Want to "re-name" a rescue dog-problems? suggestions?

Simple!

Use Yoda 5 times..Lola once..then Yoda 4 times and Lola twice etc..take about a week of switching over the usage and most dogs never think twice about it!

Good luck
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It might be a bit confusing at the start but we are all called different names by different people in our lives. Dogs are smart and can adapt. Changing their name from a time when things were not so great in their life is not necessarily a bad thing anyways.

You might have to do a bit more work and start obedience training from the start but it shouldn't be traumatic or anything of the sort.
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Animal care worker

I work with tons of rescues dogs and we rename them all the time.
Not a big deal.
When you feed the dog call her new name then say her name making eye contact with her and give her the food.
Call her new name and give treats.
It should not take long for her to get it.
We take in strays in the rescue program and sometimes we have no clue what their name was so we pick one and they become that.
Also when adopted many people change their names.
Good luck with your new pet.
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I am a dog trainer

If you us the new name from the start and call her often and treat her when she comes to you, she will soon get used to it. It does have a similar tone .Good luck with your new pet.

If she had been a stray you would not even know her original name.
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I know a few people who have "changed" the name of the dog they adopted/rescued. If it caused confusion, it was only temporary. If you are concerned about it, make a conscious effort to train the dog with her new name - use reinforcement (aka treats) when she responds to it.

However, make sure that the rescue does not have a clause in the contract about not changing the name of the dog. Some rescue organizations we looked at specifically said that you were not allowed to change the name of the dog you adopted, and that if you did, it could be grounds for termination of the contract and they would take the dog back. It seems foolish, but the rescue we were looking at had a clause regarding no name changes, so it is something to watch out for nonetheless.
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Name her anything you want. Its the tone of when you call your dog that understands.

When I was living with my sister she had 2 dogs she had for years, I would call them by different names all the time. Trust me the dogs don't really know the difference.
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Dogs have no concept of names as very personal attachments. All they probably care about is whether ur directing ur attention to them or not. So in that case, they're probably flexible enough to adapt to some new name - as long as they figure out that when us say "Pudding" or whatever u mean them.
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I have been told by my dog trainer that you should call the dog by it's old name and add the new on so: "Yoda, Lola" for a period of time and then drop the first name. I think if you go to Lola it won't make a difference to the dog. Hope this helps.
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You answered your own question. Yes, it really helps to keep the name similar.
Yoda?!? Shame on them!
Anyways, it's nice that you're concerned. Congrats on the new "kid"!
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I had done this a number of times with foster dogs that I got from Animal Services or those who had really horrible names.

Your idea to use a similar sounding name is excellent, failing that, just use the new name over and over in a slightly high pitched, happy sounding name, give her a treat when she comes over to you when you use it.
Dogs understand tone way more than name, and your new dog will be happy to come to you when you sound pleased with her.

Good luck, great that you rescue rather than support byb or puppy mills.
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always easier if the new name sounds like the old.
and i REEEAAALLLYYY like Lola. it's very pretty.
use Lola and everytime she responds, have a little treat ready.
good luck and thanks for rescuing!
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Hey, i think Lola is a nice name. I also have a toy yorkie his name is Mickey. Personally, i don;t think that changing your dog's name would cause confusion, because even though my dog's name is Mickey i also call him "baby", "cutie" and etc. Even though my dog knows his name he still responds to the other names because i use the same tone in my voice.If you rename your dog, always use the new name, and try to pet her when you're saying it. Also try to give her a snack if she comes to you when you call her. She will learn, good luck!
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Most of my foster dogs have had several names. The name from their original family, the name from the shelter, the name I give them, and the name the adopter gives them. They very easily learn a new name. I suggest my adopters use both names for a while and then drop off the old name. So if I call th foster dog Fluffy and the adopter wants to call the dog Bob, they'll call him "Fluffy-Bob" for a few weeks and eventually drop off the Fluffy. Works like a charm.
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How well does she know her original name? If she really knows her name well modifying it to a similar sounding name should be easiest way to go, otherwise you can help her learn a whole new name that you choose.

We adopted a dog whose name we were told was Sparky, but he didn't respond to it, didn't even twitch, so now he's Oliver and comes to it almost every time he's called (you know sometimes he's just too busy playing to want to stop).

Our other dog was originally named Kaleigh, which I didn't care for, bur since she knew her name we modified it and Katie responds just fine to her new name.
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no, not really because he will learn his new name, you can rename your dog any name that you want to. When I adopted my dog his name was Pierre but he didn't exactly look like a poodle:
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/sexyisback08/a537cd36.jpg
but now he looks like the poodle he is:
http://i169.photobucket.com/albums/u205/sexyisback08/Comfyblankie.jpg
so I renamed him Baccardi from a dog name website and that was one of, to start with 11 names unsual and unique names, then it got narrowed down to that one.
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experience

I was in the same situation about 2 months ago when I got my dog.. I hated her name.

So I changed it…. She caught on within a day.

I would simply call her by her old name, followed immediately by her new name when I wanted to get her attention. When I gave her treats, I called her by her new name and said things like "That's a good Faber", etc… Your dog will catch on quickly if the new name is used for praise and affection, several times a day.

She didn't get confused by it at all and took to it very easily… I had expected it to take a little time, but I was pleasantly surprised when it didn't.

Good luck and good on you for adopting!
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Dogs don't care, really. They aren't like us about names.As long as it sounds similar, Lola would be great! Or anything similar with 2 syllables.
Thanks for rescuing a doggie!

Smiles
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I agree with the people who say to use a similar name or put Yoda in the new name until the dog gets use to you and the name. I call our smallest Yorkie "Killer" outside, but her real name is "Tinkerbell"…hey I have my male pride on the line when a 6'4, 300 lb man yells for a 2-1/2 pound dog.Good luck and please post some pics.