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Tips for Naming Your Dog
Tips for Naming Your Dog
Veterinary Pet Insurance reveals seven tips every dog
owner should know before naming their dog.
September 21 ,2004
Did you know that giving your pet the wrong name can result
in learning difficulties, behavioral issues and problems with
recognition? According to Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI),
the nation's oldest and largest health insurance provider
for pets, you might want to think twice before naming your
new four-legged friend.
"There is an art behind picking the perfect pet names," says
Dr. Peter Weinstein, VPI Medical Director and Immediate Past-President,
California Veterinary Medical Association. VPI offers the
following tips for choosing the most appropriate name for
your new dog, cat, bird or reptile:
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One-syllable names, like Max and Sam, make learning and
recognition easier for your pet. Two-syllable names also
work well because animals listen for the first syllable
sound.
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Be aware of choosing names (such as Joe, Neil) that are
similar to voice commands used for obedience: no, sit,
come, heel, down, talk, etc.
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Don't give your pets and your children similar names
or neither will know who you're calling.
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Choose a name that is easy to call out and won't embarrass
you (as you shout it through your neighborhood at 7 a.m.);
consider choosing Happy over Stinky.
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Consider choosing a name based on breed lineage. For
example, pick a name like Murphy or Riley for an Irish
Setter or Kerry Blue Terrier.
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Name your pet based upon behavioral aspects noted in
the first week or so. Examples: Lovey, Hoppy or Crazy.
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Plan for growth -- a puppy will no longer be a puppy
after a year, so consider that Tiny may not be the best
choice for larger breeds.
Dr. Weinstein's guidelines may help explain why, for the
second year in a row, "Max" has taken top honors as the nation's
most popular pet name, according to VPI research. A survey
of VPI's 300,000-plus policyholders showed that Bailey, Buddy,
Molly, Maggie, Lucy, Jake, Daisy, Rocky and Sadie rounded
out the top ten rankings for 2004.
Dr. Aine McCarthy, VPI Director of Veterinary Marketing,
believes that this year's top pet names speak to a promising
trend in the pet world. "Human names for pets are very common
these days, because more and more people consider their pets
as family members," she explained. "This is a wonderful indication
that the human/animal bond is stronger than ever."
For a listing of the most popular names for dogs, visit "The
Most Popular Dog Names".
About Veterinary Pet Insurance
Veterinary Pet Insurance is the nation's oldest and largest
health insurance plan for pets. The company was founded in
1980 and is committed to making the miracles of veterinary
medicine affordable for all pet owners. VPI plans cover dogs,
cats, birds and exotic pets for medical problems and conditions
relating to accidents, illnesses and injuries. Optional vaccination
and routine care coverage is also available.
Policies are available in all 50 states and the District
of Columbia. Policies are underwritten by Veterinary Pet Insurance
Company in California and in all other states by National
Casualty Company, an A+15 rated company, in Madison, Wisconsin.
For more information about VPI Pet Insurance policies, call
800-USA-PETS (800-872-7387) or visit http://www.petinsurance.com.
VPI's parent company, Veterinary Pet Services, Inc., is an
SEC-reporting company whose stock is not publicly traded.
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