How to choose your dogs name

When you’ve finally found your ideal dog, it’s time to give him a name. Choosing a name for your new dog can a lot of fun, but watch out! Before you decide on a name for your pup you should think about the following points.

Make it friendly

You don’t want to give your dog a bad reputation! Try not to choose a name which comes across as aggressive or violent; you want your dog to be seen as a friendly, happy dog rather than a scary one.

Make it meaningful

It’s a nice idea to choose a name which has special significance to you and your family. Perhaps the dog will be named after your favourite place, for example. By giving the dog’s name some meaning you will tend to say it in a positive tone of voice, which will help you have a close bond with your dog.

Be sensible

If you have children, letting them choose the name on their own may not be a good idea. You want to choose a name you won’t be embarrassed to shout out in the park in front of strangers, so try to stay away from anything too silly or twee.

Choose something catchy

When it comes to making commands or trying to get your dog’s attention, you need a name which is short and catchy so that your dog recognises it quickly and can be responsive. Long winded names will inevitably get shortened after a while, so save some time and pick a short and snappy name from the get go.

Be positive

Just as you shouldn’t choose an aggressive name as it will affect how people treat the dog, if you choose a positive name then people will be more likely to be fond of the dog and treat it in a positive manner.

If you need ideas for names for your new dog, then there are plenty of places you can search for inspiration. Think about your favourite places, or look towards fictional characters for help – films, books, plays and music are all bursting with excellent names which would suit a dog perfectly. Words from nature are popular as they have a sense of romanticism, for example Star and River.