Embarassing information

[Scooby4]

I posted an earlier topic about my dog Benji and her behavior. I wasn't sure if it was my bad neighbor situation, new environment, or just her being a Border Collie.
My father had given me Benji about 6 months ago. He and his wife found her wandering around in a field. They tried to find the owner but her tag information was wrong. They decided to adopt her. Well my father was no longer able to take care of her so he gave her to me.
Well her behavior has been up and down. The worse her going to bathroom in the house when I am asleep. Always in the same room. It has ruined the carpet! I am now in the process of keeping all the dogs inside my bedroom at night.
However, she has started being fearful of going outside. She has been the first to go out and excited but now the oposite. I almost have to push her out the door!
I considered obediance training or even worse case adopting her out to someone who understands Border Collies. I never owned one before.
Here is where the embarrassing information comes in:rolleyes: Turns out BENJI WAS NEVER HER REAL NAME!!! My father had read the name on her collar but it was for the OWNER!!! Could this explain her demeanor when she is called? She cowars and acts scared when the name Benji is called. I assumed it was because she thought she had done wrong. Even when I was praising her she did this.
My question now is... Do I change her name to something more befitting a female BC? If I start obediance training, should I give her a new name then or keep the old one? I've changed my other dogs names but this situation seems different due to the way she reacts. My other dogs never had a reaction by their new names.
I feel kind of embarrassed about the name because EVERYONE kept asking me why my female dog was named Benji.:rolleyes: :confused: Anyone have name suggestions that may sound like Benji? Thanks!

[Lexi_Lover]

If she doesn't like the name Benji, then don't use it! Try her commands like sit and before you say it, say a new name! She will soon interpret that name as a good thing and respond to it, but never use her name while scolding.

Chances are that if you get a name that sounds like Benji, she will cower even if you change her name to like Menji or something! Dogs hear things the same, like Joe and No, don't work!

Hope that helps!

Here are some names if you like! I have had good experiences with these in the past;)

-Tess
-Reba
-Queenie
-Tigger
-Roxy

[Scooby4]

Funny you should have Quenie on your list. I think EVERY time we got a dog my dad would want to call it Quennie! He never got his way.:rolleyes:
I like Tess. I am experimenting with names to see if she recognizes one. My dad called her Pooch sometimes. Maybe I will name her Hoochie mama since she is the only girl.
PS. Your dog looks like my Scooby just a little younger and skinnier! :cool: ;)

[Sevens]

If I remember obedience class correctly, there was a trick they showed us for name association with a new dog or puppy.

You get a treat....a little training size one. then you hold your index finger and thumb together in the shape of an "o". Put the treat between the tips of your index and thumb.

Then with your fingers like this, hold the treat over the bridge of your nose, but so you can still see the dog. Then say the dog's new name. They of course will initially be looking at the treat, but they can see your eyes at the same time. When they look at you, give the treat and praise.

The point of the exercise was to get them used to looking you in the eyes/face when you said their name. Of course as they get used to their name, you can taper off the treats.

I know it sounds silly, but when we first got our RB Bailey, it really helped her get used to her name.

Good Luck!

[K9karen]

When I adopted Logan, her name was Rocky! I can't for the life of me remember how she adapted to her "rightful" name so quickly and easily, but she did, within a few days! Now if she could only get over some other minor issues which she obviously learned in her previous environment, she'd be totally perfect and I'd be bored silly! :rolleyes: :D

[Oggyflute]

Sevens name exercise is really a great idea. I profess to not having heard of that one before.
We were quite lucky though in regards to names. We picked the name as soon as we choosed the dog and our breeder starting calling the dog by that name. With Flute, her kennel name had to start with a G, so we called her Georgous Flute and told our breeder that we would just be calling her Flute. They just started to call our girl Flute right up until we picked her up, so she was well used to it.