Dog Community

name change?

Posted : 7/21/2006 12:10:49 AM

so i adopted a husky pup 13 weeks old! i willl post picks when ic an. but i was wondering, do you think it would be ok to change his name? and would he be able to adjust to it?

alieliza

Posted : 7/21/2006 12:12:17 AM

I think it will be just fine to change his name. I just wouldn't use the old one I guess (although Im not expert). But I do know that people have changed names at even older ages.

Stephanie Book

Posted : 7/21/2006 12:22:32 AM

With a pup this young, I would think it would be fine to change his name. Especially if ( not sure where you got him, but this could apply anywhere) a rescue or shelter 'named' him, because I don't think he would have known the name anyway. I thought about changing the name of a dog I had when I was younger; I got her and named her, but ended up not really liking the name. Never did change it though. [&:] lol
Let us know if you change it and what you named him![

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whitewidow

Posted : 7/21/2006 12:45:37 AM

yes i will keep youposted...i got him from a shelter and they named him Ivan....i dont find it a bad name but it just doesnt fit him. Ivan would fit like an enormous dog it hink...maybe a malamute...but yes im thinking of a new name and gonna try to putt it into his little head.haha. i figure using treats should get the job done?

laura

Posted : 7/21/2006 5:17:03 AM

I've changed dogs names before, and it's never been a problem at all. I'm sure you'll be fine with it.

There's different ideas on what to do, but I just completely stopped using the old name. Started using the new name, with lots of good associations like treats, games etc. and it really only took a few hours for the dog to start responding.

Look forward to seeing pics of your husky!

lisa baker

Posted : 7/21/2006 7:59:23 AM

any dog will adjust to a name change. think of the dogs in shelters people bring home. they learn their new name. would love to see pics of your new baby

natalieluise

Posted : 7/21/2006 8:52:56 AM

One of my friends got an older dog from a shelter last year and was able to successfully change his name. You could try picking a new name that sounds like his old name. That might speed up the process.

miranadobe

Posted : 7/21/2006 9:04:30 AM

Absolutely you can change the name! As someone else said, imagine all the strays that are picked up, name unknown. They learn. You have to totally stop using their old name. Every time you praise the dog for anything, instead of saying "Good boy/girl", try substituting boy/girl w/the dog's new name.

simcoe

Posted : 7/21/2006 10:08:33 AM

I've got so many nicknames for my dog, I have to remind myself to say his "real" name a few times a day just so he doesn't forget it.

T-dog, lil' buddy, monkeyface, monkeymonkey, rumpy, rumpcakes, tobers, toberson... oh yeah, and TOBY! [

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fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 7/21/2006 11:08:21 AM

He'll be fine with the change. Most of us who got our dogs at a shelter have no idea what our dogs previous names were. I know the shelter called Max "Mookie" because they had his pic in the paper as pet of the week and they told me giving them a name made it a little more personal.

Joyce

jones

Posted : 7/21/2006 1:56:11 PM

Dogs don't build an association between their names and identities the way humans do. Their names are basically just call words, meaning essentially "hey, listen up." Just as at any point you can teach a new command, or change a cue word, you can always change (or add) a name.

whitewidow

Posted : 7/21/2006 3:33:26 PM

ok thanks. im tryign to figure out what to name him. ill try to post a pic upsoon.

Brandy

Posted : 7/21/2006 5:56:26 PM

Hi.
I was reading a book about dogs and whatnot and it said that sometimes when you adopt especially a rescued dog that it is good to change there name because the may revert to some of the bad behaviours they had before because of all of the things included on that name for them.
I just adopted a six year old dog and he is doing better with his new name then he ever did with the old one.