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When, some years ago, I was training with my German Shepherd Ddog, Ian, we were briefed before an exercise in a nearby housing estate, that we would be training through the estate at about the time the kids were coming out of school. We were warned not to tell the kids what the name of our dogs were if asked, as they were in the habit of distracting the dogs by calling them by name especially from across the road to that in which we would be working.
Fair enough, when I was doing my bit, some kids were on the opposite side of the road, and one of them called out, "hey Mister, what's your dog's name?"
Remembering the name of an ambassador who was assassinated some years earlier, I answered, "Sir Abu Baka Tefawa Balewa"
It was a name I learned to rattle off as fluently as Richard Baker did on the BBC news, on the day it happened, and I was determined that he was not going to be the only one. I found the name in the following day's newspaper and learned it. Well, the effect was really great. there was a moments silence, and then the kid called out to his friend ahead of him - yes, you've guessed it...
"hey Ian, you should hear what they call that dog!"
I felt Ian's head turn slightly but I quickly corrected him quietly and we had no further bother.