If you have a new four-legged addition to your family, you have embarked on a new family adventure that is going to be fun for everyone. Although pets require a lot of work, they reward all your efforts with their love and affection. When you bring your pet into the home, he or she needs a name just like any other member of your family. How do you determine what to name your dog. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect name.
If you saved the dog from an adoption shelter, or from its previous owner, then the pup already has a name that you may want to keep since the dog already responds to it. Switching the name now could make the transition even more difficult for the dog than it needs to be. If you really don't like the animal's 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 adopt a dog named Bobby, for example, but that's your son's name and you want to call the dog something else, try calling the pup Bobby Joe at the outset and shorten it to Joe once the dog has adapted to life in your home.
If you want to find a name for your dog the first rule of thumb is to make it easy to pronounce. If you want a full name make sure that you have a nickname that everyone in the family can pronounce.
Watch the dog for a week or two and determine what type of personality he or she has. You can name the dog accordingly. They may be playful and fun, or they may be droopy and lazy.
Don't name your dog a relative's name unless you ask for permission first. You would be amazed at 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!
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. Reward him or her 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.
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 your children saying.
Picking uncommon names will 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.
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 to him or her. They may even run away when they hear their name if you commit this error.
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. Don't jump too quickly on a name - think it through.
Original Author Noah Gordon