I am considering adopting a 2 year old dog with the name of "Baby Girl". This is a problematic name for me, because I currently have two female cats, and "baby girl" gets used a lot as a general term of affection in the household. Plus, I'm just not sure I want to be standing in dog park calling out "Here Baby Girl!' Now, I may be lucky and this name may have been slapped on her by the rescue group, in which case I can change it without too much trouble. But, if she has been using this name for the last 2 years, how hard is it going to be for me to rename her? Is there anything that would make the transition easier? And will it confuse her to hear "Here Baby Girl!' Now, I may be lucky and this name may have been slapped on her by the rescue group, in which case I can change it without too much trouble. But, if she has been using this name for the last 2 years, how hard is it going to be for me to rename her? Is there anything that would make the transition easier? And will it confuse her to hear " used when it doesn't refer to her?

Thanks for any advice!

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Originally Posted by froggy7

I am considering adopting a 2 year old dog with the name of "Baby Girl". This is a problematic name for me, because I currently have two female cats, and "baby girl" gets used a lot as a general term of affection in the household. Plus, I'm just not sure I want to be standing in dog park calling out "Here Baby Girl!' Now, I may be lucky and this name may have been slapped on her by the rescue group, in which case I can change it without too much trouble. But, if she has been using this name for the last 2 years, how hard is it going to be for me to rename her? Is there anything that would make the transition easier? And will it confuse her to hear "baby girl" used when it doesn't refer to her?

Thanks for any advice!

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My aunt has adopted many an adult dog and has changed their names- usually because their old name is associated with abuse. We adopted our dog a few years ago- we are her 5th owners. Her first name was Fernanda (she was born in Brazil) and her last owner called her "D" because he said her tail looked like a giant Dildo. Although she had been used to "D" for over a year, we went back to Fernanda and have never had a problem. I'm not so sure the dog will understand the name as her name- but rather the word you say when you want her to come. You're a new person and I don't think there'd be any confusion. Good for you for wanting to give a poor animal a home! Good luck!

I adopted a pair of Pekingnese dogs from the SPCA last summer. One has the name Gizmo and for some reason I just didn't like it too much. I asked the vet if it would be a problem and he really didn't think so as long as I used it often and reinforced it.

It hasn't led to any confusion, but I never really changed his name to anything permanent. The poor critter answers to: Gizmo, Mr. Giz, The Gizanator, Giztron and all sorts of other bastardizations of his name. He really is the sweetest but daftest dog on earth and I love him dearly. I think he follows me around now constantly because he never knows if I am calling him or not!

People get pets from the pound every day and name them whatever they want and I am sure they do just fine.

You will have to get the permission of the birth moth... oh sorry wrong question. Try a name that is similar to "baby girl." I can't say I blame you. That is a not so good name. When I got one of mine he had been known as "bubba" well that just wasn't an option so he was changed to Brutus. And he really didn't seem to mind. (I suspect he did not like being called bubba)

The people that get dog guides at 1 1/2 - 2 years sometime rename them without any problems.

Use the name a lot, before every command. 2 syllable names may work better, and try what you are considering with various commands, __sit, __down, __heel, etc. Something somewhat similar to Baby Girl may help.

Hello Froggy! What a good soul you are for adopting! I agree with everyone here. Dogs adapt to whatever situation they are in. It will take patience and time, but she will eventually respond to whatever you name her. As labman says, usually a two syllable name works the best. For some reason, I have found that dogs will respond more quick when the second syllable ends in a vowel. Like Ruby. But no matter what you do, constant reinforcement of the name is what will do it. Use it often and whenever she is paying attention to you, looking directly at you, repeat it, calling her to come to you.

One of the dogs I adopted was named Buddy. He had been badly abused. I felt that with the new surroundings, as an added confidence builder, he needed a new name. So, I started calling him Lewis. I actually worked it in with his old name -- started calling him Buddy Lewis. Slowly I started dropping the Buddy and just called him Lewis. He responded without missing a beat. So, you could try that little trick to get her to pick up on the new name more quick.

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Originally Posted by froggy7

I am considering adopting a 2 year old dog with the name of "Baby Girl". This is a problematic name for me, because I currently have two female cats, and "baby girl" gets used a lot as a general term of affection in the household. Plus, I'm just not sure I want to be standing in dog park calling out "Here Baby Girl!' Now, I may be lucky and this name may have been slapped on her by the rescue group, in which case I can change it without too much trouble. But, if she has been using this name for the last 2 years, how hard is it going to be for me to rename her? Is there anything that would make the transition easier? And will it confuse her to hear "baby girl" used when it doesn't refer to her?

Thanks for any advice!

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My lab Jack adopted me a few years ago. He was dumped in my corn field so I don't have a clue what his name was so I started calling him BlackJack and it's been Jack ever since. He was about 4/5 years old when I got him and he started coming to Jack within hours. It's all about tone and praise and repeating the name. Good luck.

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Originally Posted by RubyPitbull

Hello Froggy! What a good soul you are for adopting!

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Thanks, although I haven't done it yet. I'm in the early stages of working with the rescue group, but they seem to think that we may be a good match. I'll be seeing her for the first time this weekend, actually. :) So I may be jumping the gun a bit, but you want to be prepared. She's a two-and-a-half year old greyhound, retired racer, CAT SAFE (my most important requirement, and the most limiting!) and sounds absolutely adorable from her foster parent's write up. So we will see this weekend how we get along, and then I will get to find out what the other steps are in the process. I'm assuming home visit, at a minimum. Which is where I am really crossing my fingers, because they got started late on some remodeling I'm doing, so it won't be done before the time I move in. But I figure they can't hold that too much against me, can they? It might be stressful in the short term, but it's not going to be forever!

If I wasn't in the program I am in, I think I would have a retired Greyhound.

OK, say her name is baby girl and(just example) say you want to name her Sarah
For a day or two call her Sarah baby girl- the next day call her Sarah baby for maybe 2 days then Just start and keep calling her sarah * maybe if she seems confused on last day w/o the baby part ,call her Sarah then sarah baby then sarah again or if she does fine but every once in a while just sits / stares in confusion , give her a boost say sarah baby... sarah.
There are many people that do this, I may have to- this Fri I am taking home a ~year old yorkie named Lacy, I can't decide to name her abri or gracie. Well I do know wich would be easier . Haha but the other wouldn't be a problem with this method.
GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN with your NEW FRIEND
-a super duper cat & dog lover