To Rename Or Not To Rename?

[Guest SparrowLake]

I am trying to decide whether or not to rename a greyhound we are adopting. My husband says she identifies with her name and therefore we should keep it. I on the other hand am not convinced that she does know her name. Do these kennel dogs know their name?

Edited September 9, 2012 by SparrowLake

[kamsmom]

Yes, they know their name.

 

I have only renamed one of mine and it was my very first. She knew her kennel name, in fact still does, but quickly learned the name I was using.

[JAJ2010]

They do know their names, but they adjust to a new one within days. Sunshine knew hers within 24hours. It's completely up to your preferences. Just think of all the nicknames they respond to... My dogs have multiple names! LOL

 

It's been 3 years and Sunshine will not respond to her kennel name for me either

[Rickiesmom]

I've always kept their kennel name, or something close to it. Jane became Jaynie, Jeff has stayed Jeff. Angel Arlie's kennel name was Arg, short for Argyle, and that didn't seem very feminine so she became Arlie. I just sort of hyphenated the names for awhile and would call her Arlie-Arlie-Argyle. As others have said, they learn pretty quickly.

[dante2zoe]

I didn't know the kennel names for 3 of my dogs. So, I named them what we wanted and they knew their new names within a short period of time. The 4th knew his kennel name, but it was almost the same as the name of another here, so I changed it anyway. My most recent hound knew his name, but I changed it intentionally. He is starting a new life and needed a new name. He is 11 and is already responding to his new name. It's a personal decision and good luck with what you decide.

[greytpups]

So far I've renamed all of dogs. they learn their new name pretty quick once I say it a few times with a cookie in my hand

[cleptogrey]

emily never responded to her kennel name so we renamed her.

annie had to be renamed- i couldn't live w/ a dog named pearl-one of my mom's old marjhon players was pearl- deaf w/ warts

blinken or baby blinky...no way...so he became felix.

 

if you run into a name you like- then keep it other wise,it's worth the battle w/ dh since you will be stuck hearing a name that you don't like for the next decade.

[OwnedBySummer]

If you don't like it, change it. The pup will learn it pretty quickly. And won't be all stressed about it, either.

[PrairieProf]

Leaving totally aside the issue of the dog knowing it or not, as a principle I believe in keeping their names if possible since it is a link to their past and their identities. These are not like shelter dogs that someone randomly slapped a name on; they have histories, public identities, published genealogies. That said, there are plenty of godawful call names (kennel names) or racing names it would be hard to know how to work with! So I would certainly change in that case, probably trying to keep the first letter or the sound or some kind of connection. I lucked out in that my greyhound has always and only been Beth, a perfectly fine name.

Edited September 9, 2012 by PrairieProf

[HoundHeavenAZ]

They seem to learn a new name quickly - especially if you are holding a in your hand! I seem to develop goofy nicknames for mine and they seem to pick up on their new names pretty quickly.

[a_daerr]

We changed Henry's name because he hadn't raced for very long, and he didn't respond to his racing name. We ended up keeping Payne's name because he had a longer racing career and he was close to his trainers, so he knew his name. It depends on the individual dog.

[macoduck]

Gracie's original name was Dusty Lady. She was such an emotional basket case when we got her it didn't matter what she was called.

Ms. Pudge le mutt was called Sadie Mae at the shelter. Since she was found running on the streets no one knew her name. She looked like a Pudge to us.

 

I've always joked that I should name each dog Cookie. That'd make it easier to call them all in from outside. Since the majority of my dogs have had human names before coming here, I've often wondered if the neighbors thought I was yelling at my kids as I called the dogs in to the house.

[Feisty49]

My girl's racing name was PG Digger. Somewhere along the way after retiring, she was renamed Annie, a name I kept along with adding a middle name of Bella. PG Digger is not a pretty name for a pretty girl. I would have renamed her. She's a dog. Call her whatever you want, except probably late for dinner. :--)

[TheFullHouse]

I've kept all of my dogs kennel names with the exception of one. They all knew their names, responded to their names and identified with them and they had enough of an adjustment to go through without throwing a name change into the mix. The one I did change was because her racing name was Marlene's Cookie and at the track and the adoption kennel they called her Cookie. All of my dogs associate "cookie" with exactly that, a cookie so we had to change it. I knew that the farmer on the farm where she was raised called her Bandita so I tried that and she still responded to it so we changed her name back to Bandita.

[krissy]

Summit's racing name was Bbf Dropout. His kennel name was Drop. His first family named him Dexter and 2.5 years later when he already responded to Dexter I adopted him and renamed him Summit. He figured it out within a week and 2 years later he doesn't respond to his old name.

 

You are going to be calling this name for the next 10-12 years probably. The dog doesn't care so you might as well like it.

[GeorgeofNE]

If you don't like it, change it. The pup will learn it pretty quickly. And won't be all stressed about it, either.

 

Agree!

 

They're not people. Love them like they're your children, but remember they're animals, and these things mean a LOT to us, and probably very little to them! I have had a number of "second hand" pets, and thusfar the only name I've kept is the cat I just adopted because he's 11 years old and has only been rehomed because his owner passed away. He knows and RESPONDS to his name, so what the heck!

 

My Greyhound was five when I got him. He's been called Chile since day one. Didn't respond to it, though doubtless he KNEW it. I didn't like it anyway, so I changed it. He far prefers George! Truthfully I think I could call him Annabella if I had food in my hand, and he'd respond!

[greg1229]

Tessa's racing name was Double Squeeze....Need I say more..

[seeh2o]

I kept Carl's name (and he is very much a Carl!). Claire didn't seem to "like" her name, Doodles, so she became Claire. As her personality has unfolded I can completely see why they named her Doodles - she can be a complete silly nut. I still call her Doodles from time to time, especially when she is running around and playing. She still responds to it, too. I've actually thought of changing her name back to Doodles now that she has revealed her Doodle-ness to me!

[Guest newgreymama]

We are going to check out a potential Grey for our family today and his name is Cooper. It is a fantastic name and I love it--love it so much that it is one of my sons' middle name. lol So if he ends up choosing us to be his family, he is going to have to have a name change. We use our kiddos' middle names to get their attention sometimes, I can see confusion happening if we keep the dog's name Cooper. lol

[Guest Jacks_Human]

Jack already answered to his name, so I didn't change it. Though he quickly learned 'handsome boy' and 'baby', and answers to those too.

[Guest KennelMom]

I don't think I've ever brought a dog home from the track that knew a name. Bounces, yeah...and we usually keep those but not always. It's your dog...rename them or dont. it doesn't really matter and a dog can learn a new name/nickname quickly.

 

We are going to check out a potential Grey for our family today and his name is Cooper. It is a fantastic name and I love it--love it so much that it is one of my sons' middle name. lol So if he ends up choosing us to be his family, he is going to have to have a name change. We use our kiddos' middle names to get their attention sometimes, I can see confusion happening if we keep the dog's name Cooper. lol

 

I never thought I'd have kids and used two of my favorite names for my dogs. When we had a baby, I couldn't use them!

[gazehund]

All of my track dogs have known their racing / kennel names. I don't change them. I agree the names they carry with them from the track are part of the dog's history / identify. I am pretty sure lots of people know who Flupascrackerbox is. He is not going to become Joe anytime soon. Like, never.

[SarahsBlackPack]

All of our hounds knew there name when we adopted them. And tell you the truth we never thought about changing there names.

[Guest Wasserbuffel]

I changed my dog's name, because I wanted to.

 

I found out later that her kennel name was the same as her owner's daughter/ trainer's sister. I met the woman she was named for and told her Jayne's new name. She joked that they thought Jayne had been deaf at the kennel because she never responded to her name. I've called her Cassidy a couple times, no reaction at all, but she responds very well to being called Jayne.

[Guest poofmagk]

I love the fact that their names link them to such a rich history/ pedigree and both of ours responded to their track names. For those reasons we kept Zafira's the same. But despite all of that I changed Oliver's name because I just couldn't see myself calling out "Sinton" day in and day out, and Sin or Ton didn't strike me as great nicknames. It took him a few months to catch on, but now he responds to his new name along with bub bub, bubbers, sweet boy, etc.