5 Tips For Choosing a Name for Your Dog

If you decided to finally get a dog after seeing one too many adorable Golden Retrievers for Sale in an ad or from a neighbor, you might be wondering what to name your new furry friend. Finding the perfect name that fits your dog and is memorable can be difficult. These five tips can help you choose the right name. 

Keep it short

One of the first things you should consider when picking a name is the length. You will likely be calling your dog often, so you might not want to choose something that will be a mouthful. Otherwise, you will likely call your dog by a shorter nickname more often than not. Unless you want to train them with this nickname, stick to something shorter.

You should choose a name that is one to two syllables. Fewer syllables make the name easy to say. If you want personalized collars, food bowls, or anything else for your dog, a short name is also more likely to fit easily on these customized items.  

Make it different

Dogs rely on their sense of smell and hearing a lot. You want to choose a name for your dog that they will easily recognize. Do not name them something that sounds similar to a command, such as Kit that can sound like “sit,” or else you might end up confusing your dog while training. 

You should also give them a name unlike anyone else in your household, pet or human. If you choose a name that is too similar to another family member’s, your dog is more likely to get confused when you call for them. 

Consider looks and personality

Choosing a name based on your dog’s personality or appearance can be a great idea. A name like Curly or Goldy could fit well if you have a golden doodle. An active lab might be named Happy because of its temperament. Be careful when naming puppies based on appearance or personality because they could change once they become adults. 

Long-lasting

You will have your dog for a long time, so you should choose a name that you will want to use often. Don’t choose a name that you will find annoying in a few months, or one that you are embarrassed to yell at the dog park. 

To get your dog to respond to their name, you will need to call them the name often and confidently. If you choose a name that loses steam within a few weeks, you risk having to pick a new name and start over with name training. 

Love it

Make sure you choose a name that you love. After all, this is your dog, and you will spend a lot of time with them and use their name. Find a name you will love coming up with nicknames for that seems to fit your puppy perfectly. 

Parting shot

Part of having a happy and healthy puppy is giving your new pet a home and name. Use these tips to help you pick a name that sticks.