I met a man today, dogwalking.
He had a 7 year old poodle, castrated male.
He'd had it for a week, a lovely attentive bright loooking little dog,the gentleman said he had'nt decided what to call him as he wasn't keen on his name.
I wasn't sure how to react to that.....I wondered if it would have been better to shorten it or something, not sure I'd be happy to have my dogs answering to something new after 7 years?
What do you think of this.

Karen

7 years definately too old. A dog will become confused if you try to teach a different signal for a command it has already mastered. After all a dogs name is simply a command for ' I want your attention'. We had the same problems with a horse, I didn't like his name but decided to stick with it anyway, and you know you get used to it. The animal becomes the name after a while then you can't imagine it any other way. If this man is intent on changing this animals name it is best to shortern it.

Not a problem. Stray dogs in rescue kennels are given random names and respond to them very quickly. When you remember the threads on here about how many disparate names we call our own dogs by, another new one is nothing!

I rescued a bitch & had no idea of her name, the vets reckoned she was between 7 & 10 years of age. I gave her a name & within a couple of days she was responding to it

no, my aunt is a dog behaviourist, she says every time you rehome a dog you change the name regardless to if you like the name.
it will remove any assosiations with the name, and create a greater bond with teh new owner and the dog, the more different the name the better.

there is an episode of 'dog boastal' were they tell a woman to change the name of her rescue dog. i beleive teh dog was called 'terry' and she changed it to 'tally', but i could be completely wrong.  Mik said she hadnt changed it enough it should be competely different.

it just make teh dog your own. i dont know about every breeder, but a few i know give their puppies names, and the pups go off to get new names.

LOL

Dogs are bright enough to quickly learn a new name ;)  all you need is

1. New name
2. Tasty dog treats - not just gravy bones (= toast :( )  think smelly, think tasty!  Garlic Sausage is good if cut up tiny

Use name and when dog looks - treat! :-D Job done!   You can then train your new dog to recall very quickly :-D

My dogs know each other's names - and will give me a pained look if I use the wrong name   even if I have cheese!

all my dogs come to differnt nicknames anyway, dudley has around 5 nicknames

No problem at all -if anything a new name will mark a new beginning and if the old home held any bad experiences, so much better to ditch the name. I've done it with a 9 year old, a 10 year old, an approximately 5 year old (don't know age) and a 9 month old. They very quickly learn their new name. Let's face it, with many rescues you won't know what their name was anyway. :)

I wonder if it is people who find it difficult to learn the new signal not the dogs. I rehomed a dog a few months ago. I have known her since she was a pup. I told her former owner I would have to change her name as it was Darcy and I already had a Daisy. 6 months on and Darcy is still called Darcy as I cannot get used to calling her anything else.
Well actually whether I call Daisy or Darcy the both come running along with Casey who doesn't seem to distinguish between Casey and Daisy!

Thanks all!
It was a fleeting....oooh eeer....moment, of course it will be fine.
It must have been reading the 'tear jerker' on an other thread that did it.  :)

Karen