What’s In A Name?

As we all know, getting a dog is a long-term commitment. There are vet appointments to be scheduled, daily walks to be taken, treats and toys to be purchased, and sacrifices to be made. On top of all this, we, as proud owners, also have to commit to a name for our pet that will last a lifetime. Choosing a name can be a difficult decision, especially if people are throwing out names left and right and you’re struggling to find one that sticks. Luckily, the great thing about naming a pet is that you can go a variety of routes with your choice, be it comical, dignified, traditional, noble… and your pet still won’t resent you for it. To help give you some direction while making this oh-so-critical decision, here are some categories you can chose from:

[tab_item title="The Dignified"]If from the moment you looked into you dog’s eyes you saw caviar and pate, you may be dealing with royalty. Adding titles like ‘Sir’ or ‘His Greatness’ to the beginning of a name (i.e. Sir Winston, His Greatness Earl) gives your a pooch a nice debonair introduction. If you’re looking for something a little subtler, try for a Charles, Penelope, Edward or Virginia, or most human names in their full form. It’ll be clear to everyone around (and all the neighborhood pups) that your dog is a prince among pooches, commanding respect wherever he or she goes.[/tab_item] [tab_item title="The Comical"]On the contrary, there are some down-to-earth Fido friends who prefer to spend their lives performing a continual stand-up act. My dog would fall into this category; always a little confused, getting way too excited about basically everything, running in his sleep, or barking at the television. This type of dog is a continual source of amusement, and has enough of a down-to-earth personality to laugh at themselves and champ it out when you pull out that silly Zelda Cave Dog outfit you bought her for Halloween. If your dog seems to be exhibiting signs of a total ham, you might want to lean towards names like Scooter, Pookie, Bumbles, or Mugsy. Close to anything goes in this category, just try not to be too harsh (‘Mr. McFatters’ might damage his self-esteem in front of the lady dogs).[/tab_item] [tab_item title="Traditional"]There’s a reason why certain pooch names have stuck around as long as they have. Simply put, some names just work, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it! Tried and true names like Spot, Ginger, Chester, Bella, Max and Duke all have nice noble sounds to them and look great printed on your dog’s collar. A solid, classic name can be the grounds to a great friendship between you and your four-legged companion.[/tab_item]

Ultimately, name selection is a highly personal decision made between you and your dog. My mom always said you couldn’t really know the name of something until you look directly into its eyes, and I think there’s some truth to that. If you’re calling your dog Sir Fluffington Mayweather Barkingsford III and he’s slobbering on your toes, you might want to readjust. Take the time to get to know your dog, have fun with it, and let their personality guide you to the right decision. Remember, once it sticks, it’s there for a lifetime!

Written by Rebecca Astheimer