Oh, what a beautiful evening!

Oh, what a beautiful evening!, originally uploaded by Elinesca.

I’m seeing some friends this Friday. Email’s have been flying back and forth about such things as our choice of place, dancing possibilities, food, where to meet up first for drinks, tendonitis and plastic shoes.
After work this Friday, we’re now trotting along to the Greyhound – a pub near our final destination.

This is something I have thought about for a while: Why does the British have such an obsession with naming their pubs after animals?

The Dog & Fox, The Green Dragon, The Swan, The Swan with TWO Necks, The Dog and Duck, The Bull, The Red Lion, The Dancing Newt, The Blue Boar, what have you. Note that they’re particularly fond of dogs. Sometimes they mix fruit into their naming conventions, so if thirsty one late evening, you might end up at The Fox and Grape.

It’s said that the reasoning behind this is to make it easier for the poor taxi drivers to understand the drawling, drunken Brits when they’re pub hopping. To this story, is also attached a belief that it was easier for the pubs to use visual signs to attract customers (a dog and a fox) - as the Brits could not read or write.

I find it charming. Some even allow dogs!

So why is there no pub called The Wheaten Terrier??