What’s in a name?
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The excitement of adopting a new family member is infectious and there’s a lot that goes into preparing for your new arrival. One of the fun but very important decisions for everyone to agree on is the name for your new pet.
Because your new best friend will be with you for many years to come, naming a pet is an important decision and deserves careful thought. Before giving your dog a name you should consider a number of factors:
• If you are adopting an older dog that already has a name that you wish to change, try to come up with a name with a similar sound. For instance, Fannie can become Annie, but not Sugar as it is a very different sound.
• Dogs hear higher frequency sounds best as they tend to be sharper to their ears, so when we want to get their attention this is one factor to consider. Names starting with “s,” “ch” and “k” tend to get their attention. At the end of the name, vowel sounds work well, such as a long “e” or short “a.”
• Think about how a name will fit into your family, lifestyle and training. A names that sound similar to commands may confuse a pet: Did you just call “Bit,” or ask for the pet to “sit”?
• Remember, you will be calling your dog in public areas, so make sure you feel comfortable with the name you will be calling. The most popular dog names for a number of years include Max, Buddy, Charlie and Jack for males; Bella, Lucy, Daisy and Molly for females. How many other people at the dog park may be calling the same name?
• Once you know you have a new pet coming, try out a few names for a couple of days and see which sticks with you. Or wait until your pet arrives and see what seems to fit its personality and appearance.
So that is all about dogs, but much of these factors can also be applied to choosing a name for your new cat. Of course, be prepared for the fact that your cat will look at you like you are from another planet and just walk away.
