If you were getting a pup or dog when do you pick a name for them? Before they are born? Once they are born but before you visit them? After you have visited them? Once they have come home? If they already had a name picked by the breeder, or an adult that comes with a name from previous owner/rescue, have you ever kept that name or have you changed it? I am picking out a list of names for my future dog, got a list of proper serious names and a list of silly goofy names and I love them all right now.
I usually decide on a name before I have a dog although with Georgina, my Pei it didn't work out quite as expected. She was going to be called Pandora until the day I went to collect her and her breeder informed me her FCI registered name was Phanatic Hungary Georgina. She and one of her brothers had been named after Prince George who'd also been born that July. So she's Georgina and not Pandora!
It takes me a couple of days of having a pup to decide a name then one usually jumps out at me. With Rosie, it was easy. The day after we got her, we both said Rosie at the same time so that was it. She really is Rosie by name and rosy by nature
I had no intention of getting a puppy until I stupidly crossed the road "just to look at the puppies" they had. Brought my Little One home in my pocket, put her down to open the door and said "come into your new home Lexi". No idea why that name as although she had never had a name, she seemed to instinctively know that she was Lexi. Pereg was supposed to be Poppy but it was bucketing down and I was outside getting drenched saying "come on Poppy, make peepee for mommy" - which sounded so stupid that she was straight away called Pereg. It is actually the Ivrit for the flower Poppy but Pereg is the name used for poppy seeds for baking. I do not remember why I called the puppy I was given after I lost Pereg, Ziva, but she was only with me for 11 days and once it was known she would never be found and I wanted another puppy, I had given this, as yet unknown, puppy, the name Tikva - Hope. My hope being that nothing happened to her when she first came into my life.
I already had names for the hooligans [6 girl names & 6 boys names] but did change 2 of their names Dottie & Kobi K9 was already named by my Dr Who mad hubby Skye got her name a week or 2 after she came home [she was actually called Star by the breeder] But when he came to my previous dogs one went through lots of names until I got one that suited them, one of my Rottweiler that came into The Rescue Home was called Butch by his previous owner but he was a big softie so I ended up calling him Baby Another rescued Rottweiler I had, got his named changed from Tyson to Boss 2 of my GSD puppies was called Rebel & King for the first 5 weeks I had them but as soon as their personality started showing through I changed their name to Loki & Thor.
When I bred I always kept a list of snappy sounding names for my future picks. Sometimes there was a name which seemed to suit a particular puppy, more often it was just what appealed to me at that time. Though all my puppies had 'in the nest' names, it never caused any problems when their owners changed them, though a surprising number of people did keep those baby names. My two Lowchens came as adults from friends in the breed. One was bought in, the other was offered as a replacement for a puppy who was unable to digest his food. They both saw their original owners regularly, and kept their original names. The two Lurchers were genuine rescues. Mia was a starvation case, so a slight gentle name seemed appropriate. Tweed was a street dweller, rough, (in all senses), hairy, natural, a free spirit. I was then offered Eddie, who was a rescue hand-in called Snoopy, (done to death!). As this was intended to be my last dog, so I registered him under my affix as Final Edition - hence Eddie. However, as life was so quiet when Tweed passed, I thought another adult Beagle would be fun(?). Mary was the call name her breeders used, but I thought Merry suited her better. I don't think she can tell the difference.
When I applied to the UK KC for my Affix [I had already been accepted as a registered breeder] I had to offer six possible Affix names, with no guarantee any would be accepted. My mentor advised me not to put the one I really wanted down first, but of course I did. And to her surprise it was accepted. My main problem with the KC was when my Z girl did the impossible on her second [and final] breeding, and produced FIVE. Griffons do not produce five - her first litter was two, which was the norm. Three and you are lucky. So I had five puppies to register with the KC, all beginning with Z. Because. Four names were accepted but one was not because the spelling was one letter different to the Affix registered to another breeder. I only had to change one letter but as the pup had my Affix before her registered name, what difference would that one letter make?
I have both waited to name a pup until we brought him home (Copper, Greyhound/Lab mix) and named a pup before I got her (Jasmine, Golden Retriever). I guess it really depends on you and what you feel like or what strikes you as "right." Good luck!
It depends but I usually wait until I get them/after they are born, depending if I am getting them from someone else or from one of my own dogs. When getting an adult I might keep the name since the dog already knows that name, but it is not a must if i do not like it or want something else. Dog's can learn a new name.
I picked names first for my own two. When I got Inca 15yrs ago I knew I wanted a black dog and wanted to call it Inca. I hadn't decided on male or female but came back with a female.. She was originally called Jess so I changed it, but when she got old and I was getting another to be trained up I wanted a link back to her as she was going to help train him. It definitely had to be male this time... so decided he was going to be called Jesse-Jay (JJ or Jay for short) I hadn't decided on breed so took me 7 months to find him! ..I just knew I'd know when it was the right one and ended up with a Border Collie. As these two have turned out to be perfect for me I'm now a big believer in fate so no idea what my next dog might be, when it's going to arrive or whether it will be male or female but I'm sure it will be perfect (for me).
The breeder named my pup. I kept it. He was from the "H" litter - the 8th litter they've bred, so each pup had a name that started with H. He was called Hans from birth, I liked it, and felt no need to change it.
I usually decide a name long before they are born, i always have a long list of names that i fancy so i only have to pick one.
