I am adopting a beautiful little staffie cross, just finishing the final paperwork! She's going to fit with our family brilliantly and her and our westie get on great!
What I am wondering about is changing her name? Her pervious owners, who gave her up due to an allergy, called her cindy. I'm not particually found of the name, so will she adjust to a new name as well as a new home? The staff in the rescue centre say she will, but I just want this transition to be as easy as possible for her. She's young only 15 months old. Will she adjust?

I don't see a problem...my dogs answer to all kinds of names.My pup is called Frankie but gets called doodles,fat man and little s### regularly and will come to all of them(although I don't use the last one down the park !!LOL)
Archer

When we rescued Glazby his name was Bruce and his registered name was Scratch but he got used to the name change very quickly.  We practised loads in the house and the garden and whenever he came to his name or even looked in my direction when I called his name he got a treat.

Very food orientated is our Glazby and he had the whole name change thing sussed within a week!!  Its only now that he's developed selective hearing (generally when your calling him off of the bed)!!

I got Beano last year, and changed his name on the way home. Within an hour he was responding to Beano. So nope, you shouldnt have any problems.
HTH
Lea :)

Hi

Years ago we got a Tervueren from Belgian Rescue - his name was Amadaeus !!!!. No way were we going to be calling that down at the local park so we changed it to Amber - as he had a lovely tawney /red coat and we reckoned it was the nearest sounding name to his original one. He took about 2 days to respond to his new name ( food is a great incentive ) and although everyone thought that his name was a bit 'girly' it did suit him . He's gone now but he was a lovely boy and my first PAT dog.

Yvonne

Shouldnt be a problem....... a lot of rescue dogs names are new to them anyway.

Sometimes changing the name can help, as if the old name is the one the previous owners use, it could have been used inappropriately, causing the dog to link it to bad things (ie being called by his name and then hit etc).

My saluki x came to me called Gabby, which i didnt like, and didnt think suited her.
Now she is called Abby, and she answers to that fine (its so similar anyway i didnt think there would be a problem).

Even if you are changing the name to something totally unlike the original, so long as you couple the name with nice things, food etc, the dog will soon cotton on.

Em

Our older dog was being called Anakin Skywalker when we got him from Battersea :D Needless to say, we changed his name :D

Daisy

Hi there
congratulations on the new addition to your family! Hope you enjoy her and get much pleasure from her.  We adopted a 10 month old boxer some years ago and renamed him straight away.  He had no problems and his new name suited him much better.  Our vet also said people have a few pet names for their animals and its not a problem in his eyes.  I feel that fresh start, new home, new name is a nice clean break with an old life and a way of turning a corner for the dog.  Be positive and as long as you love her she won't mind what you call her1 Good Luck.

Well our rescue took a lab in called keegan today you can be sure his nme will be changed ;)

Keegan would be brilliant name for one of my dogs, being a City fan!  Problem would be what would I do when he gets sacked?! :)
But my rescue dog was called Ainsley and I can't stand Ainsley HArriot so it was soon changed to Tizer!  He will answer to anything, in the hope that there will be some food at the end of it! :D