Dog Trick : Teach Your Dog to Ring the Bell

Difficulty: Easy 

It's ten-thirty in the morning. You have to be at your friend's house at eleven, but you don't want to leave your dog's mess unattended in the dining room floor. You're a long time cleaning, scrubbing, and vacuuming. Eleven o'clock hits the mark and you haven't left yet. You jump in the car and onto the road full speed, and you still arrive twenty minutes late.

You apologize to your friend, explain to them in sparse detail why you came late. Later during a conversation unexciting, you hear their tiny dog's footsteps, then the tinkling and jingling of a bell. You ask them what it is. Oh its my dog, they say, she's ringing the bell to tell me she has to go outside.

This is an extremely useful trick, perfect for house training puppies. The attractiveness of using a bell to let you know when your dog needs to go out is that you can hear it all over the house. Puppies don't have enough experience to come get you to take them out. In fact, the most common sign is spinning around. More often than not, you aren't around to see! Using a bell, you'll be able to hear every single time your dog needs some time outside.

Step 1: Use a training stick to target the bell.

Step 2: When he touches the bell, click and treat.

Step 3: When he touches the bell on his own, click and jackpot.

Step 4: Whenever you take him outside, have him touch the bell first. The reward is to open the door.

Step 5: our canine will, in a few days, learn that the door opens when he rings the bell.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian was only a puppy when we taught him this trick. This made housetraining him very easy. We never used the newspaper or puppy-pad method. We taught him touch right away so that we could teach him to ring a bell to let us know that he needed to go outside. We threaded an old jingle bell left over from Christmas onto some twine, and wrapped it around our front door knob. We kept an eye on him before he quite learned touch and bell, but it didn't take but a couple of days for him to get the hang of it. Using the bell in this way makes a drastic difference in house training a puppy.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog rings the bell when all he wants to do is play

You can eliminate this sly dog behavior by paying attention to certain times your dog usually goes out. If you have just taken your dog out and it isn't reasonable that he needs to go out again, or if your dog is in a particularly playful mood, don't open the door. You want the bell to be the signal for a quick "do your business" trip, not playtime.

Tip: "Keep the jingle bell on the door and well accessible to your dog. Also, make sure it is well tied to the string so it won't come off for your dog to swallow."

Dog Trick: Teach Your Dog to Learn Names

Difficulty: Moderate 

Dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for and can learn the names of all sorts of things. A border collie named Chaser currently holds the record for the largest dog vocabulary, having learned the names of over 1000 different toys and items. Dog's aren't limited to objects, they can learn the names of people and other pets as well. Wouldn't it be nice if your dog knew your kids' names? You can teach your dog the names of all his toys, the remote, or a place like his kennel or the living room.

Step 1: Have your dog touch your hand and click treat.

Step 2: Hold the object in your hand and say touch. Click treat when he touches the object not when he touches your hand.

Step 3: Call the object by its name (tug, squeaky, bunny, etc.) just as he touches it. Click and treat.

Step 4: Repeat 5 times.

Step 5: Hold the object and say its name and click and treat when he touches it.

Step 6: For teaching the names of people (Bob, Joe, Dad, Mom, etc.) and places (Bed, corner, kennel, etc.) use the training stick to introduce the person or place

OUR EXPERIENCE

I started out by waiting until Caspian looked at his toy, "Bobo." I clicked and treated. I did this several times until he was looking at it often. This got his attention and directed it toward Bobo. Then, I only started clicking and treating when he went toward the toy and touched it. Each time he touched it with his mouth (or paw, whichever you prefer), I would click and treat. Soon, he did it so often that I started saying "Bobo" whenever he touched it. Now, when I say, "Caspian, get Bobo" he'll go looking around the house to find his toy.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He's not getting it!

Don't tire your dog out. Five minutes at a time for a puppy and 7-10 minutes for an adult dog is a long training session. After that amount of time, their focus blurs. Even if your dog understands what you're trying to get him to do, he'll have a harder time remembering it later if he's tired.

Tip: "Teach your dog to round up your kids! Instead of going to get them yourself, you could combine this trick with "Speak" and tell your dog to "Go get Emma!" Once he finds her, he will bark once to let her know she's wanted."

Dog Trick : Teaching Your Dog Bring It

Difficulty: Easy 

Dog Bring It 

Bring it is a staple for dog training which we'll use to build other tricks upon. For example, after you teach your dog bring it, it will be easy to teach him to fetch, bring his dish or leash, or teach funnier tricks like Bring me a Drink or Get me a tissue!

Step 1: Tell your dog to get a toy by using the "Take It" command.

Step 2: Encourage your dog to come towards you with the toy. Click and treat if he brings it towards you a few steps. Do this a few times.

Step 3: Keep encouraging him to come nearer to you with the toy. Click and treat when he comes to you with the toy.

Step 4: Repeat these steps until your dog brings the toy to you each time without much prompting. Use the command "Bring it!" as you teach.

Step 5: Put the toy on the ground and walk across the room. Say, "Take it" and "Bring it!" If your dog obeys, click and give him a jackpot!

OUR EXPERIENCE

I put Caspian's toy on the floor, saying, "Take it!" He grabs it and looks at me. I pat my leg to encourage him to come to me. Immediately, he takes several steps toward me. I click and treat. We do this several times; each time Caspian gets closer to me. One time he comes to me without the toy - I ignore him. Now he is bringing me the toy every time. I click and treat, saying "Bring it" when he comes with the toy. Soon Caspian was able to understand my command and bring me the toy whenever I asked him to.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He'll come to me just fine, but without the toy!

Don't click and treat when he comes to you without the toy - that's not what you're trying to teach. Be kind, but tough! Begin by clicking if he moves towards your direction with the toy in his mouth. Soon your dog will understand he has to bring it to you!

Tip: "Practice with different objects in different rooms, and have other people help you out by giving your dog the command themselves!"

Dog Trick : Teaching Your Dog to Leave It

Difficulty: Easy 

The man pats the dog next to him, "She's heeling fine," he says out loud, "Good girl, Daisy, good girl." He peers hard into the night; the wind stings his ears in a chilling burst; the flashlight clicking on, though weakly revealing the terrain before him in its dim gaze: nothing two double-A batteries couldn't fix, if only he he had some extras.

He rounds the house's corner and makes for the woods behind the house. He yawns. It's late in the night. He would be in asleep by now if only his dog would have eaten at proper hours and not at bedtime. He passes close by the neighbor's house, pulls Daisy away from a garbage pile with a gentle tug on the leash.

"Why do they have to dump their dinner leftovers there?" he asks to himself. He looks down. She had snatched a long chicken bone, and she was about to bite down on it. "Leave it!" he commands. She drops it immediately; whines rebelliously. He sighs; relieved.

Whether it is a chicken bone that can splinter and choke your dog, a sock which you don't want to have to replace, or any other item you don't want your dog to pick up, this is another command that can potentially save your dog's life.

Step 1: With your dog on a leash, let her smell the dog biscuit - then drop it two or three feet in front of her.

Step 2: Call her by name and say "leave it" as she starts for the treat. Restrain her with the leash.

Step 3: When your dog looks at you, click and treat with the chicken cube. Praise her as she gives up the dog biscuit for the chicken cube treat.

Step 4: Repeat steps one to three five times the first session.

Step 5: In your next session, repeat steps 1-4, but use part of a hot dog as the bait and liver as the reward.

Step 6: In subsequent sessions, teach "leave it" as above, training off-leash in a fenced yard.

Step 7: Regularly call your dog away from things that she likes – other dogs, treats etc., and then let her go back after you have praised her.

OUR EXPERIENCE

After teaching Caspian this incredibly useful command, we would regularly use the leave it command when outside with him, whether it was a squirrel he noticed, or a bit of leftovers the neighbors threw over the fence. One day, I had him out off leash, playing fetch with a tennis ball. My neighbor was out, spraying around and old stump with some poison. Caspian was interested in what he was doing, and went to investigate. "Leave it," I said. Caspian immediately turned and came back to me. My neighbor looked up and said, "That's the smartest dog!"

TEACHING TROUBLE

He won't leave the treat, even for a better one!

Make sure your dog knows you have an even better treat. And, again, be patient. It is worth it to spend extra time on this trick, because it might save your dog's life one day!

Tip: "Be consistent with your dog! Let her know that whenever she leaves something, she will receive something better in return."

Dog Trick - Teaching Your Dog listen command Take It

Difficulty: Easy 

Congratulations! Your dog should be behaving very well now, having mastered the basics . Now, let's work on training your dog to properly interact with the world around him. One of the great things about dogs is their ability to help others, and being able to pick up dropped items or other objects is a very practical thing for dogs to do. In fact, assistance dogs are trained to do this very thing. Whether or not that is your goal, teaching your dog take it, is a very beneficial trick which we will build off of later on.

Step 1: Get one of your dog's favorite toys and set it on the ground. Wait for him to pick it up in his mouth. Click and treat.

Step 2: Repeat this several times. When he starts picking up the toy without hesitation, start using the command take it when you click and treat.

Step 3: After a few times of that, see if he will pick it up at your command!

Step 4: See how many objects he'll pick up! Point to the sock and say, take it. Click and treat. Point to the remote and say take it, etc. 

OUR EXPERIENCE

It wasn't hard to teach Caspian take it. I set down a toy he really loves, and waited to see what he would do. He looked around to figure out what was going on, and saw the toy there. He bent down to chew on it and I clicked and treated. I did this again, each time waiting a bit longer to teach him that I wanted him to keep it in his mouth until I clicked. After a while I started using the command take it when he got it right.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He gets frustrated and won't pick it up!

Believe it or not, he may be getting frustrated because you are! Do your best to be patient and don't say anything. If your dog growls, ignore him. He'll eventually get it. If you need to, click for any behavior that is not quite but close to what you want (i.e., if he goes near the object or touches it). After that, you can eventually shape it into the behavior you want.

Tip: "Teaching your dog Take it now will pave the way for many great tricks later on!"

Dog Trick : Teaching Your Dog Heel

Difficulty: Easy 

For a well-trained dog, teaching heel - to walk beside you with a loose leash, without pulling - is a must. Consider these two examples:

A man opens his front door and exits with his dog on leash. It is a busy neighborhood. Other dogs bark around him, cars whoosh down the road through puddles of rain. The soggy ground is imprinted with his footprints and exactly next to them are his dog's. As if glued to his side the dog trots. Never venturing ahead. Never falling behind to sniff at a mysterious stump or for whiff of a bush that rumors another dog's scent. The leash dangles in a calm arch.

Across the street a woman yells. The man stops to watch, the dog with him. She is flung forward clinging to a black leash. A small dog runs ahead pulling her where it wishes to sniff. The man grins, then laughs aloud.

Step 1: Begin by having your dog on a leash looped to your belt on your left side. That way you don't have to use your hands to hold the leash.

Step 2: Should your dog pull on the leash—never go in the direction that your dog is pulling.

Step 3: When your dog is close to you with his shoulder by your left leg then click and treat. (If you are walking you will have to stop to treat. That's ok, using the clicker in this way greatly speeds up the time it takes for your dog to learn this important skill.) 

Step 4: When your dog starts walking regularly by your left side, then begin using the commands "let's go" and "with me" so that the dog will associate those commands with that position by your side. These commands are more natural than saying "heel."

Step 5: Click and treat every ten steps that your dog completes by your left side.

Step 6: Work in 10 to 15 minute sessions about four times each day until the skill is mastered.

Step 7: When your dog is faithfully responding to the "let's go" and "with me" commands by walking by your side, then begin off leash training.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian was only a puppy when we first started working on this. To go outside was a new adventure for him every time, and he would want to check out everything. Even though he was just a puppy, he pulled quite hard on the leash, and would end up choking himself. If I ran with him, he would see the leash as a toy, and jump up to catch at it. He would hold the leash in his mouth, like he was "taking his human on a walk," instead of the other way around. Although we started with these difficulties, it didn't take too long for him to understand that I was in charge. Consistency cured his pulling problem.

TEACHING TROUBLE

He just won't listen!

Dogs are sometimes obstinate. If they want to pull you on the leash in order to get somewhere faster, they will. The main rule for you in training your dog to heel is for you to be firm and obstinate yourself. Never go in the direction that your dog is pulling. If anything, go the opposite direction that your dog wants to go and train him to always walk by your side. Just a few steps of walking right next to you are great strides toward your goal. Remember to click and treat well and only do ten or fifteen minutes of training at a time.

Tip: "Start by teaching off leash tricks in a fenced-in yard or enclosed area so that you don't lose your dog."

Diabetes in Dogs

Diabetes Mellitus Without Complication in Dogs

Diabetes mellitus is a diseased state by which the body suffers from either an absolute shortage of insulin (Type I), or from an incorrect response from the cells to the insulin that is being produced, a condition termed insulin resistance (Type II). Both of these conditions will prevent the muscles and organs from converting glucose to energy, and will result in excessive amounts of glucose in the blood, which is also referred to as hyperglycemia.

Diabetes is a disorder of carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism caused by an absolute or relative insulin deficiency. Metabolism refers to how the body digests and uses food for growth and energy, and this process is largely dependent on a sufficient amount of insulin in the body.

Insulin is a hormone that is produced in the pancreas, releasing into the cells in response to the digestive conversion of proteins into glucose in the bloodstream. Much of the food that is ingested is broken down into glucose, a type of sugar in the blood and one of the body's main sources of energy. Appropriate insulin function will trigger the liver and muscles to take up glucose from the blood cells, converting it to energy.

Diabetes, a common condition for humans, is also relatively common in domestic animals like dogs. Type I diabetes is the more severe form of the disease, as it is dependent on daily insulin injections for maintaining blood sugar balance (insulin dependent diabetes mellitus – IDDM).

An affected dog will be hungry a lot of the time, since glucose is not making it to the brain; glucose levels in the brain are too low for the brain to register that it is receiving food. Because insulin is not giving the muscles and organs the signal to convert glucose to energy, the excess glucose in the blood will be carried out of the body in urine instead of being used for energy, and there will be a concurrent lack of energy. There is also increased thirst as a result of the increase in urine. The liver is adversely affected by this condition, as are the eyes and kidneys.

At heightened risk are obese dogs and female dogs. While many cases of diabetes are seen in older dogs, it can occur at any age.

Symptoms and Types

Early signs

• Excessive urination
• Excessive thirst
• Hunger
• Weight loss even with normal appetite

Later signs

• Anorexia – complete loss of appetite
• Lethargy and depression
• Vomiting

Development of Ketoacidosis – metabolic acidosis caused by the breakdown of fat and proteins in the liver in response to insulin deficiency

• Depression
• Vomiting

Other symptoms include:

• Enlarged liver
• Cataracts
• Bladder or kidney infection
• Obesity

Causes

There are several possible causes for diabetes mellitus. Genetic predisposition is one likely cause, since some breeds seem to be predisposed to diabetes, and dogs that have diabetes often also have relatives with it. However, there is also thought to be a relation to hormones therapies, since dogs that are receiving drugs to control heat cycles are at a higher risk for developing diabetes. This is due to their interference with insulin production. Pancreatitis is also likely to be a factor.

Some causes that are still being investigated are immune-system disorders, and there are indications that viral diseases can also lead to this condition. The prevalence of diabetes in dogs is not great; it varies between one in 400 and one in 500.

The following breeds are at a higher risk:

• Keeshond
• Puli
• Miniature Pinscher
• Samoyed
• Cairn terrier
• Poodle
• Dachshund
• Miniature Schnauzer
• Beagle

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will take detailed medical history from you of your dog's health leading up to the onset of symptoms and details of the exact symptoms. Standard tests will include a complete blood count, chemical profile, and urinalysis. These tests should be sufficient for diagnosis and initial treatment.

Typically, with diabetes, an unusually high concentration of glucose will be found in the blood and urine. Abnormally high levels of liver enzymes and electrolytes imbalances are also common. Urine test results may also show evidence of abnormally high levels of ketone bodies - water-soluble compounds produced as a by-product of fatty acid metabolism in the liver and kidney. A numbers of other abnormalities may also be found.

Radiographic studies, including x-rays and ultrasonography, can be helpful for the diagnosis of concurrent diseases and complications due to diabetes. Abdominal X-rays and ultrasound will help to determine the presence of kidney stones and/or inflammation of the pancreas and liver, as well as other associated abnormalities. In the case of liver disease, should it appear suspect, your veterinarian may decide to take a sample of liver tissue for further diagnostic evaluation.

Treatment and Care

Your veterinarian will prescribe a course of treatment that will include daily exercise in your dog’s schedule. Lowering insulin demands and balancing your dog's food and liquid cravings to healthy levels will be the first priority. Obesity is one of the major risk factors for diabetes, and this condition can make management of diabetes difficult, but it can only be brought under control slowly and with great care. The target weight may be reached in 2-4 months, but your veterinarian will need to suggest a practical time line that is appropriate for your dog. If your dog has actually lost weight, you will need to work with your veterinarian on a plan to increase your dog's weight to normal levels.

Soft and moist foods will have to be avoided because they cause rapid accumulation of glucose in the body. However, do not change your dog food suddenly and without first discussing it with your veterinarian. Your dog will need a well-thought out and strictly enforced diet plan. Your veterinarian can help you to design a plan that is well suited to your dog's needs, with life-style changes to facilitate proper management of the diabetes.

Most patients' diabetes can be managed without complications, but for some dogs the situation may be more challenging. Your veterinarian will make an individual treatment and management plan for your dog based on the dog's current disease status. Your veterinarian will also brief you on what to look for in case of either hypoglycemia (low levels of glucose) or hyperglycemia (high level of glucose), both of which can be seen in diabetic dogs. Keeping a daily and weekly chart of your dog's diet, glucose test results, daily insulin dose, and weekly body weight is highly recommended for following patterns and recognizing when your dog deviates from it's regular pattern. There are various types of insulin available and a selection of the type that is appropriate to your dog will made by your veterinarian.

For instance, smaller dogs usually need multiple doses of insulin as part of their daily insulin therapy, while larger dogs may only need one dose per day. Likewise, doses are calculated according to the weight, age, gender and individual insulin requirements of the affected dog. Depending on how severe the diabetic condition is, and how the amount of insulin in the body variates from day to day, you may need to evaluate your dog's blood glucose levels on a daily basis and adjust the insulin dose accordingly.

If this is a serious issue, and there are no plans to breed, your veterinarian will recommend a hysterectomy for your female dog. This is to avoid the surge of hormones at the time of estrus, which can further complicate your dog's health. Unfortunately, this is not a disease that will be cured, but your dog's health can be kept stable and it can go on to live a fully enjoyable life. This will be dependent on your willingness to adhere to your doctor's dietary recommendations. If properly managed, diabetic patients do well and usually have normal life-spans. The best preventive from complications is practicing careful maintenance.

Dog Trick : Teaching Your Dog to Stay

Difficulty: Easy

Consider this scenario:Company arrives, and your dog goes wild. You can't keep him away from them; sniffing, nudging, licking. If only he knew to stay when you told him, to keep a good distance between himself and your company.
You seat yourself at the dining table. The meal is laid out before you, its scent arising around you, ice cold tea poured in the glass next to the salad bowl, and beside you hangs your dog's dripping tongue and his eyes pierce you in want of the food you have yet to taste.

You tell him to get out. He does, but not allowing quite enough time to let you sip your tea, or take a bite, or say a word to your dinner guest as he unfolds a dark-red napkin onto his lap. The dog is back; you give him nothing. He trots past you and lays his large muzzle on top of the black suit pants of your guest, onto his red napkin, stares into his eyes, towards his plate, again into his eyes.

He comes and he goes, and he comes. Lock him outside on the screened-porch? He'll only bark. Loudly. You'll force him out of the room, but he won't stay even if you tell him to. He doesn't know how. You haven't trained him.

Although this command may be unnecessary, since teaching your dog to sit or lay down should keep him in that position until you give the release command, it is sometimes helpful to have a stay command for longer periods of waiting, or if you want your dog to freeze in the middle of an action.

Step 1: Have your dog sit. Click and treat.

Step 2: Say 'stay.' Wait six seconds. Say 'release' then click and treat.

Step 3: Say 'sit,' 'stay' and wait ten seconds. Say 'release' then click and treat. 

Step 4: Repeat four or five times per session.

Step 5: Practice this trick in multiple sessions every day, gradually building up to several minutes before releasing.

OUR EXPERIENCE

We don't usually use the stay command with Caspian, unless we want to emphasize that we want him to freeze and not move. We tell him to stay when we balance a treat or toy on his nose before giving him a release command to catch it. In addition to using the clicker, we would physically restrain him by holding his collar. We would gradually lessen our hold each time until he would stay on his own. We did this because Caspian gets excited really easily, and will sometimes "jump the gun" so to speak.

TEACHING TROUBLE

My dog is so impatient!
Dogs are impatient, it's true. You have him sit, you tell him to stay, but he might have other ideas. You haven't quite reached the ten second mark, and he's running towards you. He's impatient and wants a treat now. He knows that sooner or later he'll get it, and he prefers sooner.

Sometimes, it's the dog owners who are impatient. You tell your dog to stay, but he won't stay so you get frustrated. But screaming at your dog won't help. Be patient. In order for a dog to 'stay,' patience must be put to order, for both the dog and his owner. Go over the steps, and soon you're dog will get the message. Don't relent if they come begging before you reach your set time limit, and don't treat them. You might have to go back a few seconds, or even half a minute. But make sure your dog is staying still as a statue until you say 'release.'

Tip: "Make sure your dog is staying still as a statue until you say release."

Dog Trick : Teaching Dog Come

Difficulty: Moderate 

Items Needed: Clicker, Treats

If you only teach your dog one thing from this book, teach him this command—it could save your dog's life. If your dog will not always come when called, he is not safe off leash. Teaching your dog to come when called is not only valuable for your dog's safety but also makes spending time with your dog more enjoyable knowing that he will not cause trouble by running away. If you teach your dog to come when called, and practice it every day, then you will build a trusting relationship with your dog.

Step 1: Load the cue instead of the clicker. Here's how: 

Go up to your dog and give the command that you will use to call the dog, then treat him. For example: Say the word "here Puddles" and give him a piece of bacon. Repeat multiple times during the day and each time give different treats (bacon, chicken, kibble, tug game; but in addition to treats, always give praise).

Step 2: Go across the room and give the command. "Here Puddles!" He will come to you to get his treat. When he does, click and jackpot (give a large treat or several treats). At this point in the training go back to click treating when he comes.

Step 3: Each time your dog comes to you pet his head and loop your hand under his collar before you give the treat. This is to get your dog used to being held when he comes to you. Dogs will pull away if they think they are being cornered into something they would rather not be doing. This should be a habit for you as well as the dog. 

Step 4: Try calling him from different rooms.

Step 5: Practice calling him when he is interested in something else. Vary the reward each time: sometimes a treat, sometimes just praise.

OUR EXPERIENCE

Caspian is a really smart labradoodle, but the one thing that he used to not be good at was coming when he was called. He gets excited extremely easily and loses focus during a training session if he sees other dogs or other activity going on. Truthfully, we were simply irresponsible in teaching him such an important command. One day, after playing fetch outside in our field, he spotted a squirrel, and took off after it. We tried calling him back to us, but he was too interested in the animal he was chasing. They ran across a road at the same time a car was coming down the mountain. The driver didn't have time to stop, and hit Caspian going around 30 miles per hour. Caspian rolled for about fifty feet, knocking down a construction sign next-door. We rushed him to the emergency veterinarian, who wasn't extremely hopeful. Caspian didn't have any broken bones, but couldn't move his back legs. It was a long road to recovery, but after several days, the swelling on his spinal cord decreased, and he was able to stand for a few seconds at a time. After many months of working with him, he was able to move around like he used to, but not quite as limber. And, even today he carries scars from skidding along the pavement. That experience taught us that teaching the recall command, teaching "come," is more important than anything else we could teach our dog.

TEACHING TROUBLE

I've taught my dog "Come" before, but now he won't obey me.

We originally taught Caspian to "come" as a puppy by playing a game where several people stood in a circle taking turns calling the dog and Caspian would come to each person calling him to get a treat. Unfortunately, later we poisoned the "come" command by using it primarily to go in the house after a play time - he started to associate the command with not being able to play anymore. We decided to start over and teach him using a different command word (we used "here").

Tip: "Get your family or friends to help you out. Have someone call your dog. If he comes to that person, treat. If he comes to someone else, be still and quiet until he finds the person who called him."

How to Looking for Perfect Dog Names

There are so many great dog names to choose from, it can be hard to decide on the perfect name for your new furry kid!

Naming your dog is such an exciting time. It's something that the whole family -- even the kids -- can take part in.

But naming your dog is also “serious business”.

After all, you wouldn’t choose your child’s name lightly, would you? The same holds true when it comes to choosing a name for your dog. You are going to be saying and hearing this name for many years to come, so you’ll want to get it right!

Whether you're choosing masculine names, chocolate Lab names, names for white dogs, small pooch names or female puppy names, here are some tips to help ensure that you pick the perfect name for your four-legged family member.

Tips to Choosing Perfect Dog Names

Let your dog help you choose his (or her) name.

My dog, Chase, came from a shelter. I have no idea who gave him his name, but my husband and I chose to keep it because it fits him perfectly. Chase is completely calm inside the house, but as soon as he gets outside… look out! I’ve spent half of the seven years we’ve had him chasing him around! Someone at that shelter knew that the name Chase fit him perfectly, and we had to agree!

If you take the time to get to know your dog’s personality before naming him, he might very well “choose” his own name, too.

When considering names for your dog, you might also want to look closely at your dog’s physical appearance. Jet is one of those cool names for black dogs , while Cashew and Popcorn are cute yellow Lab names.

Keep it simple and easy to understand.

A short name – preferably one or two syllables – is best. So, if you just can’t resist naming your dog Dandelion or Pumpernickel, try shortening it to Dandy and Nicky for everyday use.

Also, avoid names that sound too much like commands, and especially keep away from any name that sounds like a reprimand. For example, “Sid” sounds too much like “Sit!” and “Beau” sounds like “No!”. You want your dog to respond happily when you call his name, not to think you’re scolding him!

Don’t make your dog a laughing stock.

Before you decide to go for a name that gets a laugh, bear in mind that your dog will have to live with this name for the rest of his life.

Although he might not know the meaning of the name, dogs are very perceptive, and he will know when people are making fun of him. Anyway, is that really the perception that you want people to have – that you think your dog is ridiculous? If you want your dog to have dignity, then it’s best to give him a name that both of you can be proud of.

Choose a name that will grow well with your dog.

Have you ever met an adult person and thought, “What were his parents thinking when they named him”? Well, the same holds true with dog names. Names like “Tiny” and “Baby” might fit a puppy just fine, but not so much when that puppy grows into a 75-pound adult! Again, you don’t want your dog to be a laughing stock, so make sure that his “puppy name” will work just as well as his “adult name”.

Be aware that your dog’s name will affect how people view him.

Just as people unfairly stereotype dogs based on their appearance, they do the same thing based on the dog’s name. Giving your dog a “tough” name like “Killer” might seem cool to you, but it will also make people afraid of him, even if he’s the biggest puddle of sweetness east of the Mississippi. Is this image really fair to your dog?

Choose a name you will enjoy for years to come.

Have you noticed how people are getting back to the basics with their kids’ names? It seems that after a while those “unique” names get tiring, while the tried-and-true classics never seem to get stale. Consider this when you are picking a name for your dog.When you are choosing a dog name, think about whether the name is one that you will enjoy saying thousands of times over the years.

If you feel it is “cool” now but could grow old rather quickly, it’s probably best to skip it in favor of a name both you and your dog can grow comfortably into throughout his life.

With all that being said, it’s worth noting that you don’t have to stick to just one dog name for your pet. People have “nicknames”, and so can dogs. In the course of a given day, Chase is “Potato”, “Sweet Potato”, “Monkey” and even – I can’t believe I’m saying this – “Stinky Butt”!

And for anyone who thinks that dogs can only remember and respond to one name, I have to respectfully disagree. Whether I’m using his “real” name or his nicknames, Chase comes running!

So, perhaps the most important thing about choosing a dog name is to forget all the rules and let your heart guide you. Just like it guided you into picking your perfect dog, it will guide you into picking your perfect dog name.