Did you know that over the course of his life, your dog’s name will be used and uttered more than 35,000 times? So, like naming a child, naming a puppy can be very daunting. The operative phrase here though is “can be.” To help you turn “can be daunting” to “easy breezy” here are a number of guidelines in naming your puppy.
(Check out The Puppy Name Game)
- As much as possible, keep the name short and relatively simple. Canines are known to understand short commands better. So an easy name with just one or a couple of syllables works best (remember, Fido?). Now, if you’re naming your pup in honor of someone you love but the person has a long name, try using his/her nickname instead.
- One of the rules in naming your pup properly is to avoid names that sound like any training commands. For instance, “Stacy” sounds like “stay!” To avoid confusing your puppy, try look for a name that won’t bewilder him in the long run.
Top Dog Names *
- Keep in mind that you’ll be uttering your pup’s name in public, too. So derogatory names or crude nicknames, however you think it sounds hilarious as a dog’s name, shouldn’t be used. After all, your pet’s name will also reflect your personality.
- Make the naming process a family bonding. Ask your loved ones, especially the kids, name possibilities. Let them suggest names that they think will suit the household pet. Once you have all the suggestions, you can settle the name by means of voting.
- If you want to use someone else’s name for your dog, as an honor to that person, make certain that he/she truly feels honored by it. Some people are cool with their names being associated with a dog, but others aren’t. So just to make it safe, ask the person first if he/she’s okay with the idea.
- Although naming a puppy is essential, you may take a day or two before finalizing it. This is just to make sure that you’re certain that your puppy is really a Lacy or a Todd. Got the idea? Once you’ve chosen a name, try it out first for a day or two. Instinctively, you’ll know right away if it suits your pup or not. If not, then don’t fret, just look for other names.
- Personality and appearance matter as well when naming a puppy. If your pup’s coloring is dark, you may call him Blackie or Brownie. If your new pup has the personality akin to a happy baby, you may call him Giggles.
- If you really can’t decide on your own, try “adopting” famous pet names. Use the name of a celebrity dog, a TV or movie pup, or a pooch that has appeared in comics and/or books.
When naming your puppy, the possibility is endless. You can choose the most common dog name or name him a fancy-sounding one. The important thing is that, with training, the dog will happily respond to his name.
