Barks, jeers greet bill to name official state dog

CARSON CITY — While fellow senators barked and jeered, Sen. Ben Kieckhefer introduced a bill Friday to make the Blue Weimaraner the official state dog of Nevada.

Kieckhefer, R-Reno, said he owns a Labrador and pug, but he introduced Senate Bill 225 as a favor for a 9-year-old boy in his district who has taken on a project to make the breed of his own dog the state dog.

“He was doing research for a project and determined Nevada does not have a state dog,” the senator said. “I made a deal with his mom that I would introduce the bill and we could use it as a civics lesson. He may come and testify. I gave him fair warning it very well may not pass and we might very well come up with another dog as the state dog. He is thoroughly prepared for the legislative process.”

From the reception Kieckhefer received, the latter might happen. Even the Senate staff taped photos of their own dogs on Kieckhefer’s desk — and all were of more common breeds than the Blue Weimaraner.

Just 11 states have official state dogs, none of them a Weimaraner, a dog used by hunters. Pups sell for as much as $700.

Alaska has the Alaskan Malamute, Massachusetts the Boston Terrier and Maryland the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. But Nevada has no dog symbolic of the state.

After the Senate session Friday, it was apparent senators own a wide variety of breeds of dogs, and each senator was partial to his own.

“Everyone loves their own dog, that’s the problem,” Kieckhefer said.

That was clear.

“My beagle, Carson, is going to object to the bill and my Coco dog, who I found on the street, who is a poodle, has some issues with it, too,” said Sen. Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas. “They have been studying it all day.”

When asked about his own dog, Sen. Greg Brower, R-Reno, replied “A dog that says meow.”

Anyone for an official state cat?

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.