7 Puppy Naming Tips

You"ll end up using your pup's name over 35,000 times in the course of its life. Shouldn't it be a name you love? Consider these tips when choosing puppy names.

You抳e picked out the perfect puppy. You spent hours on the internet, researching the right breed for you and your family. Then you went from breeder to breeder or humane society to humane society, meeting and greeting pups until you find just the right match.

Now what? He needs a name!

Over the course of its life, you will use your dog抯 name more than 35,000 times. So be sure you抮e picking a name you can live with and love.

With these seven simple steps, the key to finding the perfect puppy name is at your fingertips!

• Dogs understand short commands. Easy names with two or fewer syllables work well.
• Your puppy抯 name shouldn抰 sound like any commands. 揝tacy?and 搒tay?are too close for comfort. Such a name will only confuse the issue.
• Remember, you抣l be using your pup抯 name in public. 揃oner?may be cute among your fellow fraternity members, but it won抰 go over well at the veterinarian.
• Make your kids part of the decision process. Kids like it simple, too, so if calling your Champion Cavalier King Spaniel 揃ootsie?works for them, consider keeping the hoity toity name strictly for AKC purposes.
• You may think it抯 an honor to name your pup after you抮e favorite Uncle Norbert. Naming your baby after him may keep you in the will, but naming your puppy after him won抰.
• If you抮e bringing home an older dog, ideally, stick with the name it already owns. Can抰 stand it because 揃arney?was the first boy who broke your heart? Then stick with similar sounds when choosing a new dog name. 揃arney?morphs into 揊arley?easily.
• Once you抳e chosen a name, try it out for a day or so. You抣l know right away whether it抯 a keeper. If not, there抯 always more puppy names on your list!

Take a look around you. Everywhere you are, you'll find a variety of terrific ideas on what to name your pooch.

At first glance, a couple things will stand out about your new puppy. Enjoy him or her for a day or two and take these into consideration.

• Appearance. What抯 your dog look like? His color, size, and personal style inspires a variety of name choices. 揝tubbs?would be a great name for a dachshund pup. Or you may call a cream colored cock-a-poo 揃uffy.?
• Personality. Given a couple of days, your new dog抯 personality will really shine through. Try 揅uddles?for the sweet little guy who loves to get cozy or 揚uddles?for the pooch who can抰 seem to find the doggie door.

If you want to go beyond the basics, many famous dog names or foreign dog names can fit the bill. Consider these favorite puppy names when making your decision.

• Celebrity puppy names. Today, pooches have more celebrity following than their famous owners. Chew on 揕ola,?a name used by both Hilary Duff and the Osbournes.
• TV dogs. 揝cooby?and 揂stro?come to mind if you want to honor a famous TV pup.
• Movie dogs. Cool movies and cool dog names seem to go hand in hand. Cool Hand Luke抯 揃lue?would be a fitting label for a variety of dogs. Or try 揃odie,?from the weeper Steel Magnolias.
• Comic dogs. 揝noopy?will always be a favorite, but also consider 揇aisy?or 揙die.?
• German dog names. For starters, try out 揊ritz?or 揔aiser.?
• Irish dog names. 揊inn?fits well for any pup, as does 揗urphy,?which just happens to mean 揾ound of the sea.?
• French puppy names. 揚ierre?and 揋igi?are top contenders for any dog, especially those with a little oo-la-la in their genes.

The choices are endless. However, with these simple tips and some thought, before long, you抣l have found the perfect puppy name!