How to Choose a Good Name for Your Puppy
But before you decide upon a good name for your new dog, make sure you know what sex it is. I get a chuckle when people tell me they named their puppy “Max” or “Charlie” or “Nickolas”. Until they take them to their vet. Then, the puppies often come home being named “Maxine”, “Charlotte”, or “Nicolette” because female dogs turned out to be males, and vice versa.
It’s kind of difficult to determine the sex of a puppy since their sexual organs aren’t yet developed. However, in order to choose a good name for your puppy, you’ll need to make sure what sex your new pet is. To check this, gently turn your puppy over onto its back. Look for its anus underneath its tail. If your puppy is a female, she will only have a vertical opening above her anus. If your new pet is a male, you’ll see a penile opening above its anus. In between the anus and the penile opening, you’ll also see a small, undeveloped scrotal sac.
Now that you know whether you have a male or a female puppy, it’s time to choose a good name. Many people tend to name their puppies based on physical characteristics. This results in names like, “Fluffy”, “Tiny”, and “Ringo.” These names are fine. But “Tiny” may turn into a ninety pound monster once he or she grows up. So keep that in mind when you choose a good name for your puppy.
People often name their dogs after celebrities or famous dogs. I once had a cat I named, “J. Paul Kitty.” I now own a reddish Akita named “Reba”. She’s named after one of my favorite country singers. You may want to name your new puppy “Pluto”, for example, if you like Disney characters.
The choice of the name is yours, of course, but whatever name you decide on, choose a good name for your puppy that doesn’t sound like a dog command. This will only confuse your pet. “Bo”, for example, sounds too much like “No.” “Jay” sounds like “stay”, and “Don” sounds like “down.” A good line of communication between you and your new puppy is important.
And to help avoid confusion, don’t choose a name for your new puppy that sounds like another name in the household. That is, if your son’s name is “Connor”, don’t name your dog “Hunter.”
Dogs are known to recognize shorter names. Long names tend to confuse them. It can also frustrate you when you call “Al-fon-sooooo!” and your dog doesn’t respond. So, in order to choose a good name for your puppy, pick a short name they’ll recognize. A one or two syllable name often works the best.
Names that begin with hard consonants are easier heard by dogs and humans alike.
Names like “Reba”, “Barkley”, and “Tom” are easier to hear than names like “Sheena”, “Fred”, or “Millie.”
Make sure that you choose a good name for your puppy that will represent its true personality. This means, don’t name your Chihuahua “Killer” as a joke. In fact, any dog named “Killer” will be looked upon as a menace whether it is or not
Once you choose a good name for your puppy, don’t change it. He or she will quickly catch onto his name if you don’t keep changing it. Also, use your puppy’s name often. Your dog will learn by repetition. Instead of calling out, “Here Pup!”, use his or her name instead.
