Unlike some aspects of dog ownership, naming your dog is just

plain fun! The pets themselves don't require much; they just

need a pleasing dog name they can identify with when you give

them commands. But if you plan to show a purebred dog in

competitions, there’s a lot to consider when it's time to

choose a dog name for your dog's American Kennel Club

certificate. Let's start at the beginning.

The name of the kennel your dog came from is part of his show

name. Usually, it's the first part of his name as it appears on

the certificate. If you purchased your dog from a show kennel,

then the kennel's name should be first, such as: Dexy's Fido.

If you bred the dog yourself, then use your own original kennel

name. You can also use a combination such as 'Dexy's Fido of

(your kennel name here)' so that your dog's name reflects both

where he comes from and where he now resides.

Originality is important when choosing a show dog name. The

American Kennel Club (AKC) doesn't allow duplicate dog names,

and will ask you to choose another name if your pick is already

taken.

Unusual dog names with creative spelling attract attention to

your dog in a show catalog, while reducing the chance that

you've nearly duplicated another dog's name. For example,

'Dexy's Hi-Jac' is a cute play on the word hijack. It's catchy

yet original, and offers a great built-in theme for the future

if you advertise your dog in breed and show magazines. You

could use "He'll hijack your heart" for your ads. Cute, right?

Once you've selected your dog's 'paper name', the work isn’t

over. You'll still need to settle on a shorter dog 'call name'

for everyday reference. Using our example of Dexy's Hi-Jac, the

name Jack immediately suggests itself for the dog's call name,

while directly referring us back to his official dog name on

the AKC papers.

So, now that you know the basics of dog naming, you're ready to

choose a dog name that will serve you well both at home and in

the show ring.