Have you/would you change a senior's name?

[milos_mommy]

Anyone here who has adopted a senior or almost-senior dog, did you change their name?

If you adopted a senior dog, would you change their name?

 

[Inga]

I guess it would depend on how bad the name was or if I had another dog by that name. I would generally not change their name. I think they would have enough changes to deal with that the name change wouldn't be necessary.

So now, ARE you adopting a senior dog?

 

[BostonBanker]

It would depend a lot on whether or not the dog responded to their name. I had no problem changing Meg's name (not a senior, but an adult), because she never responded in any way to her old name.

I don't think names are a source of identity to our dogs the way they are to us. A name is merely another command. It means "hey you, pay attention" or something similar to most dogs. I don't think it's a matter of emotion to them to change their name; just another new command to learn.

 

[Brattina88]

I agree with BB!

Sometimes it's good to change a name - a dog may have negative associations with the name, this is especially true if you know the dog is coming from a long term abusive home. In cases like these a new name is like a begining to a new, happier life I have changed names with fosters - some don't suit them well, and some are just plain mean (F*er comes to mind), a more fitting, adoptable name is chosen. Sometimes you don't even know the name, so it doesn't much matter

 

[Snark]

We adopted a 14 year old but we knew his name and kept it (the people who owned him moved away and left him). My other adult dogs got new names since we had no idea what their old names were. I knew someone who adopted a dobie from a rescue and changed her name since her previous owners were abusive and they wanted to give her a 'fresh' start.

 

[smkie]

If it were a senior from the shelter and not an owner surrender I would because the name they gave it wouldn't have been the original name anyway. Other than that no.

 

[Dekka]

Some of the fosters have had horrible names. No issue changing any of them, even when older. Dogs don't seem to be attached to names the way people are. As long as they have love and attention they don't seem to care what you call them.

 

[PixieSticksandTricks]

I have!

The original Pixiestick was originially named Samantha (it had been her name her entire 9 years. And was her name when she was surrendered). Well I definately wasent going to have a dog who had the same name as me.

She picked up on her new name within her first couple days here. Wasent even a slight issue.

 

[Laurelin]

Not a senior but personally I have kept all the names of the adults I've gotten. Summer, Rose, and Trey. I always wished we had changed Trey's name as did everyone else in the family. Trey was just not fitting for him at all. Summer was interesting because I already have a family member (cousin) named Summer who is pretty close to us. But I liked Summer's name so I kept it. Rose is actually our second dog named Rose (well the other was Rosie). We thought about changing the name but decided to keep the name Rose. It really doesn't bother me because Rose and Rosie were so different. I never felt like we were trying to 'replace' our past Rose with our new one.

But yeah if in the future I get an adult with a name like Trey that just doesn't fit I think I'll change it.

 

[MicksMom]

Well, our Sibe/GSD was estimated to be 7 when we found him running the streets. I seriouisly doubt whoever dumped him named him Heineken.

 

[milos_mommy]

So now, ARE you adopting a senior dog?

It won't be for possibly another year or so, but the next dog I adopt will probably be a senior.

 

[elegy]

i changed harv's name. it was bear (and had been "beast" before that. ha!), which is so blah. harvey was a way better name

he had no trouble at all making the transition.

 

[SizzleDog]

I agree with much of what has been said here.

I think it depends a lot on where the dog comes from too. For instance - if in a few years I ever take one of my breeder's older retired champions home, I'd have to keep the name - breeder wouldn't like me changing it!

 

[Fran101]

I changed Romeos name. and I would probably change the name of any dog I adopt

New life, new name

to dogs, it really doesn't seem like they have an attachment to thier names like we do. Mostly their names are just something to respond to, kinda like "here doggie"

lol I wouldn't be surprised if my moms dogs thought their names were "Dinner" or "whowantsacookie?"

 

[Beanie]

Kota came to us as a Dakota. I don't think we've ever once called him "Dakota." Ex-BIL insisted his new full name was Iuchikota. Nobody calls him that either. He's nothing but Kota.

Or Koko.

 

[MPP]

A dog's real name is a smell. They don't care if you change their people name; it's just a matter of learning another sound.

 

[mrose_s]

I would, but I havn't afopted an adult dog yet.

We changed our cats name when we got him, he was "Cobalt" and it didn't suit him so we changed it to Elliot and he's answered to it from the first day we got him at age 9.

 

[Grab]

I don't see a problem with changing the name. I did leave Ginger's name, since she was 10 years old and, even though it isn't a name I'd choose, I figure she'd been called that for 10 years we should probably leave it. Bad enough that her owner gave her up after all that time.

We do also call her elf, Elfles and the Elf though..all of which she responds to.

We have no idea what Newt's name was, so Newt it is. (and Tiny Poodle) She responds fine to both

 

[lizzybeth727]

I had a friend who adopted a dog and happened to know his previous name. She liked the name and decided to keep it, but every time she called the dog's name he'd cringe a little. She tried to desensetize it, but after a few days she decided to just change the name.

Luna's name was Luna before I got her, but I liked the name and thought it suited her so I kept it.

Personally, now I'd probably rarely keep the former name. I do like to know what it is, though, it's interesting to me. But the way I see it, new name = new life.

 

[StillandSilent]

Argon was five when I took him home. I despised his name, which was "Fred". How could such an awesome dog have such a boring name? So I consulted my book o'names and tried three for him (Plato, Sanjit, and Argon) and picked the one we both liked best.
Grimm's name was Joker (brother to Heath and Ledger). I like that name, but it just didin't fit him. With his frowning face, he just looked like a Grimm.
Neither one had any trouble learning a new name.