Question
I’m looking into adopting an adult dog from a shelter. As I’m looking through some of the ones available, I’m not always thrilled with the names they are given.
Is it possible to rename a dog so that they respond to a new name? And if so, is that an okay thing to do with the dog, or is it better for the dog’s well-being if they continue to be called by their original name?
Answer
It doesn't really matter. It's a training thing. You can make the dog respond to either name it might just take some time, especially for older dogs.
We adopted our second dog from a shelter and he was so conditioned on his name that he'd cower in fear hearing it, so changing it was not a question.
If you think about it, training a new name is basically just training a new command/word for "hey, attention".
Answered By - Mario