Tag: name

What’s In A Name – The importance of choosing and using your dog’s name wisely

< A version of this article was published in the July 2019 issue of
Downeast Dog News>

<A short link to this post – http://bit.ly/WWM-Name-JUL2019>

Your dog’s name is an essential signal you will use when you want to communicate with them. At its most basic, to your dog it means “pay attention to whoever said my name,” and if you want it to work at its best, it should mean “paying attention to whoever says my name results in yummy rewards!”

Choosing A Name for Your Dog

If you adopt a puppy, from a breeder or a shelter, you will be able to name them anything you want. However, I suggest you spend some time thinking about the name you pick. There are personal factors to consider, as well as practical considerations.

Practical Considerations for a Puppy Name

  • Choose a name that is at most two syllables; a name that is short and distinct. While Princess Margaret could be a marvelous name for a dog, its length may make it less effective. I would suggest you use Princess, Maggie, or Mags for training. Short names are easier for dogs to recognize.
  • Choose a name that is unique and will not sound in like a verbal cue you use for training or the name of someone in your home. For example, “Clown” could be an excellent name for a dog that is an incessant goofball. However, it sounds like the verbal cue, “Down.” That could make things confusing for your beloved Clown, so perhaps “Goofy” would be a better name. Avoid selecting a name that is similar to the names of others, animals, or people, that live in your household. Having a Joe, Moe, and Beau, all in the same house could become very confusing. Moreover, those names also sound like “No,” a word that most pet parents use far too often.
  • If you follow the above suggestions, your dog’s name can be anything you want it to be.

Practical Considerations for an Older Dog

Most older dogs we bring into our families will already have a name. If the dog already responds cheerfully to their name, keep the name, even if you are not fond of it. We adopted our dog Shed when she was five years old. We were told the name was an abbreviation for Sh**head, which was a reason not to like the name. However, Shed responded to “Shed” with joy and enthusiasm, so that remained her name.

Our dog Muppy was picked up as a stray in Mississippi when she was about 18 months old. She was pregnant so went into a foster home for 8-weeks where she was named Marlene. Somewhere between her foster home and her transfer to a rescue in New Hampshire, she became Molly. When we got her, she did not respond to either name, and so we took some time to get to know her personality. After about a week, she became “Muppy.” She has been with us for six years now, and everyone agrees that her name suits her well.

Personal Considerations

It’s your dog so you can name her anything you want; however, other family members may wish to have a voice in the matter. I suggest the adults have veto power so that they can ensure that the name is practical, as noted above. For example, it is entirely within the realm of possibility for a child to believe that “Mister Fluffy Pants” is the best name ever, but, I suggest you meet them halfway. Get the puppy something (a bowl, a bed, a collar, etc.) labeled “Mister Fluffy Pants” but agree to use something shorter for training; perhaps “Fluffy.” Whatever you choose for everyday use is the name that should be on your dog’s ID tag and microchip records.

If got your puppy from a breeder that will register the litter, they might have a say in the puppy’s registered name. Our Golden Retriever, Tikken, was bred by Mariner Kennels and was born on Martin Luther King Day. Mariner considered her to be part of the “Freedom” litter and wanted her registered name to include the words “Mariner” and “Freedom.” Our choice for Tikken’s registered name was “Mariner Freedom Fighter,” which led us to the name Tikken < FMI – http://bit.ly/Tikken-Memories >.

Do not feel compelled to choose your dog’s name on the first day, or before you bring your puppy home. However, recognize that you do not want to wait too long. From the moment my wife and I met Gus, even before we chose to take him home, we knew he was a “Gus.” The longer he was with us, the more we were convinced we chose wisely. With Tikken, Dulcie, and Muppy, it took us some time to select the name that suited them.

Practical Considerations for All dogs

NEVER use your dog’s name in anger or frustration. Doing this just once may cause your dog to want to avoid you. It can take lots of work to recover from this mistake.

Frequently reward your dog, with food, for responding to their name < FMI –   http://bit.ly/TeachingTheNameGame >

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

Remembering Tikken – http://bit.ly/Tikken-Memories

Dog Training – The Name Game –   http://bit.ly/TeachingTheNameGame

________________________________________________________________________
Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) in Bangor, ME where he has been helping people with their pets since 1995. He is a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP), Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Associate Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (ACCBC), and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and is committed to PPG’s Guiding Principles and the Pain-Free, Force-Free, and Fear-Free training, management, and care of all pets. Don produces and co-hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show, that airs on Z62 Retro Radio WZON (AM620) and WKIT 103.3-HD3 and is streamed at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON every Saturday at 9 AM. Podcasts of the show are available at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, the Apple Podcast app, and at Don’s blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.  The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.

©8JUL19, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >

Dog Training – The Name Game

< A short link to this article – http://bit.ly/TeachingTheNameGame >

OBJECTIVE: This behavior has three purposes.

  1. To teach your dog to immediately orient towards you upon hearing you say their name once, and
  2. for you to learn the importance of only using the dog’s name once, and
  3. for your dog to learn that responding to their name will be rewarded.

Every time you repeat your dog’s name, or a cue for a behavior like “Sit,” your dog is learning what you are attempting to communicate is not relevant. They may even be learning that they are only to respond when you use the cue more than one time. They could also learn to tune you out. After all, how do we react to nagging?

You may practice this behavior for a set period, a couple of minutes, or do it randomly throughout the day or while you are watching TV at night. You will need to wait for the dog to become mildly distracted to practice this behavior. By mildly distracted, I mean the dog is not looking at you. Do not try this behavior if the dog is intently focused on something else like watching a squirrel through the window or chewing on a bully stick.

PREREQUISITE(S): You must have exposed the dog to the clicker so that they understand a “click” marks the desired behavior and will result in a food reward.

Have your clicker in your hand and treats readily available.

Read all of these instructions before practicing.

TRAINING INSTRUCTIONS

With you and your dog in the same room, wait for your dog to orient away from you. The instant they do so, say their name ONCE, wait and then click at the precise moment they look towards you (they do NOT need to make eye contact, sit, or approach you at this point), and then offer them a treat immediately in front of you.

Disengage with the dog and wait for them to orient away from you before repeating.

If you have someone else with you, they can be a mild distraction for the dog. If you live alone, wait until the dog disengages and then immediately repeat. If you wish to do this while you are watching TV, you might want to practice the behavior every time there is a commercial.

Practice the Name Game at least twice a day, ten repetitions each time. As your dog responds faster and more reliably, start to change variables one at a time. For example, if the dog is immediately looking at you upon hearing their name when you are standing in the kitchen, start to practice in a different room. Practice with you standing in the living room. Once the dog is responding with you standing in at least three places in your home, practice in each of those rooms with you sitting in a chair. You can then repeat teaching the behavior in those three rooms with you sitting on the floor. When your dog is reliably responding to their name when you say their name once, in every room of your home, it is time to start training outdoors in your yard. Recognize that this will be more difficult as the outside is much more distracting.

Recommended Resources

Articles on Don’s Blog
( http://www.words-woofs-meows.com )

What’s In A Name – The importance of choosing and using your dog’s name wisely – coming Soon!

Dog Training – What Is Clicker Training? – http://bit.ly/WhatIsClickerTraining

________________________________________________________________________
Don Hanson is the co-owner of the Green Acres Kennel Shop ( greenacreskennel.com ) in Bangor, ME where he has been helping people with their pets since 1995. He is a Bach Foundation Registered Animal Practitioner (BFRAP), Certified Dog Behavior Consultant (CDBC), Associate Certified Cat Behavior Consultant (ACCBC), and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA). Don is a member of the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) and is committed to PPG’s Guiding Principles and the Pain-Free, Force-Free, and Fear-Free training, management, and care of all pets. Don produces and co-hosts a weekly radio show and podcast, The Woof Meow Show, that airs on Z62 Retro Radio WZON (AM620) and WKIT 103.3-HD3 and is streamed at http://bit.ly/AM620-WZON every Saturday at 9 AM. Podcasts of the show are available at http://woofmeowshow.libsyn.com/, the Apple Podcast app, and at Don’s blog: www.words-woofs-meows.com.  The opinions in this post are those of Don Hanson.

©9JUN19, Donald J. Hanson, All Rights Reserved
< Click for Copyright and Use Policy >