Oh My Dog!

obsessed with dogs

Positive training, multiple pets, and what’s my name?

Oh, this is a big topic. I think I could do a whole week’s worth of posts on positive reinforcement training with multiple pets. But for the blog hop, I’m going to focus on one thing: names.

Every morning, two hours after he finishes breakfast, Emmett takes a pill. So, every morning, two hours after breakfast, I would go into the kitchen and call, “Emmett!” And from their scattered sleeping spots around the house came Emmett… and Lucas and Cooper and Newt. Their thought process goes something like, “Hey. Emmett’s getting called to the kitchen. We get treats when we come when called. Treats live in the kitchen. Ergo, here I come!”

Every animal in this house thought his/her name was Emmettlucascoopernewt.

Training multiple pets

In the grand scheme, not that big of a deal, but I figured for things like pills or individual walks or training sessions, it would certainly be more convenient if they all stopped rushing over when one name was called. And, you know, the dog whose name was actually called came on his own.

I didn’t for a second really believe Emmett thought all those names were his; rather, I had conditioned them to all come when one was called because I’d be doling out Emmett’s bit of cheese to give his pill, everyone would show up, and everyone would get a bit of cheese. The trick with training individual responses to individual names was on me to stop rewarding just anybody for showing up and to only reward the furball who was called!

But then we started working on individual responses. All three dogs would be in a down/wait side-by-side. I’d step back about a foot, and say one dog’s name. That dog would get rewarded for coming to me, and if the others stayed in place, they’d get rewarded, too. We repeated this exercise roughly nine hundred million times because, frankly, it took that long for Emmett to “get” it. Sweet Emmett… But it was hard. You know when you’re working on something, and you can see–actually witness–their wheels turning? That.

Then, I increased the distance until they were able to go the whole length of the upstairs hallway (it’s a short hallway) leapfrog style – I call Emmett, he comes, gets his reward, goes into a down/wait. I call Lucas, etc. Then we moved it into the backyard.

They are actually pretty good on individual name responses these days, even with games like chase the treat – all three are in a down/wait. I toss a treat, release one by name, while the other two maintain their down/wait.

Does it always work? Nope! Am I still rewarding when they all show up for Emmett’s morning pill? Yep! But it’s been a super fun training exercise. It forces them to think really, really hard, so it’s a good indoor/rainy day multiple pet training exercise.

As for Newt, well, that’s another post for another day…

Do all the animals in your house respond when one is called? Or are they good about only coming when their individual name is called? Is this something you’ve thought about or worked on?

This post is part of the Positive Pet Training Blog Hop hosted by Cascadian Nomads, Tenacious Little Terrierand Rubicon Days held on the first Monday of every month to promote positive pet training and share advice and experiences.

Comments

  1. This is definitely something we need to work on, too. Often when calling both dogs I say “Gingers!” but I know if I called one name they would both come running. Boca is taking medication now, too, and my aunt teased me about giving both girls cheese at pill time. It’s only fair, right?

    Thanks for joining the hop – I know you’ve had a lot of experience with this particular theme!

    Reply

    • That is SUCH a good point and something I should have mentioned!! The next step is applying a group recall, something like your “Gingers!” Ideally, they’ll each respond to their own name, and everyone will respond to one specific cue–that’s the next thing to work on!

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  3. I never thought too much about it, but that is exactly what ours do…they all come when I call one of them; especially if I’m in the kitchen where the treats are or if I go downstairs where the leashes and harnesses are. It’s definitely something we need to work on. It would make my life so much easier if I only got the dog I wanted when it was time for pills or out for a walk.

    Reply

    • Walks have been the big thing around here now that it’s always three separate walks. The two who don’t have a turn start to flip out at the door… my hope with this is that, some day, they’ll wait patiently since they realize it’s not their turn. Ha.

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  4. That you can get all your dogs to be polite and wait AT ALL is major accomplishment (of which you should be proud). If I try to mentally sort all the triggers that cause all my pets to come running at the same time, my brain cramps. Not only does it happen with name-calling, but in certain locations, at certain times of day, when I open a cracker box (for example), when I say a random word…the list goes on and on. Jon Farleigh and Dewi WILL sit/lie down and wait for a treat, but I hardly ever ask them to anymore. I have to give the cats their treats behind a gate, or JF and Dewi will barge in and eat them out from under their noses. A looney bin. That’s what I live in. A somewhat structured looney bin. 🙂

    Reply

    • “A somewhat structured looney bin.” That phrase? Perfect. I think it sums up my world perfectly!! All those other triggers you mentioned, like opening a cracker box, I’m not even going to attempt.. I just don’t have it in me! I’m focusing only on if I actually call one of them. For everything else, well, they ALL come a-running!

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  5. In training classes with dog number two, Brychwyn, the teachers kept reminding me “you don’t have to say his name before every cue” and I kept reminding them that indeed I did. Outside of class with one dog, I need the name first if I wanted that dog to respond and not the other(s.) That was then, though, and now I have totally slacked on reinforcing the foundation I laid. Between your post and Lauren’s with release reminders, I have some fun goals of getting better at helping “AmeliaWillieBryHuxley” go back to being Amelia, Wil, Bry and Huxley. Thanks for joining the hop again this month and thanks for the excellent multiple pet training reminder.

    Reply

    • You are so right – with multiples, you HAVE to say the name before the cue to make sure the right guy or gal is paying attention! I haven’t had a chance to get through all the posts in the hop yet, but I’m looking forward to Lauren’s that you mentioned–something we sorely need to refresh!

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  6. I love this idea! I think D’Art and Teddy could benefit from this kind of training game. I’m so used to them both coming so I normally just say Poodles and they both come running!

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  7. I was working on a multiple pet training post all last week and never could get tweaked in a way to where I was happy with it.

    Anyway, in this tiny house of ours it is almost impossible to train one dog at a time. Or play with just one at a time. And forget about it outside. Although the big open space — as opposed to several doorways and a very short hallway — makes it a little easier. Callie & Shadow prefer the shade on either end of yard, so that leaves me some room in the middle to work on Ducky’s impulse control training.

    Reply

    • Working outside is SO HARD for these guys. It’s a battle for their attention! They get distracted by a dog barking a mile away, a bird flutters by, Cooper decides the yard is more fun for wrestling than training… it’s so tough to keep their attention! I’m going to poke around your blog to read how you’re working on Ducky’s impulse control. That’s something Cooper sorely needs!

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  8. We’re working on this in our training class right now. All the dogs sit side by side and are supposed to come one at a time. Instead, all four fuzzbutts race across the lawn at the park hoping to get something good!

    Reply

    • Aww!! That’s a good way to get one at a time to pay attention! I think Emmett’s hearing is going, so I have to shout his name, which always gets the other two interested. Always something! 😉

      Reply

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