Man’s best friend (dogs) and man’s best friend (beer) make quite a pair: Here, the stories behind our favorite canine-inspired brews.

Laughing Dog CSB: Founder Fred Colby’s 8-year-old yellow lab, Ben, graces most Laughing Dog labels with his charming grin, but the inspiration for this British-style ESB’s label is a little less sweet. As a puppy, Ben stuck his nose between people’s legs to say hello; one friend called him a crotch-sniffing bastard, and Colby shortened it to CSB.

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog: A dogless Peter Egelston first brewed this brown ale in 1988 and made up its name; by the time he launched Smuttynose Brewing in 1994 and adopted the beer as his flagship, he had Olive, a half-Weimaraner, half-Brittany spaniel, and used her as a model for the beer’s William Wegman-inspired label.

Caldera Mogli: Mogli belonged to Caldera brewer Jim Mills’ girlfriend, Nicki; back when she tended the pub, the black lab would tag along with her to work. Before Mogli passed away, he donated blood to a sick white lab named Penny Lane, who returned to health and, according to Nicki, mysteriously adopted some of Mogli’s traits. The dog lives on through Penny, and the porter Jim brewed in his honor.

Thirsty Dog Labrador Lager: Brewer John Najeway crafted this Dortmunder lager in memory of Max, the hero yellow lab who alerted Najeway’s sleeping family to a fire in their 200-year-old farmhouse in 2008. Max passed away the next day—before Najeway ever had the chance to put the dog on one of his beers—so he immortalized a photo of the yellow dog on the golden brew’s label.

Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale: Brewer Adam Avery named his iconic brown ale after his 100-pound travel companion, a chocolate lab named Elle who was a fixture at the brewery. After receiving a cease-and-desist from a certain fashion magazine, Avery changed his Elle’s Brown Ale to Ellie’s in 1995.