How to name your dog? 6 tips for those who have trouble deciding
Choosing a name for your dog is a very important decision. Once given a name, it should stay with them until the end – changing the name is usually not advisable. Most owners want their pet's name to be unique, somehow associated with them and make their pet stand out from the crowd of Azores, Aces, Burkas and Maks. You still don't know, how to name your dog? We've got you covered 6 very good tips.
- The name should be short – it's a cliché, but many owners forget it. As a result, all Ferdinands become Ferdeks anyway, and Celestines – Goals. A dog, despite its sophisticated intelligence, is an animal that needs simple, matter-of-fact and short messages. The name is for him just such a message and signal that the owner expects his attention. There's really no point in inventing a complicated name for your dog that will simply not work in everyday situations.
- Choose a name that suits the character of your dog – it is easy to imagine the laughter of people seeing a small ratler called by its owner Brutal, right? This is an exaggerated example, but it captures well the mistakes people often make with their dogs. It is better not to expose your pet (and yourself) to ridicule by giving him a name that does not fit him at all.
- Choose a name that is easy to diminish – Life shows that owners give their dog a name and then call him something else anyway. This is classic proof of how easy it is to make a mistake. To avoid such a situation, it is good to give your dog a name, which can be easily diminished or at least shortened.
- Never give your dog a name that sounds like a command – this is of course about the most popular commands. Dog named e.g. Nem may later have a big problem with learning the command No! Therefore, choose a name that doesn't sound like Siad at all!, Leg!, To me!, Leave!, Lie!
- The name should fit the dog regardless of its age – for this reason it is better to avoid sweet names often given to puppies, like Nikuś, Maksiuś, Puszek, Łatka etc. Calling an old, ailing dog by that name is a bit frivolous. Again, we refer to the guiding principle of choosing a name that is as universal as possible.
- Maybe something related to a particular breed? – choosing a dog of a specific breed should not be a matter of chance. The owner must have read something about the breed beforehand, which can be a good hint when thinking of a name. It is worth to look into the history of the breed, its roots. Naming a German Shepherd Dog Maks is a perfect example: it is a short, universal name, and related to the origin of the breed.
The most important thing is not to try anything unnecessarily. The temptation to find an absolutely unique name for a dog is great, but such experiments rarely work.