Won't respond when called..
 

Okay. I got Lexi as a rehome....she's 2lbs 14ozs. I must say that at 1 1/2 years old, she's not very well trained. Not even potty. I have managed to get her to start using the pads and have been taking her outside with my other girls. All that's a work in progress and we're doing good.

What concerns me is that she doesn't appear to really know her name. All my other girls, if I call their name, they know who I'm talking to. They come or at least immediately look at me or come when I do. Lexi does not. I've tried using a certain(special) tone when I call her name but that's not working. She can be walking down the sidewalk or outside, it's peace and quiet and I'll call her name...she will not look. She definitely knows the word "treat, treat, treat" and knows what that means. I've joked about changing her name to "treat" or something....I've even contiplated changing her names since it doesn't appear she knows hers anyway(I've always like Pebbles..hehe).

I'm starting to think that maybe in her year of prior ownership, they either didn't say it much or associate it appropriately so she thinks "Lexi" means some other obsolite thing...so I just dont' know if I should still use it or not.

Hoping someone experienced with this or a trainer will come along and help. I've trained all my other girls from puppyhood so training an adult is new to me.

Any suggestions/insights??? :rolleyes:

I would use her name...repeatedly. Good girl, Lexi, Lexi come, whatever..every time I spoke to her I'd use her name.

Since she knows the word...treat...I bet she'd start responding to Lexi, want a treat???

If you want to change her name...I do what I suggested above for that too.

Thanks. I've been trying to do that...maybe I do need to step it up a notch....everything Lexi from now on...I am seeing progress in other areas though so I'm sure we can overcome this as well.

Does she come when you call at all? Baxter knows his name well and good he just doesn't come. Drives my husband nuts! I just go get him.

haha....okay so I don't feel bad then...but does he do that all the time? Not necessarily when she's walking...just to even look at me when she hears her name will make me happy....I do end up just going to get her(if we're walking at the time). I guess I'm just used to my other girls at least giving me eye contact when I call their name, acknowledging that they do know I'm calling their name..:rolleyes:

Baxter will occasionally look up. But he is more like a cat than a dog. He's doing us the favor of living with us, not the other way around.

Try getting the dry liver treats, cutting them up in little pieces(Not fattening, greasy) and all my dogs really respond to them. Put them in a baggy or small container and in your pocket. Each time you do something using her name give her a treat. Then just every few times. They get alot more responsive wondering if this will be the time. When mine get a bit slow on coming or whatever I ask then I go back to treats for a few days. Try it. Yorks are so smarty some think they can get away with ignoring you. One thing I also do is never use the "come" word unless I mean for it to happen. Two of them know that word cannot be ignored. The other one is just 4 months old and is just beginning her training.

I wish I could help you but I have the same problem. When Prissie came to live with us she was a day shy of 2 yrs. old, she would never come when I called her name. So I called the previous owners (who were breeders), they said by the time they got her they had so many, that they never used her name, they would just whistle to all of them and they would come.

Well that was 4 years ago, she's 6 now and still doesn't know her name and I say it over and over and over, even change my voice and everything. I have to clap my hands to get her attention. Although, like yours she does know the word "treat".

Zoeybear did very good with a technique called hand targeting. You can prob. google it. I saw it on the TODAY show. Zoeybear learned to come within a day or two using this tech. Baby Chloe is another story. She is almost 1yr. She just does the head tilt and stares at me when I call her!

I just had my first training session at Petsmart today and they addressed this. They said first you need to hold the treat between thumb and forefinger and put it to their nose so they can smell it. Then bring your hand with treat up to your eye or cheekbone area so they make eye contact with you for at least a few seconds. Give them a treat and say good or yes, whatever your consistent term is. Don't start using their name with this until you practice several times and they consistently look at your face 10 times in a row without looking away. This is a way to teach them their name and to look at you for commands. Hope it helps. Also best to teach a dog that has had exercise so that it can focus.

Yes, this the technique our trainer taught us. The 2nd phase is to place the treat near the ground (still in your hand and between your fingers) - naturally, the dog will be interested in the treat - but hold on. Next call the dog's name and the moment you have his attention and he looks you in the eye - give the approval word (either good or yes - I use "yes") and release the treat.

The approval word-method (or what ever you call it) replaces the clicker method. I didn't want to hassel with a clicker and I don't always have treats with me - but I always have my voice with me - so I chose to pick a word - "yes". I say "yes" whenever Bailey has followed through with the command - and its my PROMISE to give her a treat. For instance, whenever I yell COME and then when she starts to come I yell "YES" to mark the moment she has performed - and a treat follows - always! Its the one command that is always treated.

Good luck!!!

Yolanda............are you giving Lexi some one on one "alone" attention? Like take her into a room where it's just you and her a few times a day for a few minutes at a time, THEN do the Lexi this, Lexi that, Lexi everything, training.

My Lexie has improved so much in so many ways since her obediance training at PetSmart and I really believe it has at least SOMETHING to do with the one on one ALONE time with mom and dad.....away from the other three fur kids.

I have been using a book called Let the Dog Decide. His theory is they are associating it with something negative as you speculated.

I vote you change it to Pebbles :p and see how she does. I firmly believe training (yorkie or otherwise) should always be done positive with lots of praise and treats. It has worked like a charm in my house.

Then you can join the soon to be newest club---Peebles Club. It already has 2 member lined up.:D

Yes..I have been trying the one on one training thing with her but maybe need to do it a little more frequently. She has improved so I know there's still hope. I was contiplating whether or not to put her in a class at Petsmart or not but we'll see how it goes.

Wow! well I certainly hope she knows her name before she's 6!! I think we make it easier on us and change their names to "treat"..:D