SING to Your Dog!
We’ve been asked, “If I’m walking through the neighborhood searching for my dog and I can’t call his name, can I whistle?” The answer is NO, because the chances are good that if other people encountered your dog and THEY whistled to him (which many people do because, everyone knows that dogs come when you whistle, right?) then whistling also WILL BE A TRIGGER to cause your dog to run. So will slapping your leg and patting your hands. These (calling out to the dog, clapping your hands, whistling) are all gestures and sounds that OTHER PEOPLE have likely used and if they were used when your dog was in the fight or flight mode, when your dog hears these noises he will once again feel a jolt of adrenaline and bolt in fear.
What we recommend is that instead, the only sound that you make is that YOU SING TO YOUR DOG. Pick any tune you like, and make up the words as you go, but singing to your dog will accomplish two things: (1) it will get your voice heard by your dog and (2) IT WILL SOUND DIFFERENT TO YOUR DOG THAN THE OTHER SOUNDS STANGERS WHO’VE TRIED TO GRAB YOUR DOG HAVE USED (calling out, hand clapping, whistling). Singing will also help YOU to calm down and hopefully your voice will reflect PEACE rather than FEAR that comes when you’re worried and calling your dog. You would be better off being silent as you search, especially if you know that your dog has a fearful temperament or took off because of a fearful incident. But if you insist on making noise when you are searching, then SING while you search!
Why You Should NOT Call A Stray / Loose Dog
We know. It sound’s crazy-stupid to say “Don’t Call Your Dog!” after your dog has escaped and is running loose (or when you encounter a stray dog). You’re probably thinking, “But he always comes to me when I call him” or “So HOW will I get the dog to come to me if I see him but I can’t call him?” The answer is BY CALMING HIM and ATTRACTING HIM to come to you, and we will explain how to do that. But first, we need to explain that CALLING A DOG CAN CAUSE IT TO RUN FROM YOU. Your instinct, when the dog runs, is then to chase after the dog and this is the WORST thing that you can do! Thus, when you hear or see the words “DO NOT CHASE YOUR DOG if it is lost” this includes DO NOT CALL your dog (since calling a dog can create chasing).
Here’s what we know. Some dogs that are scared off by fireworks, thunder, or other traumatic events will be so terrified that they will not even come to their owners. While some dogs will ultimately calm down and then approach people, other dogs will continue to run from everyone. Many dogs with fearful temperaments, like dogs that were not properly socialized, “puppy mill” dogs, and dogs that have been through a traumatic experience (i.e. escaped due to a car crash) are in the “fight or flight” mode and will be highly reactive to sounds and movement.
There’s a reason why one of the worst things that you can do is call out to a stray dog or panicked dog. The reason is that it’s likely that other people (who encountered the loose dog) have already tried to capture him and calling him has become a “trigger” that causes him to automatically bolt in fear when anyone, including his owner, calls him. In many cases, people have tried to call the dog as they looked directly at the dog and walked towards it, an action that is dominate and frightening to a dog that is in the fight or flight mode.
Here’s video showing an example of how AFRAID a dog named Murphy was of his own guardian. Murphy’s Mom returned home from months of military training and when she called Murphy, she DID the right thing by kneeling down. However, notice how panicked Murphy was while Mom was calling Murphy, looking at him, and wearing a scary baseball cap. When she took her hat off, Murphy did come closer but he still didn’t recognize she was his Mom until he had calmed down enough and could detect her scent.
And here’s video of a child who used Calming Signals to calm and capture a skittish dog that adults had called (and chased off) for 2 months. The child previously had fostered this dog which was skittish, on the run, and uncatchable. Notice how the dog would not move when the child was standing, but once the child sat down and then laid on her belly (and “army crawled”), the dog calmed down and moved toward her, wagging his tail in recognition.
What names do dogs hear best?Dog trainers agree that a one- or two-syllable name (Lucky, Jack, Lucy, etc.) is best, as it’s easy for dogs to remember and simple for people to say. Dogs typically learn shorter words and commands faster, so make it easy for both parties and name them something unchallenging.
Call Your Dog’s Name When They Are Next To You
Finding the perfect name for your new dog or puppy can be tough. You may be worried about getting it just right. After all, youll be using this name for the long haul. But, as huge as the task seems today, try not to worry too much. No matter what name you choose, it will come to represent your canine companion, and thats a wonderful thing. Plus, youre not on your own. Experts have established tried-and-true tips to help narrow down your choices.