Names can Be Misleading - Think Before You Dub
Recently I met a dog named Chaos at the dog park. This puppy was so sweet, he looked to be about 4 months old and was still young enough to be intimidated by most of the dogs he encountered. His owner was very caring and watchful. Here's the part that bothered me, this little angel might have a difficult road ahead of him because of his name. Chaos is a pit bull, whom I have nothing against, but naming any dog Chaos is bound to lead to misunderstandings of the dog's nature.
Anyone has the right to name their dog what ever they want, but in the same instance society will make a snap judgement against that dog because of his name. This dog was young and sweet but someday he will be big and sweet. His name makes you think, "What a troublemaker…" If the same name was attached to lets say a pug, one might think of a small dog who destroys the house or makes owner's life crazy. I once saw a rat terrier named Skeletor, like the villain off of He - Man. I immediately thought this dog looked boney, unfun to pet and could be mean. Take the same dog and call him Rupert and you might think of a dog who loves the finer things in life and taking care of his royal responsibility of greeting the dog park paupers. Take it a step further and change the name to Mr. Giggles and suddenly he's the happiest little rat terrier you ever met.
I will say I think it's really funny when people give their dogs human names like Mike or Annie. They can be very fitting and confusing. Speaking of Mike, my friend's grandmother had a yorkie named Mighty Mike. She would always say Mike and her were going here or there. For months I thought Mike was her boyfriend. Which he was, just not the way I thought. I also understand that when kids or popular movies are involved in the naming process, your going to meet some Ariels, Bellas, Astros and Thors. One thing I've noticed about dogs with human names is that they tend to have even more human characteristics. You get what you create.
This blog was just a reminder that naming a dog something that seems cool or funny, no matter the breed or size, can have a lifetime impact for that dog and yourself. This is an unpleasant thing to mention, but unforseen things come up in life and sometimes we are unable to keep a dog throughout their lifetime. The wrong name can make rehoming that much more difficult. A name can determine the mindset of everyone the dog encounters from first meetings on the street to vet vists to long time friends opinions. A name holds a lot of power be careful how you use it. In the end though, it's your dog and you'll give the right name for the right reasons. Maybe we should all just take the time to get to know the story behind the names?
