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Permalink Reply by Tina on November 17, 2008 at 9:22am

We've changed our two adopted dogs names. They didn't really know their original name, so it wasn't too hard. If you really want to change the name, say the new name and click your tongue to get your dogs attention. When they look at you, give them a treat. Do this in short periods of time for a couple of days, eventually they will learn their new name.

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Permalink Reply by DR, Nala & Simon on November 18, 2008 at 12:18pm

Thank you Tina!! I started yesterday, and today she started to obey simple commands and to turn her attention towards me when I call her by her new name: Nala. Thanks again.

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Permalink Reply by Dragster and Bailee on November 18, 2008 at 12:42pm

haha bailey. thats funny.. i dont get the strange urge humans have to name their dogs bailey.. lol. ^_^

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Permalink Reply by Butter on November 18, 2008 at 5:05pm

OK, I am the ultimate name-changer. When we 1st adopted Butter at age 9 we were told not to change his name, that he was too old. Then we were told if we did, to make sure the 1st few letters were the same because that is what they really listen to (vet told us that). So we changed BuSter to BuTter ( he probably thought we had lisps and couldn't pronounce it correctly LOL). T

Then when he got comfortable with that I added Babyto Butter....then I dropped the Butter and often call him Baby.

Then I nicknamed him Poppet after reading that dogs will come to anything if you look at them and say their name with enthusiasm. Now I am calling him Butterball. He comes to anything really.

Someone was visiting us and called him Buster, his name of 9 years and he never responded. so I recommend that you work on one at a time and make sure he gets that down pat. If a 9 year old can do it, anyone can.

Oh and someone told me once we changed his name to NEVER call him his 1st name again because it would confuse him. Well, my husband still occassionally slips and calls him his 1st name and Butter is fine.

Consistency is the key. You have the extra challenge, though of having his original name called around him. Maybe you should change it to a totally different sounding name. Good luck with it.

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Permalink Reply by mosesbotbol on November 19, 2008 at 8:54am

make them change their dogs' names...

we had a golden and mutt both of which had their names changed and they responded to their new names without an issue.

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Permalink Reply by Worthington Natalia on November 19, 2008 at 10:34am

I like Nala. I had a cat named Nalah.

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Permalink Reply by Edison on November 19, 2008 at 2:03pm

I made a list of nicknames which Edison gets called and/or answers to. There's about fifty of them. I think he does it by tone. Also, no one else in the house is called Honey Dog, Fluffy Butt or Come Get The Piece Of Tomato That Mommy Dropped.

I think you'll be fine, since Nala has the same syllabic emphasis as Bailey. :)

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Permalink Reply by Ross on November 19, 2008 at 5:55pm

Name changing isn't too hard.
My corgi Atlas comes to to a wide array of names, I call him wolfman, hey buddy, dude, peeman, and a whole bunch of others.

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Permalink Reply by DR, Nala & Simon on November 19, 2008 at 11:43pm

Thanks for all the responses!! Nala has happily accepted her new name. I think she likes it more. Already sent for new name tags, and changed all her info at the vet. After the third time of calling her and give her some commands, it has been very easy. I thought it was going to be harder. She is a smart girl.

Thanks again.

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Permalink Reply by Simi Corgi Girl on November 20, 2008 at 10:06pm

Even though my dog's name is Jack, for some odd reason we started calling him Mokie. He answers to both :). We adopted a 5 month old puppy years back and she came to us with the name Camila - it just didn't work for us. We named her Daisy and she took to it immediately. Sometimes I think it's just the tone of your voice!

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