We just got a 10 month old Saint Bernard puppy. She was already named when we got her. My husband wants to change her name but I think that it would be mean to change it. She is already almost a year old and has learned her name is is used to it.
If we changed it would it affect her in a negitive way or would she just eventually forget her old name and get used to the new one?
So do you think it is or isn't wrong to change it?
(Her name is Hannah)
Answers:
I've had very much the same problem that you're having; our dogs are all retired racing greyhounds, and came off the track with some of the most ridiculous names you've ever heard (like Monument Stone and Wins Galore)! Luckily the dogs had more casual "call names" - Callie and Sweep are our two females. The names are nice enough, but not really our style. They were our first dogs, and in the interest of not confusing them, we kept the names they'd been called the last three years of their lives.
Like many pet owners, we developed certain names for them that deviated from just "Callie" and "Sweep". These nicknames have been used more often over the last year than their traditional names, and we've found they respond better to them when we're calling them over or correcting them (for example, when they beat up the cats).
So, in a very round about way, I'm trying to say that I think Hannah would adjust just fine to a new name. It might be more difficult for you to change over, depending on how long you've been calling her by the current name! However, I think that after time, Hannah will familiarize herself with the new name, just like our dogs did, and accept it with the slobbery love that St. Bernards give so freely.
Best of luck with your transition over, and have fun picking a new name! I hope our experience has given you some help.
My husband and I had this problem with a rescue dog that we have named "Coke." We decided to not confuse him since he was already responding so strongly to his name.
I do not think it would be cruel. The dog would get used to a new name, just like it got used to Hannah.
Dogs do not speak or understand English. Change it if you want. The local SPCA can show you how to do it, but it is no real problem, as the tone of voice that you use with the name is important, not the name itself. Dogs can truly say, " call me anything, but late to dinner".
Wow, if you wouldn't of said her name I would of said leave it, but I'm going to have to agree with your husband on this one. Your going to have to take a chance on changing it. Hannah isn't a very good name for a saint bernard. What does your husband want to name her??
we have a dach puppy and we decided to keep the name "tanner", and he was only 8 wks old. we thought that it would be better to keep it, just to keep from confusing him. i think that since hannah is almost a year old, it might be too confusing to her if you change her name. you CAN do it, but it might make training her a little tougher, etc. hannah is a cute name for a st. bernard.
It's not wrong. I pulled dogs out of the shelter all the time and didn't know what their names were, and they adapted just fine to a new one. Either that or I'm super psychic and always picked their true name. :)
If you don't like the name, you won't like saying it. Some of that may come through in your tone.
It will not hurt her to have her name changed, but it would benefit her to for you to keep it to two syllables like the one she has now. Someone once told me that's how they learn their names. I've tested it and it seems evident it is not too far fetched. I had a dog named Sassy, if you called her daisy she would come.
What do I think? I think F it all.
She would probably get use to it. I don't think it would have any negative affects on her, other than her totally ignoring you when you call her by her new name.
But to make it easier for her to get use to it, I would try changing it to something that sounds simailar to Hannah. (cant think of a name off hand though)
I myself like the name Hannah.
Tell your husband how he would feel if they changed his name?
Hannah is a good name. It reminds me of an old friend who moved away.
well if you do not like her name it is not a negitve thing to change it but she might get confused at first but after a wile she will get used to her new name and responed to her it.
Thats a nice name why do you want to change it?
All my animal have more that one name. always have. I just got a new dog. He's 2 yrs. old his name is bear. I call him Bear, baby bear, bad baby bear and other names too. So, I think as long as you use her name with the new name to get her used to both names and then maybe lay off her old name sh'ell be fine. They are adaptable and respond to love. Good luck.
It will take her awhile to get used to the new name, but it won't hurt her to change it. Think of a dog that is abandoned by its owner. No one knows the dog's name, so someone has to give it a new name. I think Hannah is a good name, but if you want to change it that is okay.
Dont change the name. It will confuse them to a point when they'll not respond to either name. Its good to keep her at Hannah and not change it, if your husband doesnt like it, he can use phrases like, "Here Girl," or, "Here Puppy/Doggy." He'll get used to it faster than your dog. Good Luck!!
If you're going to change it make sure you make it something similar to what it is!If it was me I wouldn't change it at all!The dog may not react to answering to the name you've changed it to!But my dog will come to almost anything!If you rename it and it doesn't come to the name you give it just change it back!
I do think it might confuse the pup. Maybe call her Anna or Annie if you don't like Hannah. I'm not crazy about Hannah either, but she may be very used to it and changing it may be hard for her to understand.
I don't think it will affect her negatively at all - who knows - it might affect her in a positive way. What if in her previous home - she has negative association to hannah?
I work with rescue dogs and we don't know their name - we give them a new one - they learn it, and then their new owners may give them another. Dogs are extremely adaptable. My dogs have a variety of nicknames and they know them all.
It is only a word association that you have to build, she will soon learn that when she hears this new "sound" you mean her!
Good Luck!!
How about Xena? (That's my dog's name). It sounds similar to Hannah.
Anyway, change of name won't confuse her for long. Just use some food rewards when she reacts to the name and she'll know it in no time! I often call my dog "come on girl" or "here" etc and she always comes running. It's the tone of your voice that matters, it has to be playfull and inviting.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment