Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Original poster

Did you change your rescue dogs name?

71 replies

hillyhilly · 03/09/2016 16:18

How confusing would it be for a dog to get used to a new name? Did you choose a similar sounding one of it was different?

OP posts:
KoalaDownUnder · 03/09/2016 16:21

No, but only because I liked it. The rescue organisation was surprised - they thought it was a bit naff!

It's my understanding that dogs get used to a new name easily, though.

2legit2knit · 03/09/2016 16:22

Yep, both times. Although, first dog was a stray and had only had her rescue name a few weeks and second dog was a puppy who had had at least two names already!

Bubble2bubble · 03/09/2016 16:25

Not confusing at all for them. It's the tone of voice & body language that makes them want to come to you, not the name :)
Most people with dogs have a few different names or nicknames for them - it all works.

CalmItKermitt · 03/09/2016 16:28

It's just sounds. Associate their new name with nice things and they'll soon learn.

If they're really responsive to their old name then you can spend a few days using new name followed by old name but they soon learn anyway.

IfTheCapFitsWearIt · 03/09/2016 16:30

No but I knew in her past she'd been loved. I may have if she'd had a troubled past or unknown.

MackerelOfFact · 03/09/2016 16:31

I posted the same thing a year or so ago. I was worried that a name change on top of everything else would be too confusing and overwhelming for the dog, but no, it was totally fine.

In fact ours pretty much picked her own name - we were testing out some potential names for call-ability and there was one she responded to right away, so we used that!

chough · 03/09/2016 17:49

OP, as a PP said, perhaps it depends on how long the dog has had that name, eg if it's been found as a stray and named only recently by kennel staff.
But I think what's important to the rescue dog is coming home to a loving family, no matter what its name.

mollie123 · 03/09/2016 17:50

yes - easily done after a few repeats (with rewards)
just tone of voice as dogs are really not that 'clever'

gettingtherequickly · 03/09/2016 17:52

Yes for 2 out of 3, one I didn't because I really liked the name.

SharingMichelle · 03/09/2016 17:52

No. But only because we stayed in touch with her previous family and i thought it seemed a bit rude to change it.

We changed our rescue cat's name twice.

Greyhorses · 03/09/2016 17:56

We didn't as he knew it and responded whenever i said it, he even looks up if you say his name in conversation. I wouldn't have chosen it but ive got used to it.

paddypants13 · 03/09/2016 18:01

Not my dogs' names no but they were all nice names anyway.

We changed the cat's name though and she responds to it. I'm surd if a haughty cat will respond to a name change a dog will be just fine.

PUGaLUGS · 03/09/2016 18:05

Yes I did. She was 17 months old when we got her and quickly adapted to her new name,

PUGaLUGS · 03/09/2016 18:06

And no her new name sounded nothing like her old one.

WatchingFromTheWings · 03/09/2016 18:09

We currently have our second rescue. Changed names both times as the original names were naff! Only took 3 or 4 days for them to get used to it.

EasyToEatTiger · 03/09/2016 18:24

We've changed quite a lot of our rescue dogs' names. I think sometimes it's a good thing. Away from whatever led them to rescue, away from the rescue and into safety. I don't think a dog really minds. We are known by different names at different times in our lives too.

GinIsIn · 03/09/2016 18:30

God yes - ours was a 'designer dog' that had been bought as a Christmas puppy for spoilt children. Aside from the horrific neglect, abuse and general fuckwittery they also saddled her with the moniker 'Chardonnay Star' Hmm We changed it to something completely different. Once dog stopped nearly dying, I think it took her about a day to recognise her new name!

Floralnomad · 03/09/2016 20:36

We changed ours , he was an abandoned puppy from Battersea and he had only had the name a week , we used it as one of his middle names .

TheoriginalLEM · 03/09/2016 20:40

rescue dog we krpt his name as he had "issues" so a change of nsme seemed too much for him to deal with.

Dog 2 was only 6m old and thankfully issue free and we changed it - poor thing was called gollum ffs.

ArmyInRed · 04/09/2016 20:57

We kept ours because it really suits her. If we hadnt liked it we would have changed it.

SauvignonBlanche · 04/09/2016 21:01

I wanted to as the name the rescue had chosen was the same as a previous dog but it didn't seem right - stupid really.

CreepingDogFart · 04/09/2016 21:37

Mine isn't a rescue but the lady over the road has a rescue and when she got her, the name was really aggressive- think Gunshot or Bullet- that sort of name. Anyway she found a lovely name that rhymed with it and the dog responds to the new name.

ShortyShortLegs · 05/09/2016 00:26

Our first was called Mark which we didn't like so changed it to Spud....he was a puppy and only been in kennels a week so it was fine.
Our second was called Teddy, he is an older dog at 9 so we decided it would be best to keep his name, but as it turned out he has doggy dementia and hasn't clue what his name is/that he is a dog/that he is supposed to come when called/etc......we call him King Edward!
Our third was Lulu, we changed hers to Chippie and she is so bright she picked it up on her first day, despite still recovering from her spay.

CatchingBabies · 05/09/2016 00:29

I did. He was a 4 year old rottie named Rocky, wanted something less aggressive sounding. Adapted with no issues and answered to his name name within days.

WatcherOfTheNight · 05/09/2016 00:49

Yes but he was only a pup, I wasn't standing in the park shouting " J@yz€€ !!!