We have a cocker spaniel who has been with us since he was two years old.

His previous owners named him Noddy - so that's his name.

I find myself hoping no-one is around when I have to call him. It is probably not the daftest name ever for a dog but it is really really cringeworthy.

Why do people call their dogs soppy names?

my wife works with someone who called her cat puppy

Why didn't you change his name when you got him? We have rehomed several dogs over the years and changed all of their names except for one that we liked and it's easy if you do it immediately, especially if you call them by their new name and then reward them...

Within a few weeks they don't answer to their old name (if you test them) and probably think you speak with a funny accent and say their name differently! It's easiest if the new name has the same number of syllables but even if not, they soon get used to a new name as we have found out!

My two pups I got together last year have always answered to quite a few nicknames as well as their own names and probably respond to the tone of my voice as much as what I call them!

No reason you can't change his name - sometimes in rescue they deliberately change the dog's name because the dog has been mistreated and associate their name with punishment

If he is a happy dog, stick to something similar. How about Bobby?

Arm yourself with a packet of cooked chicken breast or sausage, call the new name is a happy voice and give him a treat. The treat if he looks at you when you call the name, then if he comes to you.

I bet you a kilo of sausages he'll know his new name in an hour

Feel sorry for my OH - He is OK with Murphy but feels a bit self conscious calling 'Buffy' and 'Hansel'.

Do you think he was named after Noddy (with Big Ears) or Noddy Holder of Slade?

How about changing it to Ozzie as it sounds similar to Noddy (slightly)? I have a Cocker Spaniel called Ozzie (not Osbourne) his registered name had Wizard of Oz as part of it so he's Ozzie or Oz and it suits him!!!

Change it a little - You could probably get away with 'Bobby' or 'Ollie' - something with similar-sounding syllables.
Start by maybe calling him 'Nobby' for a week or two, until he gets used to it - then switch to 'Bobby'

I've done a similar thing in the past with a rescue dog.

edit - LOL, beaten to it
That'll teach me not to go off and make a coffee mid-way through typing a thread.

Lol - I managed to pop my par boiled potatoes in the oven while posting my reply

Good suggestion from StressMonkey, or you could decide on his new name e.g Doggy (not a suggestion ) and call that enthusiastically immediately before his old name each time so initially he has a double-barreled name "Doggy-Noddy".
Eventually when he hears the new name he anticipates the old name/recall and he begins to respond to the new one, before you need to add the old one

Dogs can generally learn a new name pretty quickly as they so often go by tone of voice/body language used rather than just the word spoken anyway

When you give your dog's/cat's a name you should picture yourself standing at your door shouting out the pet's name at midnight and what those who hear your tones will think.

We got our dof from a rescue when he was about 2 years old and they had no idea about his life up to then (he'd been picked up off the street).

So we had no choice but to give him a new name.

My kittens are called Chunky, Peaches,Cracker,Spirit and smokey but dont answer to those. They havent started going out yet which i am glad they dont. They only answer to us saying Children the same way the toy maker says it in Chitty Chitty bang bang. I do have strange cats though

my now deceased ex partner called some of our cats odd names and i'm left to go to the vets with them. Cats called chicken and the colonel crusty pants. I named another fatchap. The vets remember my cats names for some reason lol

And I thought my friend was weird calling her girl cat, Kitty and her male cat, The Boy

I have a Biscuit - known as Whisky Wibble Sticks, or Sponge Paws Biscuit Pants; a Gizmo who answers to Mo Mo or Mowlet; a Pepper who answers to Mrs Poivre; a Toby who answers to .... well, anything really; and ... a Mitzi, who is also known as Pudding, Pie, or her favourite - Queen Perfect Paws.

I'm not well, am I?

Erm. . .No

Somebody i know called there cat woof

Been busy and just got back on line.

Thanks for all the suggestions re changing Noddy's name.

Unfotunately his previous owners are my OH's ex-wife and her hubby - we thought they might get a bit upset if we changed his name. Mind you, he also answers to "dinner" too but I don't fancy shouting that either!

Tell them you saw a pet psychic and he told her that he didn't like his name?

and hurt their feelings? Might do