Diva Dog Training

Significance of Dog Names

I find dog names interesting. Some fit the dogs perfectly and some – not so much. Some are named after their appearance as in Scruffy. Some are named after their coloring as in Taffy or after their markings as in Spot.

Some have names that are always followed by an inquisitive “oh, that’s an interesting name. What does it mean?” It could mean “I needed something clever so that my dog would know it’s greatness.” Or, sometimes it is something of interest but certainly not to the dog. =)

Some are named based on their stature or physical size like Goliath. Some for the personality that their people hope they have as in Zorro or Zena. Some are given human names like Mikey or Sam. You’ll have to ask them about that.

I don’t think the name is all that important because let’s face it, we could call them anything and given enough repetition they’d respond. It often seems that the name isn’t as significant as the tone used when saying it. It’s important to remember that. (Tone will be a topic for another post.)

The truth is, I think we pick names for our dogs because we don’t think we can consistently spell or say  mujulickylululoveypuppy. That’s their “real” name.

What’s your dog’s REAL name?

Doggie Rehab – Socialization

Some of the best rehabilitation for a dog happens in the presence of other dogs. They learn from each other and to us mere humans it appears to be in very subtle ways. This could be not-so-good if it’s like how some teenagers “help” other teenagers learn new behaviors! But, good behaviors can also be shared.

I live in the high desert on a fenced acre of property that is like an off-leash park. It is, however, dirt, gravel, and natural desert terrain and is slightly terraced. I recently had a Great Dane here that had lived in a neighborhood and was accustomed to walking on sand or grass. Walking up or down hills had not been his experience.

Here is this 120-pound dog afraid of stepping off of the patio because of his tender feet. He was like a little girl trying to gain stability while walking around in her mother’s high heels! As we’d walk around and climb the gentle slopes of the yard, it was apparent that what Schlappie lacked was more than toughened paw pads. He lacked confidence in his body and ability to control it as he maintained his balance.

I couldn’t help him with that but the other dogs could. He would do his best to keep up with them. It was obvious that he wanted to be like the other kids on the playground. I think I heard them call him Chief Tenderfoot. What was I to do? “Kids” can be cruel.

He would step from patio to dog bed to dirt to patio and then contemplate the best next step to get inside without ever leaving a cushion or the flat consistent surface.

I’d take all the dogs on a walk around the property every morning and evening and watch as Schlappie began to walk a little quicker but more than that, he was gaining confidence. THEN, one evening, it happened! Confidence shift for Schlappie! He took off galloping like a horse – around and around he went. It was a thing of beauty to watch his awareness of freedom and trust in his long legs to get him where he wanted to go.

Schlappie is now ready to help other dogs and to tell his story of how in just two weeks of rehab he lost his nickname and gained self-confidence.

Obedience training and positive structure will help to build confidence in your dog. The more confident and clear you are with your expectations – the more confidence you’ll bring to them. Watch how the dogs do it. . .it’s a beautiful thing!