How To Pick The Right Name For Your Dog

Author: Brian Alan Burhoe

It's critical that you pick the right name.

It's critical that you know how to choose a name for your puppy that will allow him to respond when it is used. This will prevent confusion and help you and your puppy to have the best obedience training experience.

How your dog name sounds - how to use your dog's Name in commands - These are all very important factors to consider when choosing your puppy's name.

Here, with the help of DOG-BREEDERS.BIZ and PET-SITTERS.BIZ, is a detailed look at picking the right name for your puppy.

Naming your puppy is one of the most important things you will ever do.

He lives in a world of human sounds that, at times, can become confusing for him. How will your dog know you are talking to him if you don't use a name with which he is familiar? For instance, you might ask your spouse to go for a walk with you, meaning to leave your puppy at home. Possibly your destination is a coffee shop or other place where he might not be welcome. As soon as your puppy hears the word ""walk,"" he is at the door waiting for you to put on his leash.

To prevent this type of misunderstanding, choose a name for your puppy. This lets him know that the words that you are speaking will be directed at him. Once his name is spoken, your puppy will become alert to what you are saying. He will know that you expect something of him and will be ready to obey your command.

When you are talking to your puppy, be very precise. Each time you want him to obey a command, the first thing you should say is his name. In other words if you want your puppy to come, say, ""Buddy, come."" If you say, ""Come Buddy,"" the translation will be lost. Your puppy listens for his name in order to know that you are talking to him.

Though dogs are fairly flexible on what name they respond to, it is best that once you have chosen and taught a dog to respond to his name, you continue to call him by that name for the rest of his life. When dogs are abandoned and placed in a shelter, their names aren't always known. This can cause some confusion when they are adopted and given a new name. In order to lessen problems, always call your puppy by his name.

When training your puppy, be sure to use his name first and often. You will say, ""Buddy, sit,"" ""Buddy, come,"" ""Buddy, lie down."" This allows your puppy to know that it is he who is being spoken to and makes training a lot easier for both of you.

Your puppy will respond to whatever word comes out of your mouth the most when training him. If you use the word ""no,"" on a continuous basis before first using your puppy's name, he will think his name is no and he will respond to ""no."" So you see how important it is for your first word to be the puppy's name.

There are a few things to keep in mind when naming your puppy. You need to take a little time, play and interact with him and get to know him before giving him a name. If he seems to vanish without a trace a good name might be Phantom. If he follows you everywhere, your might want to call him Buddy or Pal.

Keep your puppy's name to one or two syllables. King, Queen, Spike or Blue all good names for dogs. If you want something more modern, try Meeko, Simba, Nemo or Balto. These names are all chosen from animated movies. If you want a name that reflects your puppy's personality, watch him closely. Echo might be used for a dog that barks a lot, or seems to talk to you using voice noises. If your puppy runs constantly from one place to another very quickly, you might choose the name Flash, Dash or Yo-yo.

Whatever you do, never give your puppy a name that will embarrass you or cause trouble with the neighbors. Stupid or Dummy just doesn't sound good if you are outside calling your dog in a very loud voice.

Never give your puppy a name that will confuse him when you give commands. His name should never rhyme with sit, stay, fetch and other words that you will use to train him for obedience.

Research you dog's breed to give you clues on what to name him. If he is a northern dog, you might like to name him Yukon or Snow. If he is an Irish Wolf Hound, Danny or Lass might be appropriate. There are many names that can be derived from the breed of your dog.

Your puppy's name should never sound similar to that of any other member of your family. If your name is Fred, do not call your Irish setter, Red. Another thing to remember is that your puppy is going to grow into an adult dog. Give him a name that will grow with him. Baby might suit him if he's a miniature breed, but not if he's an Alaskan malamute or mastiff. Then again, maybe it does, if you think of your dog as your baby.

Keep the suggestions and tips in this article in mind when you are naming your puppy for a positive experience for both you and your puppy. If it takes a few days or a week to find a proper name, that is fine. It's better to take your time than to regret your decision later...

A popular source of classic names is DOGS IN LITERATURE & HOLLYWOOD , a study of our beloved heroic dogs from books and Hollywood, found on PUPPY DOGS INFO.

For more on dog names, training and care, as well as DOG-BREEDERS.BIZ and PET-SITTERS.BIZ, just Click on PUPPY DOGS INFO at www.puppy-dogs.info.

About the author: Brian Alan Burhoe is the author of many dog-related articles and short stories, such as WOLFBL OOD A Northwestern in the Jack London Tradition . Many of his articles are at PUPPY DOGS INFO at www.puppy-dogs.info. Or do an Author Search at GoArticles!