Dog Training Community

Hi,

We adopted our "Buddy" two weeks ago, and he still seems to have trouble with his new name.  He is rather mixed, billed as a corgi mix at the shelter due to his turned out front paws and his ears, and is estimated by our vet to be about a year and a half old.  Found as a stray with his brother, he had been in the shelter for about a month with the name "Homer".  (The brother was adopted on the first day of eligibility.)  According to the folks at the shelter, "Buddy" didn't respond well to "Homer" which is one of the reasons we changed his name.  Unfortunately, he doesn't seem to get that he has a permanent name to go along with his permanent home.  (He's having a few adjustment issues as well, but nothing that a bit of time and patience won't work out.)  How long should I expect it to take our Buddy to know his name?

Thanks!

Brenda

Hi Brenda,

Congratulations on your new dog. To teach Buddy his name, try this:

• Use tasty treats or his food (if he loves his food)
• Watch for an opportunity when he is looking away from you
• Say his name, ONE TIME only and then make a small noise to entice him to turn around such as a gentle "kissy" noise or tapping your leg
• As soon as he turns around, say, "Yes!" and give him the food
• Do this periodically over the course of the next few days and he should be responding to his name very quickly

Let me know how it goes, and feel free to ask more questions.

take care,

Jeff

Hi Jeff,

Thanks so much for the advice.  While I "knew" to only use his name one time while training him, your advice made me think about what I was doing.  Of course, I was repeating his name over and over, making it easy for him to ignore me.  I corrected my own behavior, and now Buddy knows his name!

Thanks again,

Brenda

Hi Brenda,

Glad my advice was helpful. Buddy is a great looking dog, nice picture!

Keep the community updated on his progress, and don't hesitate to ask more questions, or share experiences that you have learned with others. 

Have a great day,

Jeff