You have brought a new little furry bundle into your family and everyone is enthralled with the new puppy. You’ve picked up all the cutest toys, loads of puppy potty training pads, and the best dog food. Only one thing is lacking – you need to pick one of the best male dog names!
Picking out a good name for your new male puppy matters a great deal. Your puppy’s name is going to be the label by which he is known for the rest of his life. It is going to be the thing by which you refer to him when you’re training him, it’s how he’s going to know himself, and it is going to serve as a window for other people into his personality and character.
It is believed that in general, male dogs are more stable in mood than female dogs. Although that does not necessarily mean that they are even tempered.
On the contrary, male dogs have been observed to be more aggressive and bolder than females – more likely to assert their dominance.
When you bring a new dog into your home, in the dog’s mind, you are bringing him in as a new pack member. At first he will likely try to dominate the family, thus becoming the pack leader or the alpha dog. It will require training to break him of that, and help him find his place in the pack with you at the head.
With this domineering tendency in mind, it puts an interesting spin on choosing one of the best male dog names. Certainly you’re not going to pick the name Killer for a toy poodle, although some owners enjoy that sense of irony – and who’s to say that your toy poodle’s bite isn’t worse than his bark?
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Best Male Dog Names and How To Pick the Best Name for A Male Dog
Rules of picking a dog name
As a general rule, it’s best to adhere to some basic guidelines for naming your male dog. You need to be sure you select one of the best male dog names that fits your pooch.
PICK THE NAME: 50 Popular Best Dog Names for Male Dogs
Keep the name short. It should be no more than 2 or 3 syllables at most. You don’t want to be yelling some crazy long name out the back door in an attempt to get your dog to come in. It just becomes too complicated and too confusing for both you and your pet.
Dogs tend to pick their own names. Just watch his personality, watch how he reacts to things and watch where his tendencies go in response to different scenarios. Don’t be afraid to let your dog wander around without a name for a few weeks. Once you observe him and discover different nuances to his character, a fitting name will come to you.
Keep the name masculine. Nothing is sadder than a male Rottweiler named ‘Princess’ or a Doberman named ‘Flowers’. Please preserve your dog’s dignity and keep the neighbors from looking at you funny, by giving your Fido a manly name.
Avoid confusion. Do not give him a name that resembles a basic command. You don’t want to give him a name like Ray when it sounds so much like the command ‘stay.’ Dogs don’t necessarily understand the actual word, however they do understand the frequency of the word. So if their name and the command you want them to follow sound similar, it will likely confuse your pup.
Avoid using common dog names. Names like Spot, Max, or Buddy are heard in every dog park and grooming salon. This could be very confusing for your pet. Try to find a unique name that will stand out in a crowd.
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Techniques for picking out thebest dog name
Another technique you could use when coming up with a name for your male dog is letting the other members of your family have a say in the process. This new dog will be for the entire family. In order for them to feel more invested in the pet, they should be involved in assigning him his most important identifying feature.
The best male dog names will match your pooch's breed. If he’s a Siberian Husky, perhaps the name Nanook or Blaze would be appropriate. If he’s the aforementioned toy poodle, a French name like Pierre or Monet would work. If he’s a German breed, Fritz or Gustav could be the best choice.
Choose a name for your dog based on his size or potential size. A Great Dane may be known as Moose, while a Mastiff could be called Bear.
Likewise, a Chihuahua or a Shih Tzu would make a great Tiny or Shorty. And remember your dog's name may or may not affect other people's reaction and thoughts about him, according to Stanley Coren, PhD.
You could also choose one of the best male dog names based on your Fido's overall coat or different unique aspects of his coat. With an all-black coat he could be known as Shadow, or if he has distinctive white paws he could be called Boots.
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Is your dog's name a lucky one?
Some owners believe there are lucky and unlucky names for dogs. In fact, Psychology Today even wrote an article on the best names for dogs based on data analysis from pet insurance companies. These “rules” showed which pets with certain popular dog names got unluckier in life.
“Why it appears to be that the dogs named Bruno are more subject to mishaps than dogs named Luna is unclear. Could it be that, rather than reflecting something mystical like luck, the difference is based on the personality of the kind of dog owner who names his pet Bruno or Buster.” – Stanley Coren, PhD
It's likely that their assertion about dog's personality associated with the name is the biggest deciding factor here, since most dog owners will name their Fidos based on their initial impression of them, dog's behavior and general attitude.
Is this something to consider? Why not. Should you go by this as a rule? Probably not.
READ MORE: How to Pick the Best Dog for You Based On Your Living Situation
Take home message on male dog names
In the grand scheme of things, everyone uses their own methodology to come up with the most appropriate name for their male dog. Obviously there are no right or wrong answers. At the end of the day it is your dog and your choice on what you want to name him.
Just keep in mind that this is the name that he is going to have for the rest of his time on this earth – for many breeds that will be roughly 16 years. When you first name him, try the name on for size and see how he likes it.
Does he respond to it after a bit of training? Or does he ignore you completely when you call him by that name? Proceed with the initial name you gave him for a couple of weeks. If he’s not responding well to it, feel free to pick out another name.
Make sure when you continue with his new name training, you still continue with the positive reinforcement whether that be through dog training treats or praise. It is important to give your little guy a name that is not only fitting for him, but a name that is easy for you to pronounce and use in training.
Besides his appearance, your puppy’s name is the only defining trait that he will carry around with him everywhere he goes for the rest of his life. That's why it's so important that you choose one of the best male dog names.
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