# Rescue dog and name change



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

It is possible and more common than you might think.

A lot of the GR Rescues when they take an owner surrender into their program, they may not change the name if the owner provides it. When dogs are pulled from shelters, they are given a name by the Rescues. Some adopters keep the name they were given while others will change it, it's up to the person taking the dog.

I adopted a boy from my County shelter several years ago. He was turned in as a stray, had an unknown history. The shelter named him but I changed it. He knew basic commands, at one point in time he belonged to someone... There was no problem changing it, he didn't need an adjustment period at all for his name or anything else.

This boy has been the easiest boy I've ever had.


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## ceegee (Mar 26, 2015)

Back in the day I rescued a Labrador who shared the same name as my mother-in-law (Stella). We changed the dog's name and it was not a problem. The dog quickly became used to her new name, within a day or two.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Same experience (well, not the dog name after my MIL  ) my parents one year old Lab was named "Cupcake" when they rescued her out of her existence, tied up in a neighbor's garage. They changed her name to "Kasey" (she learned it in no time flat) and were a match made in heaven - Kasey was their heart dog thru the next 11 years of her life.


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## Dunmar (Apr 15, 2020)

Teach them their name like you would a puppy

I sat on the floor and said Molly. Then gave a small treat.. over and over. Eventually she knew her name was molly


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## dlmrun2002 (Mar 4, 2011)

This is nice to hear. I would imagine many dogs that make their way to shelters have no way of telling the shelter workers what real name is.  Unless the shelter has the back story line on the history of the dog, who knows. It's been 4 years since I lost my Golden Skye. I think a rescue could work now (small aussie mix) and then get a Golden pup for next year. I think the rescue dog would be perfect to help raise the pup too. Good company and pups learn real fast when they have a mentor dog to guide them.
dlm ny country


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## SoCalEngr (Apr 11, 2020)

dlmrun2002 said:


> Been looking at a few rescues lately, both under 2 years and I was wondering if it is possible to change the dogs name and would it work or is just confusing for the dog. Thanks in advance.


We got our dog at almost five (5) months of age. At the time, her name was "Morgan". We chose to call her "Kona". The breeder was still doing some "final training", so they went through a short period of calling her "Morgan-Kona", then "Kona-Morgan", then simply "Kona".

A part of me (the suspicious part) wonders if this transitional naming was mostly to justify the additional costs for training. I have little doubt that a dedicated afternoon of treats and reinforcement would get a GR to respond to a new name.


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## LisaLaughs (Nov 21, 2019)

My rescue had at least four different names before I adopted her. I didn't change her name - it was clear she had settled into her name.


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