If you have a new four-legged addition to your family, then you have embarked on a new adventure that is going to be fun for everyone!
Although puppies require a lot of work, they reward all your efforts with their love and affection. When you bring your dog into the home, he or she needs a name just like any other member of your family.
But how do you decide what to name your dog?
Here are some tips to help you find the RIGHT name…
Naming Your Dog If your Dog Has a Name Already!
If you got your dog from an adoption shelter, or from its previous owner, then they already have a name that you may want to keep since the dog already responds to it.
Your dog will probably be used to their name already, and no matter how much you love a particular name it may be more trouble than it’s worth changing it. Switching the name now could make the transition even more difficult for the dog than it needs to be.
But if you really don’t like the original name (or if it conflicts with another family member’s name), it is often easiest to add the animal’s existing name to a new one as a two-word new name so they can still recognize it…
If you get a french bulldog named Bobby, for example, but that’s your son’s name and you want to call the dog something else, try calling them Bobby Joe. And shorten it to Joe once the dog has adapted to life in your home.
What’s in a Dog’s Name?
1. Make it Easy
If you want to find a name for your dog the first rule of thumb is to make it easy to pronounce, and easy for the dog to recognize. If you want a full name you can also have a nickname that everyone in the family can pronounce.
2. Your Dog’s Personality
Watch your dog for a week or two and determine what type of personality he or she has. You can then name the dog accordingly.
They may be playful and fun and require a name like ‘Happy’ or if they are droopy and lazy you could have ‘Sleepy’, and if they are clumsy and chaotic you could call them ‘Dopey’!
3. A Dog’s Name is all Relative!
Don’t name your dog after a relative unless you ask for permission first!
You would be amazed how many times this has caused hard feelings and there have been family feuds because of it. Really! You might think the Pug looks like Grandma and should be called by her name — Grandma may feel so insulted that she writes you out of the will!
Naming your dog should be a family affair, and the final choice should be something that is agreed upon by all. You don’t want to have two or three names for your dog or they may not know which one to respond to.
And don’t jump too quickly on a name – think it through. Once your dog is used to the chosen name it can be a bit of a pickle teaching them a new one.
Teaching your Dog its Name
When you finally decide on a name, start using it as often as you can.
Reward your dog when he or she answers to their name. Do this by hugging and loving them. You don’t want to give them a food tidbit or toy treat for responding to their name or they won’t understand when you stop.
Remember that you cannot use the dog’s name in an angry voice: otherwise, it will quit responding because it knows that the name means harm and negativity. They may even run away when they hear their name if you commit this error.
3 Final Bonus Tips on Naming your Dog Right
Make sure that you select a name that won’t offend anyone when you are out in public. You don’t want to call your dog and have people mad at you. You also want something that you don’t mind children saying.
Picking uncommon names can even decrease your chances of having your little pooch dog-napped. If you name your dog a common dog name then it may respond if someone else says it.
And finally, be original! There are probably enough dogs called Fido, Rex, and Rover!
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