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Advice Needed (changing An Adult/adoptee Dogs Name)


Kazhak
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I rescue dogs from the pound all the time and have no idea what their names were before usually.

I make a list of names I like and slowly read them to the dog and see what the dog responds to best!

At Christmas 2009, I took on a female JRT cross and the pound hadn't listed her name at all. She was through PAWS and so the paperwork was at the vet and I didn't see it.

I read her my list of names and she didn't seem to like any of them. A name popped into my head - "Heather" - I said that to her and she responded really well.

Some months later, I adopted her and received the paperwork - it turned out her original name was known and it was "Martha" - funny! :)

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My Dad has a dog called Krusty, she was named after the guys my dad got her off, but I think it suits her as she is such a clown - off the Simpsons :) . She is the only dog I have ever met that I totally wish was mine (besides my own).

I think when you get an older dog giving them a new name is great!!! To me it marks a new beginning for them, even if the name is nothing like the original. Having all rescue dogs I have only known the previous name of one of my dogs, sometimes still I yell it out - 3years on - just to see what her reaction is :o but honestly with this dog I could yell out anything and she would come.

If you work at it, changing the name is easy. Say the new name, then treat and repeat!

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We got our last dog when she was 10 months old,from the pound.As she was a stray she had no name.We named her Pippa and she responded within a couple of days to her new name.She also responded when my hubby called her dog,or my youngest called her woofy..Dogs are smart,he/she will catch on to a new name very fast.No need to worry.Enjoy your new dog.

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My Dad has a dog called Krusty, she was named after the guys my dad got her off, but I think it suits her as she is such a clown - off the Simpsons :) . She is the only dog I have ever met that I totally wish was mine (besides my own).

I think when you get an older dog giving them a new name is great!!! To me it marks a new beginning for them, even if the name is nothing like the original. Having all rescue dogs I have only known the previous name of one of my dogs, sometimes still I yell it out - 3years on - just to see what her reaction is :o but honestly with this dog I could yell out anything and she would come.

If you work at it, changing the name is easy. Say the new name, then treat and repeat!

Agreed, Zsa Zsa was 11 months old and called Greta when I got her. It took a day and she knew who Zsa Zsa was!! Treats and lots of praise and they soon work it out! :)

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I've also seen how quickly dogs, adopted as adults, learn to answer to a new name. And also a host of nicknames that soon follow. :)

I haven't always chosen a new name that rhymes or starts with the same sound. I've picked the new name because it suits the dog in some way. Like 'Chance' became 'Gracie' (golden blonde), 'Sunny' became 'Angel' (pretty, smiling face), 'Zena' became'Nina Zena' (too sweet to be a Warrior Princess!). But 'Annie' I've kept....she sure is a Golden Annie from Sweden (in her pedigree name). As others have said, just use the new name....& often they seem to 'get it' from day 1.

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Ok... Dusty

Rusty

Sorry not very inventive!

ok - so these were my two suggestions too. - especially Rusty

I also changed my girls name when I got her - but she was only 8 weeks old - and her original pet name hadn't been used that often, so it was very easy. I also had chosen one that was close to her name.

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Thanx everyone for all your advice, I was considering Rusty or Dusty, but neither are really very suitable either,

He does have Frost in his show name, but I don't like Frosty either :) I'm hoping that once I meet him in person something will come,

Would love something short but foriegn, I feel confident that he'll pick up a new name pretty quickly, just got to find something nice sounding is all, something that rolls off the tongue easily..

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Wait till he comes to see what suits him, i got an adult bully from a breeder, and didn't like her name, she didn't respond to it anyway.

I had a few names i liked before she arrived, but none suited her, took us a couple of days till we came up with a name she responded to. :D

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My first thought was to change it to Rusty.

Having said that I was always told it was bad luck to change a name of an animal. I always thought it was cogwash, changed a name of a dog I had and it got hit by a car and died. Wont do it again just in case!!!

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I changed both of my dogs names when I adopted them, one an adult and one a pup, but neither of them seemed to have any problems at all working out their new names. I just started using them as soon as they came home.

I don't think new names need to sound like the old names either, I mean Loki started out as Nazeem, and Bosco as Jamie, not much similar in any of those names :laugh:

Good luck, I'm sure something will come to mind :D

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The name Krusty is so awful! Nearly anything would be better than that!

I named my rescue dog "Digby" his first name was "Diesal" which I know is quite a popular dog name but I don't like it one bit.

But a while ago I looked up what the name Digby meant, and it means "town by a ditch" :( whooops.

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I have had lots of foster dogs most of them their name was unknown so they all got a new name and most of them started to respond to their new name within a week. I wouldnt worry to much he will adjust to a new name in no time

Beat me to it. :D :D Recently we had a foster that was called Bess for just over 2 weeks and she was responding to it. New owners renamed and as Enigma said she was responding in 2-3 days.

You could try something with an ie or y ending.

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Thanx everyone for all your advice, I was considering Rusty or Dusty, but neither are really very suitable either,

He does have Frost in his show name, but I don't like Frosty either :) I'm hoping that once I meet him in person something will come,

Would love something short but foriegn, I feel confident that he'll pick up a new name pretty quickly, just got to find something nice sounding is all, something that rolls off the tongue easily..

Chilli? Kind of goes with the frosty theme (chilly).

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Thanx everyone for all your advice, I was considering Rusty or Dusty, but neither are really very suitable either,

He does have Frost in his show name, but I don't like Frosty either :) I'm hoping that once I meet him in person something will come,

Would love something short but foriegn, I feel confident that he'll pick up a new name pretty quickly, just got to find something nice sounding is all, something that rolls off the tongue easily..

Chilli? Kind of goes with the frosty theme (chilly).

Chilli definitely has some serious potential.. :)

& Lokelani your dogs are very lucky they are both very cool names :)

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Honey was originally Morgan when we adopted her as a two year old.

The kids picked her name, Dolers gave the thumbs up and it took day or two before she came to it.

These days she responds more to OI. :laugh:

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