by Vicki Brown

Created on: July 12, 2009   Last Updated: July 13, 2009

It's usually best to name your dog after you have brought him home. You need time to get to know him. Does he have any odd quirks? Anything unusual about his coat? Is he a happy bouncy dog or more laid back? I use "he" and "him" because it's easier and him/her looks odd.

Often people incorporate the name of the kennel into the dog's registered name if he will be registered with the AKC. My Westie came from Mary Woods kennel and his sire's name was "Woodjabe my Buster King". My dogs name is "Woodjabe my Bugsy". We just call him Bugsy or sometimes woodjabe.

When I brought Bugsy home, I had no idea what I would name him. The three dogs we had had when the kids were growing up were Basil, a Bassett hound, Bandit, a golden retriever, and Bo, a terrier mix. All boys, all B names. Did I want to stick with the B thing? I tried several B names, Barney, Bear, Bixby, and even some non-B names but nothing fit him. Then my kids came home from college for the weekend to see the new puppy. We were talking and the puppy was playing with our shoestrings. My son was talking about a paper he wrote and somehow the name "Bugsy" came up. We looked down and said "Bugsy"! He looked up at us like it had been his name and we just had to discover it.

I read a report that said dogs are being given people names rather than names like "Fido" or "Rover". Have you ever met a dog named Fido or Rover? This probably reflects the part dogs play in our lives. They're more than pets. They're part of the family. People take their dogs everywhere.

When you are considering a name, picture yourself calling your dog using that name. Is it too long? Do you feel embarrassed saying it loud enough for your dog to hear it? I've read that you shouldn't give a dog a name that rhymes with "no". It will confuse the dog. But, we had a dog named Bo and he seemed to understand the difference between his name and a command. Dogs understand your tone of voice more than the actual word.

Consider your dogs size and build. A Bassett hound named Shaq or Shrek would be silly. Bassett's need a name with dignity like Basil. The dictionary is a good source for names as is a baby name book.

Remember that the name you choose will be used in many different situations. Does it rhyme with anything you wouldn't want people to think your saying? Does the dog learn the name quickly? Say the name to your dog and watch his reaction. How does it sound to you? It's a lot like naming a child. The goal is to find a name that fits

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