I have changed lots of dogs' and cats' names...either just call them by whatever name you want them to answer to, or, if you know their old name...which a lot of the time I did not, call them by new+old, then switch it up finally dropping the old altogether. I did this with a female mix who was named "Spade" which I thought was horrible for such a loving little girl...but then again, THEY had finally just put the starving little thing out on the street after neighbors threatened to turn them for cruelty. She couldn't even hold down food or water when I first got her, poor thing...but that all changed quickly enough and I found her a wonderful home with 2 lovely boys...she loved little boys...disliked little girls! I changed her name to Samantha, Sammy, for short...just started calling her Sammy Spade, then dropped the Spade and went to Sammy Samantha, etc. It only took about a week, even in her horrid condition, until she'd answer to Sammy or Samantha.
I have seen an occasional animal who will not answer to a new name (because he doesn't like it, I guess...lol)...one was a kitten I named "Pepper"...a Humane Society foster I adopted. He absolutely refused to answer to it! Perplexed, I 'had a discussion' with him in which I started asking what name he might like if he disliked Pepper so much, and went through a bunch of names...while he ignored me. lol When I got to "Smokey" his head spun round and he looked square at me, so now my "puppy cat" is named "Smokey" and he comes to it, sits to it, heels to it...lol Ya just never know, I guess!
Congrats on your new baby...! |