The great Earl of Shrewsbury is affectionately called "Talbot, our good dogge" in political rimes of the fifteenth century.
In early dictionaries may be found long lists of the fanciful names, such as Bright, Lightfoot, Ranger, Ringwood, Swift, Tempest, given to hounds. This practice seems to throw some light on such surnames as Tempest, with which we may compare the German names Storm and Sturm. In the Pipe Rolls the name le esturmi, the stormy, occurs several times. To the same class belongs Thunder, found in the Pipe Rolls as Tonitruus, and not therefore necessarily a perversion of Tunder, i.e. Sherman (Chapter XVIII)—
"Tondeur de draps, a shearman, or clothworker." (Cotgrave.)
Garland, used by Chaucer as a dog's name, was earlier graland, and, as le garlaund is also found, it may be referred to Old Fr. grailler, to trumpet. It no doubt has other origins.
We should expect Fox to be strongly represented, and we find the compounds Colfox and Stelfox. The first means black fox—
"A colfox ful of sly iniquitee"
(B, 4405)—
and I conjecture that the first part of Stelfox is connected with stealing, as in the medieval name Stele-cat—
"The two constables made a thorough search and found John Stelfox hiding behind some bushes. Some of the jewellery was found upon him"
(Daily Chronicle, June 3, 1913).