160 Bear Christiana Rd
Bear, De 19701
302-322-6488
Dr. Jim Berg
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Naming a cat
Dear Dr. Berg,
We just got a new kitten and are trying to give him a good
name. My 5 year-old son wants to name
him “Jigglypuff”, but I don’t agree. Do
you have any suggestions on how we can agree on a good name?
Thank you.
B. G., Bear
Dear B.G.,
You are far from along; many pet owners tell me how hard it
is to come up for an appropriate name for their new pet. Whatever name that you choose, please
remember that you will be saying that name many thousands of times in the years
to come, sometimes voiced loudly in front of others. Naming a pet “Hey you” may seem cute at the
time, but such names are belittling to the pet and are often regretted once the
novelty has worn off. A name should not
be treated as a joke or afterthought, but rather should demonstrate appropriate
love and importance within the family.
Sometimes, children may want to name their new cat or dog
after someone they admire, like Batman or Spiderman. Think long and hard if you really want to be
yelling this name out the back door when it is time for your dog or cat to come
in.
Before settling on a name, it is often a good idea to get to
know your new pet for a few days, watching for actions or traits that may
suggest a name. Hold a small
brainstorming session with all members of the family participating, and you’ll
probably come up with some very good ideas.
If you are still stumped, you can purchase books with suggested names
for pets, often organized by breed or region of origination of the breed.
Even if someone else has already named your pet when you
adopt him into your family, it is possible to train him to respond to a name
that you prefer. Suppose your newly
adopted Labrador retriever is named “Snookums” and you’d like to call him “Bo”,
in honor of a dearly loved pet you used to share your home with. Begin the name change process by saying
“Snookums (pause) Bo” when you call him, and make sure to reward him with
treats or lavish words of praise when he responds. After he’s learned to respond, reverse the
two names: “”Bo (pause) Snookums”, again rewarding the appropriate responses
from your dog. Finally, leave his old
name off and reward his good behavior.
Many dogs can learn their new names in a few short sessions, depending
on their personality as well as the level of motivation provided by the
owner. Soon, Bo will be coming just as
fast as Snookems did when the treat jar was opened, if not faster.
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