Choosing a name for your dog

After going through the many hurdles to prepare for a dog, it is surely an exciting time when the dog finally arrives home. Everyone wants to play with them and get to welcome the new visitor. One thing that is also important to learn of is the name to choose for the dog. The choice of dog name is quite important, as it to a large extent shows the type of dog owner that you are. Some names might be appropriate for you to use indoors but when you go out to the public, you might feel embarrassed calling out the dog. 

Choosing a dog name is not as easy as it may seem. It is important to factor in several ideas so as to select the most ideal name. If you choose an ideal name that is quite common, it is highly possible that you might run into several other dogs with the same name while you are out in the public.

For the best results, ensure you go for a participatory approach when choosing the name of a dog. If the dog will be a family dog, seek input from everyone to ensure that there is consensus when the final name is chosen.

Having chosen a name, do take care when you are changing a dog’s name especially when its older. If a name must be changed for an older dog, the vowel sounds ought to be the same.  The consonants can change. The dog picks up vowel sounds easier than consonant sounds. After selecting the agreed upon dog name, do test it for a day and see the response of the dog.

It is advisable to make use of positive reinforcement whenever they respond positively to the name chosen being called out. This reinforcement can come in form or a hug, positive words or even a treat. This indicates to the dog that you are really happy and they work hard to be keen to listen to you whenever you speak.

Also, make sure the name chosen for the dog is not among the list of commands that you expect to teach it.  If you choose commands as a name for the dog such as ‘sit’ or ‘come’, confusion will reign over the dog as it will not understand on whether you need to have the action performed or you are calling it.

Your choice of name can depend on the sex of the dog. Among the most common male names for a dog include:

Bailey, Bear, Buddy, Buster, Charlie, Cody, Cooper, Duke, Harley, Jack, Jake, Lucky, Max, Murphy,Oliver, Riley, Rocky, Sam, Ticker, Toby.

On the other hand, there are numerous names for a female dog that you can try and choose from. Among the names that are included as the most popular fro the female dogs include:

Molly, Bella, Lucy, Maggie, Daisy, Sadie, Chloe, Sophie, Bailey, Zoe, Lola, Abby, Ginger, Roxy, Gracie, Coco, Sasha, Lily, Sam, Princess

You can also base the name of a dog based on a particular time, such as the day they were born or out of something they did. It all lies on what you feel most comfortable using. As earlier indicated, you can choose on the name that you feel that grows on you best after a day of use. Other ideas that you can use to choose a dog name include the appearance of the dog, personality, dogs in movies, sports teams and players and names you personally love.

How to choose a dog?

Owning a dog is one of the simple things done in life and it can help you grow as you forge a bond with the dog. In as much as selection of a dog comes to play, you must realize that choosing the right dog can help you enjoy an amazing time. Before deciding on the dog to have, it is important to have some essentials checked to ensure that you lay a road that you will enjoy.

First off, you must choose a dog that you love, from the first impression you get. The dog that warms your heart most will in most cases be the best fit for you. Choosing a dog because of its traits and not necessarily a dog that you love is not a guaranteed method that you will love the dog. To get the best dog possible, take a few hours learning about the dog before settling on a final choice.

The health of the dog is also of paramount importance. Ensure that the dog has a checkup from the vet prior to taking them home. The importance of a checkup cannot be downplayed as it helps reveal any preexisting health conditions that it may have and the general status of health.

Another important parameter that you ought to learn about the dog is the history. Where is the dog from? How old is it? When were the last vaccinations done? How many times has it given birth? The more details you are able to gather about a dog, the higher the probability that you get to have an amazing relationship with the dog and understand it better.  If you are dealing with a puppy from a litter, the general history of the litter should suffice to give you an indication of what is required.

Before settling on the dog of choice, it is advisable to use your senses to make a determination on whether the choice is right or not. Some of the things that you ought to note is the temperament. An overly aggressive dog might be cumbersome if you are looking for a house dog. It is also advisable to check if there is any discharge coming off the nose or eyes.

The coat of the dog ought to be smooth with no scales on the skin. Hair shedding if any should be at a minimal. Also, a healthy dog would have a shiny looking hair coat, not one that is dull. External parasites such as fleas and ticks are also not desirable in a dog. Body odor should not be present in the dog. A body odor could point to a dog that has not had a wash for some time or a dog having a bacterial or even fungal infection. Bring to the attention of the vet any wheezing or coughing sounds as this could point to a pre-existing disease in the body. It is important to note that the heart beat of a puppy will normally be faster than that of an adult so if you note it, it is a sign that the puppy is in good health.

A dog’s behavior can also tell you if it is well. Among the warning signs that you should look out for include the gait of the dog. Different dogs have different gaits, so it is advisable to check on the actual gait for the specific breed of dog required. Other pointers to an impending problem include:

- Walking with a limp

- Lack of appetite

- Excessive aggressiveness

- Bleeding

- Constantly going round in circles

Having checked and verified that the dog passes through the mentioned steps, go ahead and choose the one that most appeals to you and your needs. Do make sure to continue their diet for a while, rather than making a drastic change to an all new diet when you get them.