Follow up question to bonding with an older rescue...
10yr old Brittany (spaniel) rescue, we've had her 2 weeks.
My kids would like to change her name a little bit.
Her kennel name is Chanel, my kids would like to call her Nell (or Nellie)
Any experience changing a 10 yr old dog's name?
***And thank you to everyone who has commented on my other question about bonding. So much wisdom here, I've learned A LOT today :)
E. H. Amos
Favorite Answer
Yes, absolutely you can change her name!
Many shelter dogs, no one EVER (really) knows their name (if they ever really had one, they answered to, and some names do NOT have GOOD associations).
Tell the kids (A+) for picking a name ending in a "Y or "IE" sound (which is automatically HAPPY sounding, when said). Dog training books advise that; Nellie is a good choice!
Say her NEW name (Nellie) & give her a treat if she looks at you! She will be then able to work on "Nellie, COME" in the house, from a couple of feet away = very shortly.
Dobiegal
dogs can learn new names. Just use the same name, no variations, and she should respond in a few weeks
Lorraine
Yes just change it... they adapt very quickly and especially when the end of her old name is the same as her potential new name.
z
We adopted a 10 year old Rottweiler German shepherd mix last year her name was jasmine and we changed it to Cleo which she learned quickly then she got the nickname boog (like the bear from the movie open season) because she looks like him and that stuck so mostly we call her boog now but she will still respond to jasmine, jazzy, Cleo, boogie, or boog
ZotsRule
What was the circumstances of her ending up at the shelter? A lot of times animals come in as strays and the name on their paperwork is just a temporary one the shelter gave her.
But even if this has been her name since birth dogs can quickly learn a new name. Just say the name often and give her treats afterwards. Sit, Nelly. Come, Nelly, Good girl, Nelly, etc.