Hikin' Mama Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 A friend of mine has a neighbor couple who doesn't want their 8 month old dog anymore, because they are never home and can't give him attention. My friend knew that I might be interested and called me about him. I'm going to take him. He's a beautiful weimaraner (spelling?) and he will be perfect for us! However, I don't like his name. Can I successfully change an 8 month old puppy's name, or should I just leave it? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gemrae Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I got a dog who was five years old from someone who didn't want her anymore. I didn't like her name so I changed it and she's been happy with it for the past 10 years! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We changed our rescue dog's name -- Pre-rescue we of course have no idea what it is, at the rescue shelter it was 'Louie.' Now it is Guidry --he was a little over one year old when we adopted him. Changing his name never caused a problem. :drool5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauraGB Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Can you find something that rhymes or sounds similar by way of vowel placement? If so, he might not even notice you changed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoughCollie Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 (edited) I think it is easy to change a dog's name. When I call my puppy, he comes running -- whether I call him Aidan, Dog, or Baby. When I call the boys downstairs by yelling "Boys!", our pup comes right to me. I figured out that is because when he responds appropriately to commands, I tell him he is a good boy. Our previous dog came to Teddy, Dog Breath, and Guy. It would have been easy to switch to calling either dog solely by one of his names -- the dogs didn't have a clue that some of their names were nicknames. Edited June 25, 2011 by RoughCollie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BamaTanya Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Just make sure you let the vet know so the dog's medical records follow the new name. A different perspective, but one I learned as an adult: when I worked as a counselor at Girl Scout Camp, we had to choose nicknames for that setting (6 weeks). The rationale was we didn't want the campers to call us the formal "Mrs. Smith" or more familiar "Tanya." I picked a Disney character name and was amazed at how quickly I adapted to answering to my new name. Less than a day, maybe. I wasn't called by my real name for 6 weeks, even by the staff. Just the constant hearing was enough to impress it into my brain. If the dog is getting your love and attention while you use his new name, he'll adapt. Let us know what you pick! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Absolutely! I've gotten two rescue dogs whose names I didn't like. The first one was named Valley. That sounds peaceful, doesn't it? In reality, she's a slightly neurotic German Shepherd with an attitude, and she's very dominate to other dogs. We named her Kira, which totally fits. The second dog was named Kelly, and it was a boy. I know boys can be named Kelly, but it's not common around here. I named him Dax (which technically is also a unisex name, but it sounds more male than Kelly!). No problems whatsoever. Just use the new name all the time. A young puppy should catch on quick. My dogs were 2 and 3 years old when I got them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingnlearning Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I'd change it, no problem. He'll learn what "sit" and "treat" mean quickly, he can learn his name too! Sidebar-I have a puppy I'm trying to name right now and I LOVE the name Valley! I might have to steal that one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsmama Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Yes, we just did it with our 9 month old rescue pup. She adapted very quickly. Just use the new name a lot and praise him/her a lot for responding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annlaura Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I adopted a rescue dog who had been badly mistreated. His foster family had renamed him with a name that sounded similar to his original name, thinking that would be easier for him. We decided on a name entirely different, partly because it suited him and partly to make a complete break from his past. He adapted to it within a couple of days. My mom hac a little dog she adopted from a happy situation, but her owners were moving overseas and couldn't take her. My mom changed her name, and she responded. But one day my mom tried using her previous name, and the little dog jumped into my mom's arms, wiggling and kissing with happiness, as if to say, "Hooray! You know who I am!" We used that name ever after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missiemick Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 "The Dog Whisperer" says that it's not the name that they respond to -- it's you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Sure. We got our dog from a shelter and she's had two previous homes. Not sure what her original name was but the shelter named her Flicka. We changed it to Lucy. She's had no problems adjusting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OLG Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Can you find something that rhymes or sounds similar by way of vowel placement? If so, he might not even notice you changed it. Yes! Our pound pooch was named "Autumn" by the previous owner, which just happened to be on the paperwork. Our son renamed him "Aussie" and I think the same sound for the first syllable did the trick. Ending syllable would do the same. With a pup that young, I think you are safe with just renaming whatever you like, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scubamama Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We rescued a 2 yo Bassett Hound named Jazzy - there was NOTHING jazzy about this dog. She was a lazy, droopy, drooly Bassett. She became Flounder since she was tripping over her ears and generally uncordinated and goofy. Flounder hounder was a super dog, I miss her still! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We were given a neighbors dog....older than what you are thinking of getting. His name was Jinks. Son changed it to Gus and he's never had a problem with it (the dog doesn't have a problem, that is :001_smile: ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecclecticmum Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Treat/Postive Reward training for learning her new name. If I need to do it, I usually try to stay close to the original name. i.e. Our puppy was nicknamed "Rotty" by its owners, we named her "roxy" :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kebo Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Sure, you can change a dog's name. Every adopted stray dog gets a new name. Use it liberally at first, and give treats and positive attention for responding to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Oh, yeah. Our 10yo rescued Frenchie was called "Porridge" by his foster mother.:001_huh: She thinks his original name was George. :001_huh: We didn't think we could call a dog something named after a cereal; we named him Wrolf (after the dog/lion in The Little White Horse). He knows his name just fine. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 I adopted a rescue dog who had been badly mistreated. His foster family had renamed him with a name that sounded similar to his original name, thinking that would be easier for him. We decided on a name entirely different, partly because it suited him and partly to make a complete break from his past. He adapted to it within a couple of days. My mom hac a little dog she adopted from a happy situation, but her owners were moving overseas and couldn't take her. My mom changed her name, and she responded. But one day my mom tried using her previous name, and the little dog jumped into my mom's arms, wiggling and kissing with happiness, as if to say, "Hooray! You know who I am!" We used that name ever after. Oh how sweet! And wisdom with the first dog too. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We rescued a 2 yo Bassett Hound named Jazzy - there was NOTHING jazzy about this dog. She was a lazy, droopy, drooly Bassett. She became Flounder since she was tripping over her ears and generally uncordinated and goofy. Flounder hounder was a super dog, I miss her still! That may be one of the all-time great dog names. There was a family in my neighborhood who got a rescue dog shortly after their daughter, Candy, was born. The dog's name was also Candy. Rather than risk confusing the puppy, they renamed the child, who was from then on known as Cindy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dandelion Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 We adopted our dog from a shelter when he was 7 months old and didn't like his name at all. We renamed him and he adapted quickly. Now answers beautifully to his new name. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted June 25, 2011 Share Posted June 25, 2011 Yep, we did it with a rescue dog. It was a male cocker spaniel named Baby, so we changed his name to Barney since it was close in sound and my guys were really into the purple dinosaur at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 We renamed a dog twice. The original name was Emily. We changed it to Emmy then to Molly. She was almost 2 years old when we got her, 3 when we changed her name the second time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Sidebar-I have a puppy I'm trying to name right now and I LOVE the name Valley! I might have to steal that one! Steal away! Apparently, she was pulled from a shelter in Valley, Georgia. I think it'd be a nice name for a sweet, calm dog. My dog is sweet, but calm she is not! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cat Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Yes,,,,,, it will take a little time.... but it will happen. We have a Weim! For the first 2 years or so, she stepped on our feet.... my kids would cry because it hurt so bad and would break their skin.... our Weim wasn't mindful of where she was stepping as a puppy.... she has now grown out of that phase..... she is extremely smart! and very protective of the kids and extremely sweet!!!! She makes us laugh all the time because she acts just like a person. We love her so much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kolamum Posted June 26, 2011 Share Posted June 26, 2011 Without reading other replies.. I say yes. We picked a dog from the doghome who was all most a year old and they named him Ronald. Say what?! haha So we planned to change his name. The whole way home we thought of names and no one could agree and the dog just gawked at us like "whatever." The girl warned us he loved water and hated cats. We get home and open the car door and the dog walks out looks at us, then spots dogs and wild chickens outback and took off like his rump was on fire. Hitting the pond didn't stop him, he jumpe din and swam across the darned thing still in a furious chase. The whole time we're screaming, "RONALD!" "RONNIE!" "RON!" nothing worked. My three year old is in tears and I'm in shock as we'd just spend $195 on this dog. My husband completely forgets the dogs names despite all of us screaming and says, "BUSTER! Come here NOW!" Dog stopped dead and came back. He's been Buster ever since. Dumb name, but man he responds quickly to it. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hikin' Mama Posted July 7, 2011 Author Share Posted July 7, 2011 I enjoyed reading everyone's stories, especially kolamum's. LOL! I didn't get the dog afterall, because the people are dragging their feet on giving him away. Oh well! Such is life. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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