

    so, if you happen to find a giant bronze bull with no junk hanging down, please don’t call the police.

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