How to Change a Dog's Name

A few months ago, my husband and I adopted a five year old English mastiff from our local shelter. He was gentle, easy-mannered, laid back, and friendly. His submissive nature fit with our multi-pet family perfectly. We loved everything about him--except his name.

His previous owners had called him Shiloh. We felt it didn't fit him all. But, since he was already five years old (nearly a senior citizen for a dog breed that only lives 7 to 10 years) and had been called Shiloh his entire life, I wasn't sure we should change it. Somehow, I felt guilty even considering it. Would he even identify with a new name that we bestowed upon him?

After kicking around several names (e.g., Roy, Maximus, Tiny, Walter), I mentioned Karl. It just fit him. He would be Karl. We didn't expect him to immediately come running to his new name, so we implemented a strategy.

The first day or two we had him, we continued to call him Shiloh. I decided this was the best way to develop an initial bond with him and attempt to calm the nerves of a dog who had just been abandoned by a family that had cared for him for his entire life. I felt it was wise to minimize the changes he was experiencing as much as possible for those first few days. After about 48 hours, we began calling him Shiloh-Karl. We also made sure to always say his name in a very positive, exciting voice, so he would want to associate with it. He was responsive to this, perking up when he heard his name.

We continued to do this for about a week. Then we simply dropped the old name and called him Karl. He identified with Karl very easily, and even comes when called. I do notice that, several months later, he answers to both Shiloh and Karl.