7 Puppy Naming Tips

You've picked out the perfect puppy. You spent hours on the internet, researching the right breed for you and your family. Then you went from breeder to breeder or humane society to humane society, meeting and greeting pups until you find just the right match.

Now what? He needs a name!

Over the course of its life, you will use your dog's name more than 35,000 times. So be sure you're picking a name you can live with and love.

With these seven simple steps, the key to finding the perfect puppy name is at your fingertips!

• Dogs understand short commands. Easy names with two or fewer syllables work well.
• Your puppy's name shouldn't sound like any commands. "Stacy" and "stay" are too close for comfort. Such a name will only confuse the issue.
• Remember, you'll be using your pup's name in public. "Boner" may be cute among your fellow fraternity members, but it won't go over well at the veterinarian.
• Make your kids part of the decision process. Kids like it simple, too, so if calling your Champion Cavalier King Spaniel "Bootsie" works for them, consider keeping the hoity toity name strictly for AKC purposes.
• You may think it's an honor to name your pup after you're favorite Uncle Norbert. Naming your baby after him may keep you in the will, but naming your puppy after him won't.
• If you're bringing home an older dog, ideally, stick with the name it already owns. Can't stand it because "Barney" was the first boy who broke your heart? Then stick with similar sounds when choosing a new dog name. "Barney" morphs into "Farley" easily.
• Once you've chosen a name, try it out for a day or so. You'll know right away whether it's a keeper. If not, there's always more puppy names on your list!

Take a look around you. Everywhere you are, you'll find a variety of terrific ideas on what to name your pooch.

At first glance, a couple things will stand out about your new puppy. Enjoy him or her for a day or two and take these into consideration.

• Appearance. What's your dog look like? His color, size, and personal style inspires a variety of name choices. "Stubbs" would be a great name for a dachshund pup. Or you may call a cream colored cock-a-poo "Buffy."
• Personality. Given a couple of days, your new dog's personality will really shine through. Try "Cuddles" for the sweet little guy who loves to get cozy or "Puddles" for the pooch who can't seem to find the doggie door.

If you want to go beyond the basics, many famous dog names or foreign dog names can fit the bill. Consider these favorite puppy names when making your decision.

• Celebrity puppy names. Today, pooches have more celebrity following than their famous owners. Chew on "Lola," a name used by both Hilary Duff and the Osbournes.
• TV dogs. "Scooby" and "Astro" come to mind if you want to honor a famous TV pup.
• Movie dogs. Cool movies and cool dog names seem to go hand in hand. Cool Hand Luke's "Blue" would be a fitting label for a variety of dogs. Or try "Bodie," from the weeper Steel Magnolias.
• Comic dogs. "Snoopy" will always be a favorite, but also consider "Daisy" or "Odie."
• German dog names. For starters, try out "Fritz" or "Kaiser."
• Irish dog names. "Finn" fits well for any pup, as does "Murphy," which just happens to mean "hound of the sea."
• French puppy names. "Pierre" and "Gigi" are top contenders for any dog, especially those with a little oo-la-la in their genes.

The choices are endless. However, with these simple tips and some thought, before long, you'll have found the perfect puppy name!

Want to find a puppy name? The author, Jennifer McVey, uses her free time searching for common and not-so-common names for your canine friends. As webmistress of http://www.favorite-puppy-names.com, she delivers a comprehensive dogs name list along with great naming tips to help make the puppy naming process easy and fun!

---

A Guide to Bird Cage Covers

As much as you love the sound of your new... Read More

Does Your Dog Bite? How to Protect Your Dog and Yourself from Liability

MuttShack Foundation for Animal Foster and Rescue, claim that dogs... Read More

Why the Heck Would You Have a Pet Snake (or lizard, crocodile, monitor, frog, turtle etc)?

This is a question that has been asked of me... Read More

How to Housebreak Your Dog or Puppy

Dogs are creatures of habit; and once they develop a... Read More

Frustrated Over High Veterinarian Bills?

Over the past 30 years we have learned so much... Read More

How to Choose a Pet

Did you know that pets outnumber people in the United... Read More

Can Cats And Dogs Live Together As Friends?

Can cats and dogs live together without constantly being at... Read More

Fur Isnt Such a Good Sunscreen

You might think the most important bit of dog health... Read More

Immune System Booster for Your Pets

Many chronic diseases commonly seen in pets result from immune... Read More

Horse Care & Training Tips

Do you own a horse? If so, then you have... Read More

Dogs And Their Allergies

A former coworker has a dog that had begun itching... Read More

Train Your Buddy To ?Walk? & ?Dance? - Warning: Not All Dogs Can Do It!

Standing and walking on the hind legs are tricks that... Read More

Caring for Your Dogs Teeth

A dog, like a human baby, experiences the world through... Read More

Do They Really Need a Dog Bed?

When Lucky was starting to show signs of aging, we... Read More

Got Fleas?

Author of Keep Fleas OffStill using all the chemicals you... Read More

Take that Junk out of your Trunk

Your local grocery store is chock full of food and... Read More

Dog House Training: Straightforward Advice

Making sure that accidents don't happen in the first place... Read More

7 Good Reasons to Have Your Cat Spayed or Neutered

Every year, many cat owners decide to get their cat... Read More

Cancer and Your Pet

Just say the word cancer and any of a host... Read More

Are Westhighland Terriers the Right Dogs for You?

You can look at westhighland terriers and know if it... Read More

Crate Training Your Puppy or Dog

Introducing your puppy to the crate should be an easy... Read More

Why Build Your Own Reptile Cage?

When I first started my interest in reptiles I was... Read More

Dealing with a Dog Food Allergy?

Just as humans allergies can show up as a sneeze... Read More

The Artful Dog Shopper

I am a dog lover by nature. I have just... Read More

Dog Obedience Training Basics

The most important things in dog training are consistency, keeping... Read More

The Geriatric (Older) Dog

Dogs mature and age at much different rates, usually according... Read More

How to Increase Your Fishkeeping Fun

Do you really get the fullest amount of enjoyment out... Read More

Clipper Experiments: A Tail in Two Parts

Poor Dog. Subjected to my most ambitious experiments, she still... Read More

Natural Horsemanship Patientis: The 4th Of 6 Keys To Developing A Partnership With Your Horse

The 4th Of 6 Keys To Building A Life Long... Read More

How to Buy a Purebred Dog

If you decide you want a purebred, make sure it's... Read More

Choose a Vet Who Cares About Your Pet!

Lots of folks are picky about their vet, and for... Read More

How to Build a Dog House for Your Puppy

So you'd like to know how to build a dog... Read More

Things You Should Never Feed Your Dog

Sadly, there are several household items which we tend to... Read More