Naming a Pet

I don't care for Nala, but only because when you call for the dog it's going to feel/sound awkward...How about Julie or June so it doesn't sound like an e-cigarette. Will the dog get very large? Do you have an idea about how much she should weigh when she is full grown? By the way, your girls are pretty young, my grand daughter got to pick the name of the family dog and she picked CoCo. I'm not sure Im crazy about the name, but it doesn't matter. How about you tell your husbands buddies the girls want to name the puppy 'buzz-kill' after them. 😎

We named our dog "joey," because there aren't many people with that name. As a matter of fact, just from your name, how about "star?"

She is a goldendoodle and she will be 50 pounds. Buzz-kill is the best suggestion yet! Lol
Our oldest daughter is Jolee so we thought Julie sounded too similar. Thanks for the suggestion!

I actually suggested star...he didn’t like that one either. 🙄

At least that was the case until Joey Bishop became a tv persona.

I still like Joey

Joey was a golden retriever, and did he love to run. The park was just across the street from where we lived, so I took him there almost every day so he could run to his heart's content. We spoiled him good, and when we had to move to Chicago, I gave him to a stranger. Big mistake; when he took Joey, he was really violent with him. We watched as he was trying to train Joey, and it just broke my heart. How could we have known? This was in the mid-1960's.

I sent you a PM, did you see it? It's a longer message about dog names.

I am completely amazed with the lengths married couples go through to annoy one another over piddly crap. So your husband wants to name a dog and you can't just allow that to happen. In 20 years or so, when the dog is no longer here, will it really matter who got to name it? Or will it matter more that it was loved and protected by the family, with it being your husband's best 4 legged friend ever?

Rejoice in the fact that a sweet, adorable puppy makes your husband so happy. Name the dog Nala and let it all go. You'll have bigger issues than this throughout your marriage. Don't let naming a dog be such a contentious process.

@neptuneblue do you have children?? I don’t find this to be something pidly. Our girls have been calling the dog jewel for two weeks already and he wants them to change it. Growing up us kids were always able to name the family pets. It wasn’t a big deal. It gave us a connection with the pet and quite frankly led us to be more open with helping with chores,etc. our oldest daughter is shy and already struggles with asserting herself and being a leader. She has such a strong opinion about not naming the dog Nala she cried when we told her we weren’t going to keep the name Jewel. I think that my husband is being selfish, as the adult in this scenario he should let it go and make the kids happy. In my opinion he should be proud of his kids choice instead of putting them down!

The question here is, how do you value your marriage?

You just called your husband "selfish" over naming a dog.

Selfish...

Over naming a dog.

A dog!



Your children are small and will grow up and out.

You'll be stuck in a marriage with a man you call selfish now, probably worse in the future. Pick your battles. Naming a dog isn't one of them.

Tell the girls to stand one end of the room and your husband the other. You stand in the middle with the dog. The girls call Jewel, your husband calls Nala.

The dog will go to the one whose name it recognises.

Hi - we went through this ourselves about 4 months ago. We also have a family of 4. We adopted a puppy. We had come up with a slew of names - one person liked; or two liked one didn't.

We ended up going with one that we all felt comfortable with. It wasn't my personal favorite but it wasn't bad and the kids liked it the most (well it was one the one that both kids liked) - my husband came up with it so obviously he liked it.

Personally in a case like this - I put the kids first in naming the pet. So as long as mom and dad are not totally against it. I would use the name the kids like. I think in this case the dad doesn't like it at all.

To me the fairest thing is it cut out any names that someone does not like at all. Then go through a list of dog names - let the kids come up with a few they really like and if mom and dad are comfortable with any of them (meaning they don't hate any of them and can see it being a positive name that is easy to call the dog with) - be a grown up and let the kids choose the name. It is rare that you all agree 100%.

We did that with the last two doggies and both the names ended up fitting them so well we cannot imagine them being called anything else.

I believe, it's somewhat similar to naming our children. Their names fit in quite well with their personality.

Buzz kill is such a name that will only have reference for about 2 yers when it will be even more annoying than it is now.
I still say that the best dog's name is bases on somthing IT does or looks like.
We had one black cat with white paws. We named it Rebock (for the old sneakers). It was a name that did him proud his whole life

We had plenty of hillbilly dogs like catahoulas. They all got hillbilly names. Still, its all you job and its like naming a kid, your first dog or cat.


Nala sounds kinda "special" so Id try to lose it.
Our neighbors got a shep and it makes piles in the house so they named him DOOTY. That is gonna be hard to live with in 3 yers or so.

How bout naming it after sub-atomic particles.

like I said, a dog is a familymember so I agree it not a piddly thing. So what if it raises some dust. Thats what families do, we dont avoid conflict we celebrate it.Im with JS

I missed this - I think where you have already been calling the dog her name for two weeks you keep it.

Also considering everything else you mention - naming the dog will also come with the responsibility of caring for it - it "feels" more their dog when they name it and they will learn alot about caring and responsibility for their pet.

Have fun with her - I am sure she will be a jewel and everyone will wonder a year from now how they could have called her anything else.

So what it raises some dust...

Dust, as in resentment, hurt feelings, refusal to acquiesce to a simple request, putting children in front of a marriage, calling names...

I don't believe naming a dog should be this difficult.

A healthy marriage is a lot of work. Seeing your partner happy isn't the same thing as avoiding conflict. OP's husband has wanted a dog for SIX YEARS, is going to be taking it to work with him and wants to name it. I don't see why this is even an issue.

Because the adult is acting like a child - after allowing your daughters to call the dog Jewel for two weeks and then insisting they rename her to name only he likes. That is childish. He should have insisted prior to naming and calling the dog jewel for two weeks. At that point the naming is still under negotiations. Changing your mind after two weeks is like going back on your word - what are you teaching your children? That they cannot rely on you or trust you.

I can understand if at the time he said I really do not like the Jewel - can we come up with some others. Then you throw out names and you decide as a family which one everyone likes overall. Typically what happens is no one ends getting their most favorite but everyone gets a name that they are happy with. But that ship has sailed -- he had his opportunity and now after everyone else is attached to the name except for him - he causes a strife.

And highly I doubt this wife is actually calling her husband names - she is more likely venting here out of frustration - a safer venue.

Also as a parent you give your children's happiness over your own - so he wanted a dog for six years. There are lots of things I have wanted for over 20 years - but I have either put them on hold or completely given them up for the happiness of my children. Putting his happiness over his children especially after they agreed to a name - is selfishness. My husband says all the time you only have your children for so long.... and we certainly are experiencing this with one in college and one a junior in high school - the naming of a dog is a small thing to allow to your children.