How to Name Your Dog

Naming Your Dog: Some Points To Ponder

Trying to decide what to name your dog can be fun and entertaining, but it is also a serious decision. Naming a championship or show dog has a science attached to it and is not simply just picking a name out of a hat. For a purebred dog that is going to be shown the guidelines for naming usually include the kennel that the dog was bred from and may include the name of one of the parents, especially if he or she was a championship dog. For example if the Kennel was ABC Kennels, and the mother was a show champion named Fluffy, the puppies name may be something like ABC’s Fluffy Powderpuff, with Powderpuff being the name of the puppy, the rest just being an identifier for the lineage.

With dogs that are just loveable pets, naming the puppy doesn’t have to be so serious. It is important to keep a couple of things in mind when choosing a name:

• Try to pick a name that is reasonable to say, or pick a nickname you are always going to call the dog. For example, a short name like Princess is easy to say, but a long name like Princess Snowflake is not as easy to get out when you are trying to call the dog at the park.
• Try to avoid really trendy names that everyone is naming their puppy. There is no reason that there can’t be multiple puppies called Benji, but it does make calling your dog from a group of dogs with the same name a more challenging chore.
• Avoid funny names that may cause you embarrassment in some situations.
• Encourage your children, if there are kids in the family, to get involved in naming the puppy. Kids often come up with very creative names.
• Some dogs just seem to have a physical appearance that suggests a name. For example, a small dog many be called “Tea Cup” and a larger dog may be “Titan”.
• Try to use two syllable names rather than one or three syllable names. Two syllable names are short but yet distinct.
• Avoid using a name that sounds like a command. For example, the name “Beau” could easily be confused with “No”.

There are several attributes that can help you name a dog. Their physical appearance has already been mentioned, but their personality or even specific behaviors can inspired a name. A puppy that is really smart and alert could be named “Professor” or “Einstein” and a puppy that always seems eager to be with people could be called “Happy” or “Buddy”.

Favorite characters in novels, in the movies or even on TV shows are often great names for dogs. Perhaps you have a favorite dog from your past that you would like to name your current pet after. Peoples name like “Charlie”, “Molly” or traditional dog’s names like “Tipper”, “Patches” and “Lassie” are also great names.

Whatever you choose to name your dog start calling the puppy by the name as soon as possible. Try to avoid changing the name once the puppy has become familiar with it as this will just cause confusion. Always use your dog’s name when you want to get its attention and always when you are giving praise and attention.

About the author: Kelly Marshall is a featured writer at Oh My Dog Supplies, a specialty pet retailer featuring unique dog beds and raised bowl dog feeders.