Getting The Perfect Puppy Name

Are you getting a new puppy? One of the most fun things to do is to come up with a name for it. Some soon-to-be-owners have already thought of a puppy name even before deciding to get a puppy! "When I get a puppy, I'll name him Godzilla." Others would have a list whether in writing or in their mental notebooks for possible puppy dog names: all puppies will have names starting with the letter X (Xenia, Xerxes, and Xylophone?) or will be named after fashion houses like Armani, Chanel, and Versace. But, is a puppy name really that important?

Of course! A puppy name, like your name is important. It is what he will be called for the rest of his dog years. A puppy's name is heard and spoken more times than any other family member's name. Therefore, it is important to choose the right one. A good selection will help to make training the puppy that much easier since you will be repeating his or her name often.

Puppy dog names are sometimes chosen based on the pup's looks. Toy poodles are given cute and snobbish names like Cleopatra or Fifi. Big dogs like Great Danes or German Shepherds are named King or Caesar. Small dogs are named Tiny. Some owners will name their puppies based on their expectations. An owner may name his Border Collie Speedy or his Doberman Lex Luthor. In the grand scheme of your puppy's life, his name does not really have anything to do with his personality. An aggressive Pit Bull might have the name Angel. A Chihuahua can be given the name Killer. Truth to tell, it is in how you raise and train your puppy that his personality will eventually be determined.

Here are some tips in choosing a name for your new pooch:

-Choose a name that is short and sweet. Claudius Maximums Antonius may prove to be too long for you and your dog. Try to stick to one or two syllables.

-Your puppy's name should not sound like someone's name (whether it is a family member's name or another pet's name) or the name of a training command. If your son is named Rusty, don't call your dog Dusty.

-Try names starting with hard consonants like "D" or "T" that researchers say are easier for dogs' ears to distinguish.

-Say the name out loud several times to see if it is not difficult to pronounce and has a nice ring to.

-Research the meaning of a possible puppy name to make sure it is not offensive or degrading in anyway.

-Stay with a name that you won't have a problem saying when there are people of different races, creeds or religions around. Keep your dog's name clean or for General Patronage.

Here are some ideas for puppy dog names:

-Tried and tested names like: Rover, Bingo, Spot, Lassie, Sadie, Max, Duchess, Rocket

-Food related names: Cupcake, Hershey, Sugar, Cocoa, Sprinkles, Basil, Whiskey, Taco, Tofu

-Popular characters in history, books, cartoons, comics, movies, television, fashion, politics and the arts. Names like: Snoopy, Pluto, and Odie, Cookie Monster, Elmo and Grover, Superman, Batman, and Flash, Yoda, Chewbacca and Obi-Wan, Spock, Piccard, and Kirk, Tiberius, Augustus, and Hercules, Da Vinci, Mozart and Abe (or Abraham Lincoln when the owner is reprimanding the puppy), Moses, Noah and Samson, Dirty Harry, James Bond and Eliza Doolittle, Brad Pitt, Angelina or Jennifer and many, many more.

-Fun and cute names: Fluffy, Jigsaw, Boo-boo, Queen Bee, Twinkie-doo

There are so many choices of puppy dog names. Keep in mind that your puppy will grow into an adult dog. He will carry the name you picked for all his dog years. Do pick one wisely and carefully, choose one out of love and affection.