Finally you picked the pet of your dreams, or of your childrens dreams, and now he needs a name. What criteria do you use to give him the right name?

The first thing you need to remember is that you will use this name several times during the day. It therefore needs to be a name that you like. It also needs to be a name your pet can recognize easily. Complicated pet names are not only difficult to pronounce, but also will make your pet harder to get used to the name. There are obviously pets that wont really bother about their names, like fish for instance. In this case your imagination is your only limit.

Ideally, names should only be given to pets which are young in age and have never been called something else before. Changing a pets name can be a difficult task to digest, especially for the pet. One should always try to keep the same name for pets that have been adopted before.

How to choose a name for your young pet then? Here is a guideline to help you make this process easy for you, people around you, and most importantly your pet:

1. Whoever is involved in owning the pet should be part of the name selection process. Adults and children alike should participate in the process and all should feel involved in giving a name to your pet.

2. Pet names are normally going to be used in public areas. Keep in mind this when giving your pet a name.

3. The name should not be close to a command you would normally give your pet. Make sure the pronunciation of the name cannot be confused with something you are trying to tell your pet to do.

4. Your pet name should reflect his/her personality, and yours too. Remember, your pet will grow and a name given to a small and tiny creature might not be adequate in a couple of years time.

Make sure the right amount of research and effort is put in naming your pet. It is better to wait for another couple of days and rethink what you have chosen rather than changing your pets name every week. The earlier you get your pet used to a name, the earlier you can start teaching your pet commands which you would like him/her to learn.

The choices for naming your pet are endless. One can get inspiration from many sources, like TV pet names, comic book names, celebrity names and more. Choose your pets name wisely as it will be one of the words you will say or hear several times during the day.