Puppy Names

Now that you’ve brought home the perfect puppy, you may find yourself in a rut because you have not picked out the best name for the newest member of the pack.
One thing to remember though in picking out a puppy’s name is that it is not just a name. Your puppy dog’s name will reveal a lot of things about you, your puppy, and the bond of friendship that binds both of you together for life.

Over the course of your puppy’s life and as he grows into adulthood and into his twilight years, he will respond to the name you have chosen for him while he was still a puppy.
If you are still looking for that perfect name to give your cute and cuddly puppy, here are some tips to help you on your way—

• Make the “name our puppy” activity a family affair. When thinking about names, more heads are better than one. Since everyone will be using or calling out the puppy’s name, it would be a good ounce of measure to make everyone feel that they are already responsible for the puppy even when it has just arrived.
• Never name your dog after your favorite persons especially the closest ones—think about what you will feel when your best friend names his dog after you.
• Stay away from words that rhyme with the most common commands like “Fay” (rhymes with “stay”) or Bop (rhymes with “stop”). Your puppy will surely be confused when you call out his name.
• It has been observed that dogs are more apt to understand short commands. It is highly recommended to pick out names which are composed of one to two syllables. If you want to name your dog “King Peter of Linden Park” save it for official registration papers and records and give him another name or nickname that you can use every day.
• Pick out names you won’t be ashamed of calling out in public. Will you be proud to call your dog “Satan” or “Ogre” in the dog park? You may find it cool but it won’t fully well agree with other people.
• If you want, you can have a one-day trial with a name that you have picked out from your list of favorite puppy names. One or two days may be enough for you to decide whether the name fits your puppy to a “T”. If it seems awkward or you feel that it’s not just right for him, you can always get back to your list of puppy names.
• If you want to walk the path less traveled, try to look around and you’ll realize that there are lots of sources of ideas and inspiration for puppy names. Spend some time with your new puppy and perhaps his appearance will give you unique ideas for a name. “Folds” would be a great name for a wrinkly bullmastiff. Or you may call your pug “Wrinkles”.
• Your dog’s personality may also be a key to unlocking the best puppy names. Try “Bossy” for a male puppy who tries to “carry his weight around” or “Candy” for a sweet little puppy.
• The most popular movie and TV dogs can also be an inspiration for your puppy’s name. What do you think about “Lassie”, “Marley”, “Hachiko”, or “Tramp”?
• If you want to be unique, consider foreign dog names. How do you feel about Lucio (which means light in Italian), Bantay (which means guardian in Filipino), Ipo (Hawaiian for darling), or Babushka (baby).
• Ensure that your puppy will not outgrow the name that you have given him. Petunia might fit a cute female puppy but is it still appropriate when it grows up to be a 70 pound Bernese Mountain Dog?
• More often than not, we might be tempted to give in to trendy names that might not sound as cool once the trend passes. Stick to timeless names that go beyond time and trends.
• Some dog owners swear by this tip in naming your pet—ask your pet whether he is comfortable with the name you have chosen. From your list of favorite puppy names, select the top 5 and try them on your puppy. See how he responds with each. Take your cue from his behavior—he might be responsive with 1 or 2 and appears not to notice when you call out the other names.