We get our GR puppy this Friday and finally we have a name for her. I was outnumbered with the name Poppy and the rest chose Fern. Since the dog is really my son's, he got final decision of a name that we all felt comfortable with calling. Only trouble is it seems the breeder doesn't like the name and has made suggestions with the letter she is using for this litter. She says that a dog responds better to a name with 2 sylabelles. Does it really matter? I am wondering if I am being over sensitive, trying to please everyone.

I think as its you homing the dog and forming a relationship with her , its your choice and not the breeders. My dog has a very short name less than two sylabuls (sp?). Whatever you call your dog he/she will learn to respond to that name whether its short or long

It's your dog, not the breeder's! The breeder has free rein with the registered name - you call your dog whatever you want to. A two-syllable name is certainly easier to call, but all the dogs I know respond to a variety of names (Murphy is also Murph; Piglet is also Mister Piggy-wiggy :o ; Molly answers to Mollikins, for example) and many working gundogs traditionally have single-syllable names, such as Spud, Mac, Tam etc. So call her whatever you want.
:)

I think first you should think about the names the breeder suggested, but if none of them appeal to you, then call her what you want.  After all she will be yours not the breeders. :)

Over here in Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, France, and most other countries (with the exception of Greece and Italy) it is common for the breeder to choose the call name and the registered name according to the letter of the litter.  Owners are usually given a choice between two names.  I had the choice between Tass and Tamino.  As I chose Tamino, his registered name is Tamino vom Grünigerwald.

I don't think it matters about the syllables. Tamino has three and so far he responds well to it.

Good luck with your new pup. :)

                                                                                                                                           Kate 

Glazby is shortened to Glaz which he responds to however he also responds to Wiggle-bum, Monster,  Nasher/Nash Bridges (when he nashes his teeth!!), Ronnie (Ronnie Barker when he barks!!), Pupsicle and Pupsey!!

I know - we're mad!!!  :-)

Its your puppy so you call it what you want to. I think the name Fern is lovely I might write that down for future puppy names. Anyway all dogs have nicknames as well, our Oliver used to be called "Piss off you little sod" (sorry for language Admin).

It is your dog and its "pet" name is entirely up to you!  As for dogs responding better to names with two syllables, hmmmm, I have never seen owners of WT/Obedience Champions who have one syllable names have any problems.......................... they appear to be fairly responsive to me

Your dog your choice of name.

Karen

It's your choice. I wouldn't worry either about how many syllables the name has. They respond anyway. My Lab, Bonnie has been called so many things in her 13 years by my kids and me. She responds to wiggle butt, Bonnie Belle, Bonnie Lass, Bonichka (Czech nickname...husband) My Chihuahua girl's name is Chulita (3 syllables, nickname, Chuli) and I make it even longer sometimes and call her Chulita Consuello Louisa Carmen and she still comes a runnin'. Jose is Jose Ole Miguel or just plain Boo boo.  LOL. Lyric is Lyric, sometimes Lyrical. They each lift their heads no matter what I call them. LOL.

So call your dog what you like and don't worry.

Carrie

Bosun will answer to all sorts of names, his favourite being 'here are' :-)

lol@ Debbie :D :D

Sorry if this is off subject or anything, but I'm curious! I have never heard of a breeder choosing the registered names of a dog. Why is it this way where you all live? I live in the United States and when I bought my husky, I chose her registered name and her pet name. Same with my husky boy, even though I was his breeder! :) Anyways, why is it that breeders get to choose the registered names of their puppies even though they aren't the one raising them?

That isn't strrictly correct, most breeders that show their dogs even in the USA will choose a name they prefer.  I think there is a box on the form where they tick to say their chice of name.

Many people who just breed for the Pet market can't be bothered with naming the pups and pups are sold without their full registration, or the new owners are given the digned form to register the name themselves.

In the UK we have to name the pups at the time we register the litter, and it is something most breeders take a great deal of time an dtrouble over, and most of these will have a kennel name, un UK called an affix, but in US more correctly called a Kennel prefix.

I part own a dog bred in the USA and his breeder most definately chose his name, though she did ask us which we prefered on her shortlist.

Most breeders use a theme or letter of the alphabet for their litters.

For example all mine are one word after the afix,a nd these are Polish words, of that particular letter of the alphabet.

Some people don't put any choice of name for pups, but these are usually those who take little care in their breeding, and are likely to be purely commercial.  It is like allowing someone else to naem your children.

Well put Brainless. :)

Our Gordon is from an American kennel and we chose both her kennel name and her call name.  But before we got her we were looking at Flatcoats, and had we gotten a pup from the breeder we were considering, she would have chosen the kennel name according to a theme and we would have been allowed to chose the call name.

I don't know how it's done in other countries, but in Switzerland the breeder registers the puppies like in the UK and over here they like a bit of conformity. Most breeders first litter is called her(or his) A-litter, that means all the puppies names start with A, the next litter is the B-litter, and so on until they get to Z, then they start over again.

It all depends on the breeder.

Thanks for all your feedback. I think we are going to stick with the name Fern and the breeder will go ahead with the kennel name, this litter beginning with the letter "i". We get her on Friday so we will soon see if she suits the name! Can't wait!

Well I suppose the breeercould call her "InFERNal" ;)

Yes I too thought of that - as in din, racket. Also InFERNo but I didn't think that would be the kind of name that she wanted.

Well my boys name is Anton but he prefers to be called Ickle Man!!  Well what can I say, he's as mad as his owner :d

Ragdoll mum.
I love the name Fern, but I am biased!!!!!!!
I had an ex racing grey hound called Fern. I only had her 18 months before I had to have her put down 7 years ago. But will always rememeber the name Fern with fondest memories.
Choose the name you want. The breeder shouldnt expect you to have a pet name they chose. Even when you get an older dog from a breeder, they realise you will change their name. Peter is now Beano. 
Hope you work things out.
Lea :)

My girl is called Benson but answers to Benny Boo, BeeBop, BennyPenny, Benny, B, Mighty, and most bizarrely Williamson!

we have given our litter temporary names, all from my 3 year olds favourite programmes:
we have: leonardo,donatello,raphael &michaelangelo for the lads and casey,ruby,terra,raven,april, & starfire for the lasses!! im pretty sure no-one will keep any of those names, but its easier for us to talk about each pup rather than call it boy with blue mark on tail etc etc.

i wouldnt expect anyone to keep the names we have given, and we try to let people choose the kc name too, or try to include their chosen pet name in it

chel n the harrjak pack

As I said before maybe I was being too sensitive. Perhaps the breeder, like Chel above, was trying to include us in the choosing of the names, only our choice wasn't good when the initial being used for this litter is"i".

Anyway we pick her up this evening. Must admit to being rather excited. Just over 17 hours to go!!

That is interesting as I sourced a Boston Terrier pup 5 or 6 years ago from a well known UK breeder.  These days most pups are registered very soon after it is obvious they will survive, as people want their documentation when they pups are picked up.  Also I think the KC code of ethics actually says that documents should be available for new owners when they pick up.

A lot of older breeders used to wait a lot longer to name their pups, wanting the name to fit the character, but of course the new owner had to trust them to actually register them!

My friends pet name is Max (after Mad max) and the breeder was happy to register him as Apposyte maxamillion.

Well we collected our little golden retriever puppy last evening and we think she is gorgeous (of course!). We have named her Fern. The breeder was lovely and was calling our pup Fern while we were at her house, so I guess I was worrying unecessarily.
Thanks for all your help /advice.