Rosemary

"What's in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet." (Apologies to the Bard if I have the quote wrong)

I took care of a dog for some friends one time. Her original owner named her Honey. When my friends got her, they changed it to Muffin. I didn't think Muffin fit her personality at all, so I called her Tuff. One day, her original owners met us while I was walking her, and contacted my friends about taking her back, so I assume she went back to being Honey.

When I first picked up Ilka, I called her Blaze. After we decided to keep her, I changed it to Ilka.

If you want to change a dog's name, the easiest way to get them to learn their new name is probably clicker training. Say their name, click, treat, repeat.

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Toby'shuman

My family are particularly superstitious as I have said, I accept not everyone is and agree it isn't so much the name you call them but the emotion you put behind the name.

I had a friend who called her dog, 'snotty' some folk thought it was horrid, but the love she put behind that name was clear to hear.

ZeldaRules

Zelda's middle name is pain in the ass and I proudly call her PITA with love! She even has a collar with PITA embroidered on it. She responds to that name just as much as "Zelda". More power to your friend and Snotty. Life is too short to worry about pleasing every last uptight jack a** on the planet.

Amelia_

Rupert has a friend who is a rescue, the scruffiest dog you've ever seen, and his name (given by the rescue and stuck with) is ONION It cracks me up whenever they call him.

Whenever I've worked with rescues, the names have always been really generic, boring names because of the shear number of dogs going through and a lot of people change them anyway. My Tobey was picked up in Ireland as a stray and didn't know his name. I wanted to rename him 'Paul' but he didn't take to it, so stuck with Tobey.

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zorianak

I've only had one I didn't rename - my cat, Panda. She's not black and white, but she is the absolute cuddliest, friendliest cat I've ever had, so the name suits her

Her brother came home named Buster.. I'd had a Buster before that died young, so I hoped to not carry on the curse of the name Buster. I named him Sans Serif... I still miss him.

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shiloh

I rescued Lola and was planning on changing her name until the people I rescued her from asked me to not change her name, so I didn't.

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vivienne00

If she is a rescue, did you get her thru a rescue organization? Why would they ask you not to change her name? I don't get it. If it was the people who owned her before you then it is a re-home, but again, why does what they say matter in the case of a name? If you like the name, that's one thing, but if you don't then change it.

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Cato and Emerald's Black Onyx (r.i.p.)
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Tayl

When we got Willy he stayed Willy he was a month shy of 3 and it suited him. When I got Rowan at 6 months he was Chance (French version) my cousins golden is Chance so we couldn't have that. He was Roman for a couple hours but it just wasn't quite right so I switched the m to a w and it just clicked.
I think if the name suits then try to keep it even if you don't particularly like the name. I find when you try to think of a new name the old one always pops up


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shiloh

It's kind of a long story, but the Doberman rescue organization I volunteer with got Lola back after adopting her out to a family who ended up not liking her; my rescue put me directly in touch with the family that was returning her because I said I'd take her, while dealing with the family they requested that I not change her name, so out of a courtesy to them, I didn't.

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vivienne00

Thanks for the explanation - makes sense now. But still if you & she like the name then fine, if not, change it.

Thank you for rescuing and volunteering with a rescue organization!

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Cato and Emerald's Black Onyx (r.i.p.)
Owned by Enid, Yoda, Jill (kelpie) and Lana.

EmilyB

When we got Sydney, I kept calling her Priscilla, ( miss her so much) as did my husband, my vet, and pretty much everyone else we knew. I never did like Priscilla's name, but it kind of evolved into other names anyway, like Swilly, Swillins, P...

Not fussy about the name Sydney either, but now she's pretty much Skidney Beans, Skinned Knees, Skinamarinkadink......you get the idea.

dobebug

Gosh, Michelle,

I did a double take reading the "morally" wrong line...I don't even get how a dogs name would be a moral issue.

As far as rescues go--several people have already pointed out that often rescues don't have much history or even a name when they arrive at the rescue. So, it wouldn't seem (to me at least) to make any earthly difference whether you called the dog what the rescue was calling it or renamed it.

If if was a senior dog (8 or 9 years old say) and had been going by one name which was known for years I'd probably just stick with that name.

Even when the dog isn't a rescue (none of mine are) some come with call names and registered names from their breeder--I usually leave them alone. Some have come (as my Australian Shepherd did) being called something I just couldn't see--he was being called Bubba--a friend who was along when I picked him up said "He looks like a Henry"--so I called him Henry and my very close friend and roommate's youngest kid (who was about 6 at the time) always called him Hank--I don't think she even knew that Hank is one of the "pet" names for guys called Henry.

A co-worker adopted a kitten from a local shelter--it camed named Henrietta--but was a neutered male--he got renamed quickly.

And one of the more or less local pounds simply names everything that comes in to them on one day with the same first letter--so all the January 1 animals become something that starts with "A"--if they get a lot of animals in on a particular day some of the names are pretty odd--like the tiny grey tabbly that came into our clinic named Idiosyncracy--that got changed.

I have two cats that came to me as sort of rescues (via the vet clinic where I work) the first had a name--actually he had a name from Oregon Humane Society (and I don't even remember what that was)--his original adopter renamed him something Scandanavian and had to give him up (he turned out to have ringworm and she had immune system problems of her own) and one of my co-workers said that if his last name was going to be Russell he really was strange enough to be called Leon--that was 9 years ago--he's still strange and still Leon Russell.

The other cat was fouind in a utility box with one dead and another nearly dead kitten--she was clearly just a kitten herself--Animal Control brought her into the clinic--one of the tech's called her "Mamma"--I took her and called her Flair. The tech never knows who I'm talkiing about when I refer to her as Flare and I have to stop and think who the heck she's talking about when she calls her "Mamma".

I don't think names are cut in stone and half of the rescues have no idea what their name is anyway.

ZeldaRules

Now rescuers arguing over what to name a dog is a whole 'nother topic! Talk about $&#% getting real! The things I've seen....

kmbeach22

I renamed my rescued doberman. Her name was originally Kona, which I didn't hate, but I didn't think it fit her personality. I changed her name to Jasmine, and she picked up on it almost immediately. I don't see anything wrong with it, in fact, I think it can be a positive thing for a fresh start.

If you do change their name, I recommend doing it ASAP after rescuing him or her.

o0 sHaDoWoLf 0o

When we moved back to Seattle we Adopted a five month old GSD mix. Her name was Sophie, we didn't think that name fit her so we renamed her Rosie. I have and had many nick names for my dogs and they responded to all of them lol.

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miranadobe

Dogs in rescue are re-named all the time. Have you ever seen a "Demon" or "Satan" or equally off-putting names on DRU's website? Probably not, because they were renamed. (and, yes, there was a Satan turn-in and more than one Demon.)

Change the name if something else is more meaningful to you, and *especially* if you don't like the dog's current name. Your negative association to the name can cause more discord than just giving the dog a new one!

(PS, I live with a dog named Gretsch who is nicknamed Sid/Sidney by his owner, and Mo by me - he responds to all those names. They don't care.)

Dobejazz

I agree some names from rescues/shelters are annoying but when you have to name hundreds of animals sometimes goofy themes are a better way to keep track then Apollo465 or Zeus899. IDR + usually keeps the name if it is an owner surrender as long as the name is not degrading (Felon was renamed Kellen). Animals with unknown backgrounds are given new names, most often with IDR something based on where they are from Taylor from Taylorsville.

I am pleased to announce that my foster Eeyore is going to be called Hugo in his new home and I think most rescues know the names will be changed when they are adopted.

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Kelli
Toula, Pete, Bear Bear and Frosti

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Lady Kate

I love these answers and thank you all for taking the time to voice your opinion. We had no clue as to what Sofia's name was before we rescued her. We tried the obvious (Lady? Heidi? Bambi?) nothing even perked her ears up.. She looked like a Sofia and she responded within hours.. so I don't think it matters at all to them what you call them ... as long as it's with love.