Dog Name

[W Sibs]

Ok, how often do you use your dog's name while training?

There was a lady I met at the dog park doing some training with her dog.. it was always

"Pepper. Sit. Good girl, Pepper. Pepper. Stay. Good girl, Pepper. Pepper. Look at me. Pepper...'

I realise when I train Charlie, I rarely use his name. Once, I get his attention, I don't need too. When I do need to get his attention, I usually said 'Oi Mister. Look at me' and he does..

But, is there a reason of using the dog's name over and over?

[poodlefan]

Ok, how often do you use your dog's name while training?

There was a lady I met at the dog park doing some training with her dog.. it was always

"Pepper. Sit. Good girl, Pepper. Pepper. Stay. Good girl, Pepper. Pepper. Look at me. Pepper...'

I realise when I train Charlie, I rarely use his name. Once, I get his attention, I don't need too. When I do need to get his attention, I usually said 'Oi Mister. Look at me' and he does..

But, is there a reason of using the dog's name over and over?

No. In fact it reduces the value of the name.

The kind of talking Pepper's owner is doing I call "begging". Dog should react the the first cue and not need all the white noise.

[W Sibs]

Ok, how often do you use your dog's name while training?

There was a lady I met at the dog park doing some training with her dog.. it was always

"Pepper. Sit. Good girl, Pepper. Pepper. Stay. Good girl, Pepper. Pepper. Look at me. Pepper...'

I realise when I train Charlie, I rarely use his name. Once, I get his attention, I don't need too. When I do need to get his attention, I usually said 'Oi Mister. Look at me' and he does..

But, is there a reason of using the dog's name over and over?

No. In fact it reduces the value of the name.

The kind of talking Pepper's owner is doing I call "begging". Dog should react the the first cue and not need all the white noise.

That's what I thought too.

I was just curious to see if there was a need to do it. Maybe she was doing basic training for a sport or something, I don't know about.

[Sue & Waldo]

With what I felt like calling Cindy this morning while training her it best not to use the name ever!

[Guest Ams]

With what I felt like calling Cindy this morning while training her it best not to use the name ever!

:D :D

[dee lee]

Perhaps she has been taught it at her dog training?

I havent ever used names in training before but I did notice when I went to my first obedience class the instructor did stress getting the dog's attention by using its name. This was a beginners class though and I was one of the few who ever done any training before so maybe this will change as the (non-rainy!!!!! ) weeks pass, but maybe not?

[megan_]

I use it but try not to. Not only does it devalue it, but if you have to correct your dog then it could get negative connotations too.

[spottychick]

Just want to point out that this wasn't me!!!

Anyway, I usually call mine "Pep" unless she's in trouble -then she gets the full syllabic PEPPER!!!!

[Esky the husky]

Ive been using Esky's name a lot. Probably too much. But I'm teaching her to focus on me. I want the word "Esky" to make my dog look at me.

[Sezy]

Perhaps she has been taught it at her dog training?

I havent ever used names in training before but I did notice when I went to my first obedience class the instructor did stress getting the dog's attention by using its name. This was a beginners class though and I was one of the few who ever done any training before so maybe this will change as the (non-rainy!!!!! ) weeks pass, but maybe not?

I was taught the same thing and it was not in the beginners class, it was about a level 3 or 4 in off lead training but most people also had more then one dog so the name was used to get the attention of the one that you wanted.

[W Sibs]

Ive been using Esky's name a lot. Probably too much. But I'm teaching her to focus on me. I want the word "Esky" to make my dog look at me.

Do you give him a reward/praise each time you looks at you?

Do you get bored of saying her name?

Sorry about all the question, but I do find all this interesting.

When i train Charlie.. i find that the less I talk, the more focus he is on me. because he has to watch me to see what the next command is.

[Paulp]

I do it because I have two dogs and I use their name to command the correct dog. It is a very hard habit to break once formed, i try not to do it when only one of my dogs is present.

[SchnauzerBoy]

I think we use our dogs names too much so that the value is lost when we come to training.

That, and we yell at Aubrey using her name when she is in her destructive moods!

[pie]

Yep I try to use it to let the dogs know which one I'm talking to, I get confused and sometimes say the wrong name though I tend not to use a name with Kyzer, I think because I'm used to having just him around.

At obedience with Trixie (class of mostly puppies) they teach you to use the name to get attention. We have to call the dogs name and when they look, click and treat.

Edited February 15, 2010 by amypie

[spottychick]

I use their name to get their attention. So I might use it more than once in training but not too much or it's over-saturation. With Pepper I hardly ever need to use her name because she's like the world's best behaved dog and if I tell Tango to sit, wait or whatever, she will too. I do use it "conversationally" with her tho while we're walking along with her off-lead - eg "hey pep, this way!" or "Pep! Come here/slow down mate" etc. Even if she finds something unbelievably disgustingly yummy to eat I just call "Pep leave it!" and she will.

[wuffles]

I use my dog's name heaps just because he has focus issues so it's the best way to get his attention. Yep, have worked on his focus but it's not getting better anytime soon, he is always quite stimulated by the environment. If I didn't have to, I wouldn't say it so much

[SmoothieGirl]

I don't often use her name. If I want her to look directly at me rather than just be attentive I will use 'watch', but right now we are working on building up her eye to eye contact just using positive reinforcement and shaping, rather than asking for her to put her eyes on me.

If she's on a break from an exercise and she wanders away for a sticky beak or a sniff, but I still want her near me, I will tell her 'this way' and she'll return to my general location until I'm ready to go on again. If I get chatting and she does go a little far or get a little too distracted I'll tell her 'Bronte, this way' and it gets the same result.

Generally if she does something super super good and I make a big fuss of her, that's when I'll use her name.

[Sue & Waldo]

With what I felt like calling Cindy this morning while training her it best not to use the name ever!

:D

I wasn't laughing but I am now. Long story but having thought she had understood retrieve she proved she hadn't!

[rastus_froggy]

At obedience I use to always get into trouble for saying Froggy before I asked her to do anything then I realised it was because of the two dog thing. If you are working with two dogs in close proximity and want them to do different things (eg when they are doing a trick that requires them both but theyeach have a different part to play) you want them to know which one you are speaking to.

[leopuppy04]

in our training name = attention. So yup we use it... but it's not a nag. Once my dogs are switched into work I have their attention.

Around the agility course I might use their name a bit "Leo here" or something like that... occasionally if they are heading toward *that* tunnel it may come out as "Kintakintakintakinta!" or "Leoleoleo" in desperation!!! ROFL!