Is It Right To Change A 7 Yr Old Dogs Name?

[Chocolate]

Hi, I've recently helped rehome an almost 7 yr old dog and a bit shocked when the new owners announced they were going to change the dogs name. What's your opinion?

Edited March 7, 2010 by Chocolate

[Are You Serious Jo]

A name is only a cue to the dog. I am sure that a lot of dogs respond to any sound the owner makes and come running. Mine do, their name only serves to alert them I am around or I want their attention. I get the same response whether I call out hey Boz or hey dumdum. Dog will easily learn a new name, so it's not wrong or cruel.

[Erny]

I don't think the dog will mind - they aren't sentimental like we are. A name for a dog is only a command for attention. It would be similar to changing the command "drop" to "down", for example. The new owners will just have that bit more work to do. If they train it right, it might even be better as often owners use their dogs' names far to frequently without any expectation for anything, and then wonder why the dog takes no notice when it is interested in other things.

Edited March 7, 2010 by Erny

[Dogsfevr]

all our older dogs rehomed have maintained there names,some of the younger have chnaged.

i dont have that much of an issue but we do explain to the owners that if they decide to change the name they must ensure the dog learns it sooner than latter especialliy if for any reason it was offleash & bolted .

If something unforseen happens & the name change is is still early to use the old one for a response.

Some people give weird names so no biggy in changing although we do suggest something similiar in sound if possible

This is solely in the case of a dog that has its name known,

rescues & the likes obviously adapt well

Edited March 7, 2010 by showdog

[Faolmor]

Agree with jdavis. A name doesn't mean anything to a dog other than a sound they hear regularly. They don't use it to identify or represent themselves. Only humans are sentimental about names

[Daisy]

As a rescuer, I rarely ever know what the dogs name has been before it comes to me. They learn a new name pretty quickly, and don't seem at all upset

Edited March 7, 2010 by Daisy

[Loraine]

I don't think it matters much. I have, in the past, rescued a 5 yr old from a pount and had to give him a name. In no time at all he was coming to me when I called either him or the cat I think they get used to the tone of your voice. I renamed my current dog and he was two years old. I just did not like the name he came with

[whippets]

Nothing wrong with changing the name.

I was listening to a farmer who specialises in training sheep herders. When the dog stops responding to the cue (it's name) the trainer changes the dogs name. He said a dog could have 3 name changes in a year. I was quite fascinated by that.

[mita]

Hi, I've recently helped rehome an almost 7 yr old dog and a bit shocked when the new owners announced they were going to change the dogs name. What's your opinion?

I adopted an 8 yr old tibbie & changed her call name from Chance to Gracie. She seemed to twig straight away when I was calling her. As a pet, she got lots of attention with her new name....which gave heaps of reinforcement for it to stick.

Later I adopted a 7 yr old tibbie, named Zena...but she was no warrior princess! Very sweet & gentle. But Zena was part of her pedigree name....& special to the breeder who owned her. So I tacked Nina on the front....& she became NinaZena. She answers to Nina or Zena or NinaZena.

Recently adopted another adult tibbie girl....call name Annie. But it suits her perfectly, she's blonde & was born in Sweden.

[dee lee]

Consider all the strays with unknown names that end up in a pound and then are adopted out - they learn easily enough.

We changed Honey's name when she came to us (she was nearly 3)- from day one she came to anything we called her and even now even when I call the cat she comes.

[sas]

Hi, I've recently helped rehome an almost 7 yr old dog and a bit shocked when the new owners announced they were going to change the dogs name. What's your opinion?

I've fostered older dogs before and the change of name has never been an issue. In cases a new name can move a dog forward as well if there have been not so good things attached to that name.

We really don't give dogs enough credit....a name change is basic stuff.

[newfsie]

We took in a seven year old rescue, her name was "Savage"......She was a gorgeous GSD, we renamed her Lobo. She instantly knew it was her name. It is like calling a stranger dog, Puppy. If they like the sound, they listen.

We also had a rescue newf called Zuess...........We changed his name to Zacky, it jus happened. My friends dog was called Zuess and Zacky never listened when we called him. But he listened to Zacky.

[blacklabrador]

I changed the name of a 7 year old dog because her name was the same as a family member.

I don't think it affected her at all - my dogs all have several nicknames and I think they know that I am talking to them by my tone of voice more than anything.

[Scarlet]

As a rescuer, I rarely ever know what the dogs name has been before it comes to me. They learn a new name pretty quickly, and don't seem at all upset

When I was a carer I found this was true.

If the name change is associated with "nice" things like cuddles and food it works even faster

[KismetKat]

My sister took on an older dog via rescue whose name was "Cookie" - there was NO way she could live with that. He was renamed "Oscar" and quickly adapted to it. I think he was 5 or 6 when she got him.

[KristenLovesLabs]

I just adopted a 9 year old lab, changed his name and he was coming to it within 3 hours.

[Golden Rules]

I just adopted a 9 year old lab, changed his name and he was coming to it within 3 hours.

And he's just lovely Kristen, a beautiful, gentle old fella

[doit4thedogz]

as far as they know. their name is just a sound their owner makes when they are gonna be given attention, food, love, tummy rub etcc.

[Whipitgood]

I took on a 10 year old rescue, her name was Cindy which i thought was horrid, so changed it to Lilly! She wasnt phased at all, but it did sound the same i guess.

[Skruffy n Flea]

we adopted byron in october last year ... he'd had that name for the 10 months he was in rescue and while i wasn't at all keen on it and tried to change it, i found he responded less and less to me...

the day i reverted to his rescue name he responded immediately and altho he still struggles with his training, he at least knows 'on ya mat', sit, drop and shake

it depends on the dog i reckon...

take it as it comes