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Possible renaming?

Lisa_T

Well-known member
I'm considering renaming Chloe to something more obviously different from 'Holly.' Chloe is very easily distracted and while she responds to my voice, she rarely immediately comes to see what I'm on about! She's also just as likely to respond to 'Holly' as she is to 'Chloe', and I think it's time to start giving the pup more intense one on one time, especially now I'm satisfied that adding a second dog hasn't upset Holly, or her relationship with me. The pup is well and truly settled in now, but she could do with being considerably more focused on me than she has been.

I think a name that is very distinctively hers will help- the pitch and tone I use for calling Chloe is very similar to the one I use for Holly, so confusion is honestly understandable. I'm thinking something that either has totally different sounds OR a one syllable name would be better. I notice that multiple dog owners here have very different sounding names

eg. Maxx and Charlie
Merlin and Oakley
Rosie, Emily and Bud(dy) etc...

Suggestions, please?

Part of the problem is that I do live in a pretty built up area, so there's no green fields that I can easily take Chloe to to do one:eek:ne work. If I do it at home and try to remove Holly from the equation, Holly goes mad and barks - which in itself is distracting for Chloe!

Any ideas?
 
I don't see the point to the renaming. Abby comes whether I call for her or Izzy. I think she just doesn't want to miss any action???
 
You really do need to completely separate her from Holly to work with her. Maybe take her to a class, outside, or just in a different room with the door closed.

One way to get a puppy to learn her name is to spend one on one time with her, making eye contact, petting her, saying her name and treating her. Spend time each day doing this, and she will learn her name.

If you do want to rename her, you might want to choose a name that sounds less like 'No', which in a way 'Chloe' can sound like 'no' to a dog.

What about Cleo for a name?
 
Exactly; especially when it's too easy to abbreviate Chloe to Chlo! I did think of Cleo, but I'm not sure it fits. She really hasn't been particularly responsive to her name as such- more to the tone- so changing it shouldn't be a problem. I'll do some work with her tomorrow with sweeties and see if I can strenthen her association between 'Chloe' and treats, but I'll investigate alternative names as a backup plan.

One I quite like is Lulu - she's certainly crazy enough, and as a child my dad often called me Loopy Loo so there's that personal connection as well.
 
I put holly in her crate and went into the living room with Chloe and worked with her for about an hour one to one. By the end of that time she was responding much better to her name, so I think the fault might be mine rather than hers. Also, I think that Holly is perhaps unusually focused on me- most things I've read say that Cavs are very easily distracted etc, and I've never found that with Holly. I think Chloe may simply be a typical Cav, but I'm so used to Holly that I didn't expect that! I've quite a bit of time with Chloe by herself- but now I think about it, it's mainly been holding her on the train and little things like that, rather than actively playing with her, so I'm going to work on that. I'll keep 'Lulu' in reserve, but if with a little work Chloe will respond well to her current name, I may as well stick with it.
 
You do still have two names that the dogs are certainly going to confuse -- they are too close together for them to distinguish I think. I also wouldn't call the dog by 'Chlo' as it is too close to 'No'. generally trainers advise not to give dog names that can be confused with the sounds of commands, either (eg Nate/wait, Jay/stay). Of course you can use totally different words (or any word or sound) for a cue, doesn't have to be the word that means that thing in English! In your case I'd be inclined to give a different name. Dogs EASILY learn a new 'name' -- after all to them it isn't their name but a word that signifies it is worthwhile to pay attention as you are going to give THEM attention. From taking in over 2 dozen rescues now, almost none of which had a name we actually knew, I can tell you they respond to a new name within 10 minutes of training with treats. :) They are NOT that attached to a name, much as we like to think they see a name as we humans see a name, invested with personal and emotional qualities. :lol:

Dogs DO learn their individual names (as do cats -- all of mine will individually respond to their name -- look up for example when I say it -- and ignore when I use another cat's name). I always talk to each dog by its name and when I call 'treats!' they all line up. I say each dog's name before giving him/her their treat, and the others wait and don't try to grab it (usually!) -- the one whose name I say always focuses and gets ready for the treat. This is a trick I learned from Lisa at Dog Training Ireland -- she does it with her FOUR dogs and it stops them all trying to jump for the same treat and makes them more polite.

In summary -- it will make it much easier for you to train if you have two distinct names. Also you should always work with each dog on its own for a bit each day, to develop the bond but also to give confidence and receive greater responsiveness.
 
Lisa,

As Karlin points out they are very similiar names - thats one of the reason's why I didn't go for another name beginning with a mer.... sound. Oakley is quite different sounding and he doesn't actually come when I shout Merlin - he comes if I shout "tubs" or "boys!"
And with "boys" they both come! :D

Karlin,

Thanks for the tip about saying their name before giving them a treat - I'll start that because is was beginning to get tricky trying to give treats! - especially as one has the smaller bit!
:roll:
 
Yep, all the fosters we've had have been renamed once we got them and like Karlin says, it usually only takes 10 minutes for them to come when there's treats involved :lol: :lol: :lol:

I was going to rename Charlie 'Albert' when we got him but he was so used to Charlie and came to me when I called him so we kept his name.

Albert is the name Maxx's breeder gave him when he was first born but my kids wanted to call him Maxx so when he was a week old she changed it to Maxx :roll: :lol:
 
Chloe is now Amber. Now I have to work on them getting to respond just to their own name, and not to each other's! Any tips? My own idea is that if I call for Holly and Amber comes, then I ignore Amber but reward Holly- and vice versa. Hopefully once they get the message that if they come to the wrong name they get nothing it'll be easier.
 
It's also the first name that my parents have been genuinely enthusiastic about :roll: It does seem to have made a difference. Amber was already becoming more responsive just from me spending an hour playing and training her in the morning, and she comes pretty quickly which isn't bad. It's less confusing for Holly too- while Amber still sometimes comes to 'Holly', Holly is unlikely to come to 'Amber' unless there's sweeties in the equation in which case all bets are off :lol:

It was the 'copper' photo I posted in the puppy section that inspired the name, but I believe someone did suggest it earlier. Not sure why I didn't go for it then..
 
I love the name Amber and it suits her perfectly!

My past experience with multiple dogs in the house? The 1st one answers to their name...the others respond to ALL names. :bang:
 
hi

lovely names same as my daughters name we were going to call her holly amber as she was born on christmas day but then changed it to amber holly :D
 
Ah Lisa the name suits her perfectly :flwr: Im so pleased to hear shes learning it already too.

Her and Holly look absolutely precious in your new avatar :lotsaluv:
 
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