Would it be wrong to rename our newly adopted dog?

Anonymous
If they know there name I wouldn’t change it
Anonymous
No, it's part of the agreement, they will confiscate the dog and you will loose your money. How shameful you are.
Anonymous
Look the dog knows their own name, do you not think they've been through enough changes at this stage?

We recently adopted a 2 yr old dog called Benji. As far as I'm concerned that is one of the worst, most cliché dog names possible. But its his name, he answers to it, so we've kept it.
Anonymous
The dog we adopted was given a name by the rescue. It wasn’t a name that she was already familiar with.
Anonymous
My dog knows his name, but he will answer to various different nicknames. He knows when we’re calling him, even if we don’t use his actual name. I don’t think renaming your dog is a big deal. Don’t most people’s dogs come if they call out, “Here, girl!” or “Come here, buddy!”?
Anonymous
Seeing as my dog answers to several nicknames that have nothing to do with her actual name, I don't think it matters that much. She's perfectly happy to come to "puppy" or "snoot."
Anonymous
I renamed my own cat that I had originally named as a child. We got her when I was in kindergarten and I got to choose the name. Then like 4 years later I told my parents I wanted to change her name. They thought I was crazy but I started calling our cat the new name (which was a much more fitting name) and before you know it the whole family got on board. Not sure my cat even knew the difference.
Anonymous
It’s fine. Not only do my pets have their “government names,” but I’ve also made up a ton of nicknames for them and then variations of those nicknames, and ridiculous jingles of those nicknames and variations. Half the time I’m calling them it’s something totally nonsensical. And yet they still seem to know who I’m talking to!
Anonymous
Dogs don’t know names are tied to identity for humans. For a dog, their name is just a sound that means “hey you!” specifically directed at them. Changing their name means they now learn another word for “hey you,” not that you have changed their identity, the way it would for an adopted human.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Why would it be wrong? The shelter probably renamed her anyways. Dogs are very adaptable and will adjust.


This. We adopted an 8 year old dog and did not rename him because he was 8. Years later, I was looking through the stack of paperwork we got when we adopted him and noticed for the first time that the name we kept was given to him by the rescue organization. He had only had that name for a month!

Our current dog came to us from a breeder at 8 weeks. We regularly use about 5 different names in referring to him and talking to him. He responds to all of them. The dog can adapt. I promise.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:She is 6 years old. Got her from a shelter.


It's fine
Anonymous
Rename if you want. I renamed my 10 year old rescue because he had a cat name. He lived another 8 years and after he learned his new name in a week or two everything was fine.
Anonymous
I volunteer at a shelter. We often bring in transports, and literally name the pets ourselves shortly before they get adopted. In this case, it's fine to rename.

In other cases, we get owner surrenders that have had their name for years. I would not rename then.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:I volunteer at a shelter. We often bring in transports, and literally name the pets ourselves shortly before they get adopted. In this case, it's fine to rename.

In other cases, we get owner surrenders that have had their name for years. I would not rename then.


I volunteer for a rescue, too. I think the lesson here - whatever the dog's history is - is that dogs are fine with being renamed!

OP, when my organization gets updates about past adoptees I would say 99 out of a 100 have been renamed.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:No, it's part of the agreement, they will confiscate the dog and you will loose your money. How shameful you are.


What are you talking
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