Bringing home your new best friend is a momentous occasion that calls for celebration. In all the excitement and during the “getting to know each other” phase, it’s surprising how little people stop to think about picking a dog name. This process is actually quite important, in part because you’ll be using this name incessantly during the first few months you’re together, usually followed by a firm “No!”
Believe it or not, dogs know when they are being ridiculed, or at least laughed at. Thus, picking a silly name that pokes fun at their protruding fang or other noticeable feature is likely to encourage teasing. While you might find their one floppy ear adorable, people you meet on the street may not be as kind. It’s remarkable how quickly we develop a sense of emotional protectiveness toward our pups. It won’t take long before someone’s critical comment (inspired by the name you chose highlighting the imperfection) makes you feel uncomfortable. This is just part of the natural process of falling in love with your dog. Therefore, when picking a dog name, it’s best to avoid making fun of their less-than-perfect physique.
Choosing a Practical Name for Your Dog
Choosing names that are gargantuanly long means you’ll have to get that name out of your mouth before giving a command. God forbid you went and named your dog King Serus of Montanamo the Third, and you need to call him in an emergency. By the time you finish spitting out the first half of his name, the emergency is over, and the results are in. Stick with shorter names, or, if you went purebred, write the gargantuan name down on his papers and use an easier-to-speak-in-a-hurry nickname, like Serus.
Dogs hear the vowel sounds in their name much more clearly than the consonants. So, your dog Bo-Bo isn’t really going to hear the difference between “Bo” and “No.” Running across the room shouting, “No, Bo-Bo, no!” will sound a lot like “Oh, oh, oh. Oh!” At the same time, choosing a name with significant vowel sounds, especially those that end in a long “E” sound, will be more distinguishable to your pet. Names like Charlie, Sammy, and Maxie all make great dog names. The long “E” sound is something dogs respond well to, making it easier for them to recognize their name, even when you’re in a hurry or out of breath.
I’ve always been partial to picking something a little unique for my dogs. After all, there are plenty of Scooters and Kings out there in the world, and I want my pet to stand out a bit. That’s just my personality. My dogs seem to appreciate my creativity at the dog park. Several times, when I’ve been at the puppy park with Jeremy and Deogie (pronounced like you’re spelling “dog,” D-O-G), I’ve heard dog owners call out a sharp “No, Spike!” and three dogs would turn around. Princess and Precious seemed to bounce off each other in confusion, despite having slightly different names. While not every dog will face puppy park issues that land them at their nearest puppy psychologist’s office, having something unique enough to help your pup remember their name is always beneficial.
Letting kids pick out a name can seem like a great idea. After all, they promise to feed, wash, and walk the dog, but we all know that very few kids will do this on a regular basis. You get a dog for your kids to play with, but we all know who that dog really belongs to. Allowing them to name the new pup gives them a sense of ownership and responsibility. However, unless you want the seventeenth Fluffy on the street, you might want to offer some guidance. Regardless of your input, if you said they could name the dog and they end up choosing a silly name that you’re embarrassed to say at the vet, you’re stuck with it. It’s usually better to tell the kids they can help name the dog. Sometimes, they’ll surprise us and come up with something really neat. Mine came up with “Mariko Pete” when he was only four—and that was just for a fish!
Picking a dog name is something that can either be done ahead of time or once you actually bring your floppy-eared, dribbly little wonder home. Most people wait until they meet the new family member before deciding on a name. Some names just go better with certain personalities, while others seem to fit despite not being an obvious match. Our blind beagle was named Scooter, after we changed it from the previously chosen Boomer. Blind and slow as he is, and despite how uncreative the name seemed, he truly is a little Scooter, pinballing his way through the house. It just ended up working.
Changing a dog’s name, as mentioned, is best done in one of two ways to help alleviate confusion on your pup’s end. You can use the method we did—matching vowel sounds and syllables to make a subtle change. Sometimes subtle changes are much easier for both you and your dog, even if your pup never notices the difference. After all, Boomer?
The second easiest method is to use a hyphenated name. If the dog you adopted is named Max and you want to change it to Phoebe, start calling the dog Max-Phoebe. After about a week, switch it to Phoebe-Max. After another two weeks, try dropping the Max. If it doesn’t work, go back to the hyphenated name for another few weeks. Some dogs take longer to make the association. A few dogs will come no matter what name you choose, especially those living in multi-dog households who come running when you call any pup in the house. After all, they don’t want to miss out on the goodies. They’ll suddenly remember their name when they realize the only “goodie” waiting is a bath!
The most important aspect of picking a dog name is doing what works for you. Have fun. Get creative. Have a family contest. Write out possible names on slips of paper, attach treats to them, and scatter them around. Whichever name your new dog goes to first gets the honor. Whatever makes the process fun for your family and your dog is the best way to choose your new pup’s name.
