Dog owners will say that there is no proven formula for selecting a good name for a new dog or puppy. Whether they have to think of girl or boy dog names, normally they will pick something that sounds trendy or a name they like rather than putting some thought into what the name actually means. Popular boy dog names have a variety of meanings, but more often than not the meaning will not suit the dog it is given to. Here we give a guide to the top five boy dog names and what they really mean.

Undoubtedly, one of the first things you do when you get a new dog or puppy is pick a dog name for him or her. For most dog owners, this actually requires little thought. They just choose a dog name out of thin air and that is the name by which the poor mite will be known forever. However, there are certain issues that ought to be taken into consideration when going through dog names in order to make sure that you choose the right one.

First of all, dogs can sense attitude and tone of voice better than we are able to. If you pick a dog name for comic value or after someone you don't like, your dog will know by your tone of voice that something is not right. As a result, their attitudes may change towards you or they may refuse to respond to your commands. Dogs' names should mean something but should not be detrimental to their training, so you should really take the decision of the dog name carefully.

Although dogs are very clever animals, they can't understand the same amount of information that we can. Therefore, dog names ought not be more than two syllables long. If they are more than that, most dogs will not respond. Max, Sam, Becky, Lady, Molly and the like are excellent dog names because they are short and the names are easily heard. They respond to these dog names and that will help your probability of training them successfully.

However, dogs' names ought to help them mould a character of their own. Popular names don't really allow them to do that, so finding something simple but unusual can help their characters grow a great deal without damaging their willingness to respond to a command.

Max: This is perhaps the greatest boy dog name and the meaning is probably the reason why many people pick it for their dog. It literally means "the most". After all, every dog owner thinks that their dog is the 'most'.

Jake: Jake is short for Jacob, which means "champion". This is an apt boy dog name, if your puppy takes over the whole house within a short time of getting inside it!

Buddy: Buddy is a variation of Budd, which means "messenger". This boy dog name could suit a working dog or one you might train to bring in the newspaper of a morning. It is quite a popular boy dog name and can be very widely heard throughout America.

Bailey: The boy dog name Bailey is French and means "steward". This is fairly suitable if your dog is responsible and sensible, so it is apt for a Newfoundland or collie puppy.

Sam: Sam apparently means "an answer to prayers". This is a great boy dog name for dogs that are easy to train and are very little work!

Few new dog owners consider a name's meaning when picking a boy dog's name, so instead of just going ahead with your first idea, it would be worth taking the time to find a dog's name that is actually suitable for your dog. After all, it doesn't cost you anything to spend some time considering your dog's name.

Posted under Dogs

Keeping the attention of a dog while training is not always an easy task. Dogs can be very easily distracted, and it is important to not allow the dog training sessions to be ruined by boredom. Making dog training fun for the dog and the human alike is essential to creating a happy, well-adjusted and well-trained dog.

Providing random positive stimuli during the day is a great way to keep the interest of the dog. Doing things the dog enjoys, like walking in the park, riding in the car, and playing with other dogs, are good ways to keep the dog's attention, but you must reward him for small successes.

For instance, in order to reward the dog for coming to you when you call him, ask the dog to come to you, without giving any clues about a walk, a car ride, or other treats.

After your dog has come to you and obediently sat down, attach the lead and begin the treat. This can be either the before-mentioned walk in the park, ride in the car, or anything else the dog enjoys doing.

Providing some kind of reward, whether a treat, a special outing, or just a scratch behind the ears, every time the dog does something you want, is a great way to keep your dog motivated while you are dog training.

If your dog knows something good is going to happen every time he follows your command, he will be more motivated to please you every time.

Distraction training.

When training a dog, it is important to not let distractions ruin the training. The dog must be taught to ignore distractions, such as other people, other dogs, other animals and loud noises, and focus on what is being taught These kinds of distractions can also be used as rewards when training your dog to come when told.

For instance, if your dog enjoys playing with other dogs, whether in a local dog park or with the neighbour's dogs, let him play freely with those other dogs. Then go into the park or yard and call your dog.

When he comes to you, give him lots of praise, treats and other rewards, then immediately allow the dog to go back to playing with his friends. Repeat this several times and praise the dog each time he comes over to you.

The dog will quickly learn that coming to you means good things (treats and praise) and not bad ones (being removed from the park).

So-called distraction training is one of the hardest things to teach, because dogs are naturally social animals, and breaking away from the pack is one of the hardest things you can ask your dog to do. Most dogs will be understandably reluctant to leave their canine companions, but it is important to persist in dog training.

Training the dog to come to you when you call may require some thought on your behalf at first. For instance, waving one of his favourite toys, or a lure, is a great way to get your dog's attention and put the focus back on you. If your dog has been clicker trained, a quick click can be a good motivator too in dog training.

Once the dog begins to get the hang of coming when called, you can begin to reduce and eliminate the visual cues and focus on getting the dog to obey your voice alone. It is vital that the dog responds to voice commands alone, since you will not always have the availability of a toy or other lure.

Posted under Dogs

Fashion appears to decree everything these days. From what you wear to what you call your dog, everything you do is dictated by the requirement to be fashionable. Cool dog names are hard to come by and even harder to choose. This is because as soon as something is in fashion, than it is out again.

Who would want to choose a cool dog name that may not be fashionable tomorrow? People usually play it safe as a result, hence why the same names have been so popular for so long. To try and break that cycle, five cool dog names are given below with our reasons why you should choose one of them for your dog.

Phoenix: What could be cuter than a bird that goes up in flames and then rises from the ashes? Phoenix is one of the cool dog names that will never go out of fashion because it is based in history. It has a timeless quality which has somewhat surprisingly failed to increase its popularity.

Star: Star is one of the cool dog names because it has so many connotations that you can have a hard time finding out where to start. A star in the sky is a phenomenon and a star can refer to someone that outperforms in a certain field. It is indeed a high form of praise and therefore is definitely a cute dog name.

Lady: Lady is one of the most popular dog names but it is also one of the cute dog names because of Disney. Lady and the Tramp was a huge hit and made the name popular but also gave it some credibility. In this case popularity is second to coolness.

Elvis: The coolest of cool dog names. Elvis Presley was undoubtedly cool and remains cool today even after his death. It is infinitely cool to call your dog after such a tremendous star who never goes out of fashion himself.

Shadow: There is a dark and ethereal quality about Shadow that makes it a cool dog name. It would be best used on a large breed of dog though, because it wouldn't have the same striking effect with a small one.

Whatever cute dog names you consider for your mut, it is one sure way to give your dog an identity of their own and make your dog unforgettable to others.

Posted under Dogs