Tip 1 - two syllables & “hard” letters
Dogs do not hear words, but tend to recognise sounds. They hear names with two syllables and initial letters such as “CH, S, SCH, SH or K” better than long dog names. Dog names ending with a vowel (A, E, I, O, U) are also recommended. Put simply, dogs hear names like Charley, Sugar, Colly much better than Knecht-Ruprecht or Jeremy-Pascal.
Tip 2 - Consider your commands
Ideally, you will choose a dog name that clearly differs from a command such as "sit, down, heel, stay, give" even if you don’t pronounce it clearly. This means that "Viv" is not a perfect name for a dog is it sounds very similar to the command "give". If you heed this advice, the dog will find it easier to respond to its name or to a command.
Tip 3 - Test the dog name
It really helps to say the dog name repeatedly out loud. Can all member of the family pronounce the name properly? The dog name is sure to be used frequently in public, so you might think twice about calling out “Fatty” at the top of your voice. If you are always happy to call out the dog name, that is ideal.
Tip 4 - If possible, do not change the dog name
Ideally, you will find the perfect name before the dog even moves in so as to avoid confusing it with alternating names. Older dogs in particular would find this difficult. However, there are situations where a name change is simply unavoidable. Under certain circ*mstances, it may be helpful to adjust the sound of the name slightly. For instance, "Dickie" could become "Vicky".
Tip 5 - Dog name from the breeder
In accordance with breeding regulations, names are allocated to puppies at the breeder according to a specific system: The breeder has a breeder name that specifies what can be described as the surname of the dog. The first name of the puppies is derived from the number of litters and is denominated alphabetically. The initial letter therefore indicates the number of litters a breeder has had to date. (Litter 1 = A, Litter 2 = B, Litter 3 =C).
Example of a dog name from the breeder:
Surname = Breeder name: von der Sonnenallee
First name = 1. Litter: A forms the initial letter
Name of dog = Aida von der Sonnenallee
