So I named my American Bulldog "Rogue" when she was about 6 weeks figuring that she'd grow into it. She hasn't. She turned a year old in January and my loving sweet doofus is no "Rogue". I've been seriously thinking about changing her name to something that suits her better. Have any of you guys changed a dogs name when they grew up and it just didn't suit them?

I haven't cathy , but wouldn't hesitate to if I thought it would improve the relationship .

Remember , it is only a sound to them , and a " name " to us .

I let my breeder select a name for my first dog ( from a list of my choices ) , and I regretted it for the dogs' whole life .

Pick a name that you like , and I'll bet the dog will like it better too .

Old Jewish Proverb: A much-loved baby has MANY names...

Certainly true of DOGS as well Rogue will not mind if you change her name to Raquelle or Rochelle or any other name, Cathy, particularly & especially if you associate the new moniker with a 2-DIE-4 treat at first !!!

Heaven only knows what my two rescue Dobermans, adopted as adults, were called before I named them Adobe & Adonis ??? They don't care & neither do I...

Adobe's nick-name is "Baby-Bow" and Adonis' nick-name is "Biggie-Bonk", which they also recognize as referring to them respectively, LOL.

 Quote: ian bunbury

I let my breeder select a name for my first dog ( from a list of my choices ), and I regretted it for the dogs' whole life...

Yeah, life is Way TOO Short for regrets, so my motto (within reasonable limits) is Just DO It

Time was you could even change a dog's Registered Name under certain circumstances, and I imagine that's still the case.

I don't believe that animals attach the significance or the sentimentality to their given name that we humans usually do, so I don't think Rogue would really mind if you changed her name. It happens all the time with rescued and adopted dogs, either because the new owner doesn't care for the name that was given previously, or because nobody even knows what the dog's name was.

I myself have changed the name of a dog I adopted, plus a few horses I purchased as adults. Changing the name of a dog you've owned for a while is a bit more unusual, but I don't see a thing wrong with it. Dogs are adaptable, they will learn the new name, just like they learn the meaning of dozens of other words that we teach them. Your biggest challenge may be getting your friends and family to remember to use the new name.

Of course, a name doesn't really have to fit a dog's personality or appearance. What it comes down to is what you are comfortable in calling her.

If it were me, I would probably alternate the use of the old and new names for a couple weeks or so, even using them both together sometimes (the way parents sometimes call their kids by their first and middle names), and then gradually fade the old name.

I've never changes one of my dog's names. But I have adopted adults and changed their name at that time. It happens with rescues all the time so if you want to then I'd say go for it.

I will add that my dogs have always responded to multiple nick names...

Changed the name of several dogs, and named rescues that came without a name.

If I know a name and want to change it without a lot of fuss, I find a similar sounding name that I like better. Some examples include Sam for Bam, Titan for Tyson, Brio for Kleo, and so on.

As it turns out, three of the four rescues here now have changed names to Brio, Titan and Sam, and the fourth came without a prior known name and she is named Kai.

If you are consistent in using the new name, it doesn't take long for the dog to just adapt. It is not a big deal, and if you feel better and closer to the dog, just do it.

Years ago I got a St, Bernard when she was 11 months old and her name was .....Fluffy.

From the time I put her in my car I never used that name again and she didn't skip a beat with her new name, Sam. Why not!

Just say the new name, with a happy "come" "here", whatever command, slap your legs or whatever you know will excite the dog into coming to you.



Just be consistent and it just happens.

Cathy, maybe she's actually a Rose? Think Betty White