Choosing perfect dog names can be fun, especially if you have a sense of humor. You've heard of the big guy named Tiny or the bald guy named Harry. You will usually find that these guys have a great personality and are loads of fun to be around. These names are most likely nicknames given to them by their friends or family in fun and they stuck. Often people are given nicknames because their real names don't fit them. When our parents named us they had no idea what we would be like when we grew up, so more appropriate nicknames are sometimes assigned to us later in life.

Choosing dog names is different from choosing the names of our children. We already know what our puppies will grow up to look like, and we can guess at how they will act based on the temperaments of their breeds. We are able to choose appropriate dog names that won't have to be changed later because they are not fitting. Adult dogs don't typically respond well when they are confused, and a mid-life name change can be confusing and frustrating for your pet. Choose a dog name that you will enjoy calling out for years to come.

A sense of humor is always appropriate when picking out dog names, especially when the names are based on the looks of the dogs. You could call a Dalmatian Spot, but wouldn't it be more fun to call him Stripes or Squiggles. Wrinkles is an appropriate name for a Bloodhoud or a Shar Pei, of course. But wouldn't Baby, Smoothie, or Lucky be cute?

A large watchdog breed, such as a Doberman Pinscher or a Bullmastiff could be appropriately named Killer. You could hang a sign that says "This House Is Protected By Killer" to keep the bad guys away. On the other hand, you could add an element of surprise and announce that your house is protected by Buffy, Waldo, or Precious. Your killer pooch is precious to you, right?

Small dogs seem to be the noisiest of all dogs. Maybe because they are so little, they overcompensate by being overprotective and loud. People who own small breeds tend to choose dog names like Bitsy, Dinky, and Pounce. Like the big guy nicknamed Tiny, it might be more fun to call your Yorkie Zeus or your Maltese Apollo.

A fun way for the family to choose dog names is to play the opposite game with the kids. Make a list of the most popular dog names for your breed and call them out to the kids. They will then tell you what they think the opposite of that name is. You say Minnie, they say Mighty. You suggest Tinkerbell, they suggest Shrek. The opposite of King might be Bumpkin. You get the idea. Kids can come up with some of the best dog names with little effort just by playing word games with them.

When you are ready to choose a puppy for your family, it is important to choose the right breed to fit your lifestyle. Once you've decided on a breed, have some fun choosing perfect dog names.