What's in a Name 10 Ways to Name Your New Puppy

What's in a Name 10 Ways to Name Your New Puppy

The ultimate task when you bring your new pup home is to name your puppy. This is part of the fun of bringing home a new pet and a time to unleash that creative side of you.

When he is home you have to name your puppy at the soonest possible time so that he gets used to listening and responding to the sound of his name. Don't rush take your time and don't forget that the name that you finally choose aside from being unique should be something that just rolls smoothly from your mouth and easy for your pup to recall.

Here are some tips to help you in choosing a name for your pup.

1. Avoid names that sound like commands. When you try to name your puppy, you should steer clear of names that sound like commands you'd teach him in the future. Doing so will confuse your puppy whether you are actually calling him or you're making him do something. For instance, Neil sounds like 'Heel', Stacy sounds like 'Stay' and Joe sounds like 'No' you get the picture.

2. Keep it short and simple. That's right you have to KISS it by limiting the name to one or two syllables, this makes it easy for him to understand and recall. It is also advised that you give him a name that ends with a long sounding vowel to help your puppy differentiate his name from the commands you will teach him in the future.

3. Avoid names that sound like other names. Naming your puppy by the same name as another family, close relatives, colleagues, or the names of close friends is a big no-no. Aside from confusing your puppy, these persons may not be too keen on having their names associated with an animal. You want to call your pet with a unique name. This is why this rule also extends to other pets in your home and to pets that your close friends have.

4. Be willing to call the name in public. When you name your puppy it should be something you will not hesitate to say in public. 'Killer', 'Boner', or 'Butthead' may be cute and funny in the privacy of your home or in the company of friends but it's not pleasant to hear at a park full of kids.

5. A dog's personality, behavior, or physical characteristics can be an inspiration. For example if your dog is stubborn, you can call him 'Rebel'; if he is goes after crickets you can call him 'Cricket'; and if he is black all over, you can call him 'Blackie'.

6. The name of your favorite celebrity person or dog such as Lassie or Bingo can be a fun way to choose a name for your puppy. So does a name derived from a famous historical person or a character from your favorite book.

7. Involve the whole family. If you're not living alone, you must involve the whole family with the naming process because your are the puppy's pack now. This is also a good way for the family to bond with your pet.

8. You can also choose a name that has meaning. This time you can choose to honor the memory of a friend or a favorite uncle. Names can also be those that have been derived form another language such as Finn, which means light colored in Irish.

9. Naming your purebred can be a little bit tougher if you plan to register and breed your pet. This is because the American Kennel Club (AKC) has strict rules regarding naming as they only allows 37 dogs of the same breed to have the same name. There are other rules and if you are interested feel free to look it up at the AKC website.

10. After you've settled on a specific name, give it a try for a day or two and see if the name your puppy has is a keeper.