New To Greyhounds

[GreyStella]

Hi! I am in the process of adopting a greyhound and couldn't be more excited!! My question is, what are your thoughts on changing its name?

[macoduck]

Any name can be changed with bribe treat offerings. Most of mine came to me as seniors with well known to them names.

If I changed any I kept it similar.

Example 1: Apostle became Possum because it was less of a mouthful to say.

Example 2: Cbr Crazy Girl became Mazy once I realized that yelling "Crazy Girl, get in the house" was amusing my neighbors.

 

Still it depends on the dog. No need to rush. The name he/she comes with might grow on you.

Edited May 20, 2017 by macoduck

[Houndtime]

If they have a name and know it well, I would keep. I have had 7 greyhounds. The first, we did not know her call name, so we gave her a name. Fuzzy's name was supposed to be First, but he did not know that name nor respond to it.

 

It is up to you, but, your dog has gone thru so many transitions, so, it might make his/her life simpler to keep her call name if you know it.

[JustSnoozing]

I don't think it matters - but I did keep the call names of my first two because they both knew them. I am in the process of adopting a third but her call name is the same as someone in my family so I am planning to use part of her registered name. She doesn't respond to her call name at all.

[GreyStella]

Thanks for the responses. If I do change her name, what would be the best way to do it? Just call her by the new name from day one? Ease into it?

[JohnF]

If you dislike the old name then pick new name from day one. Make it a 2-syllable name like 'Rocky; so that it can be shouted loud and clear. One day it may save their life.

[Scoutsmom]

Some dogs arrive at adoption groups without any information as to what their call name is. The groups give them a name, sometimes based on their racing name and sometimes just a name that seems to fit. When you get the dog, you can name them anything you want. Just make sure it is something you can yell without the neighbors laughing at you and that it doesn't sound like a command (Nomad and "NO"). Also make it something that is easy to say. Keep the call name if you like it. Change it if you hate it or if it is too close to another pet/person's name in the family.

 

I changed Chrissy to Lizzy because my sister had a cat named Chrissy. My Henry's call name was Dude--I refuse to call a dog Dude (apologies to those who named their dogs "Dude"). So do what you want.

 

Another thought: Make the name something the dog can be proud of. My group once got a little girl in named "Dodo". Talk about setting a dog up to fail. She was immediately renamed "Deedee.

Edited May 20, 2017 by Scoutsmom

[krissy]

Summit came to us at 5.5 years old and had been in a previous home for 2 years already with the name Dexter. We already had a friend with a dog named Dexter and another with a dog named Dax, plus it was just too common for me. We decided to change it. I just started using his new name and he picked it up within a week or two. It's like if people just suddenly started calling you Suzie even though your name was Katie. At first you wouldn't realize they were talking to you, but pretty quickly you'd realize they meant you and you'd start to respond to it. Dogs are the same.