There is a dog trainer who has been using the term “Obility” as her business name in California for many years, and she doesn’t think much of my use of that term.
Obility is the term I’ve been using to describe a blend of obedience and agility. Under the heading of Obility I include “heeling games” and a series of Obility classes that I had planned to teach online at Fenzi Dog Sports Academy. You can read more about Obility at: http://www.fenzidogsportsacademy.com/index.php/obility-courses
Regardless of whether she has a claim to block my use of the word, if no more Obility….then what?
I’m rather attached to the term, but if there is to be a change then this is the time. I’ve taught relatively few Obility classes and seminars, and it’s not widely known. Yet. I’d like to see it take off as a “typical” way of training a dog to understand the obedience exercises.
So, I’m looking for a bit of assistance here. Some alternatives that have been proposed include: Obedience Games, Fenzility, Fenzi Obility, Fenzobility, Fenzibility, Fobility, Agilience or For God’s Sakes Relax And Have Fun Training Your Dog.
What do you think? Go ahead and give me your thoughts in the “comments” section. I’ll go through and pick the ones I like the best for a vote.
Remember that the fundamental parts of Obility are the traditional obedience exercises taught with, speed, movement, and unpredictability. Obility is designed to reduce reward schedules, speed up the rate of learning and virtually eliminate anticipation or boredom.
So…what do I call THAT?
Thanks in advance.
I need more thought, but I like “For God’s Sakes Relax And Have Fun Training Your Dog.”
Love this!!!
How about FUN-ability? Otherwise, I vote for For God’s Sake Relax and Have Fun Training Your Dog. Laura Anne Welch
Fenzob’ pronouced with a bit of a French flair… then 2nd I like For God’s Sakes Relax……..
Frenzobility
Unpredictobility
Variobility
Unpredictobility is pretty much awesome. 🙂
FlashDrive: Obedience Games for Fun and Flair. (Note that if you abbreviate FlashDrive to FD you get your initials in reverse. Just because.)
LOVE that idea!
Excellent!
FlashDrive! YES!!!
Love it !!!!
I’m new to this site but I LOVE FlashDrive…in another scenario, it could become FlashDance, too :).
I’m new to this site but I LOVE this name; in another take-off for fun, you could also have FlashDance.
I like Fenzibility. 🙂
I would call it fun. how about Obenzi?
Ohhhhhhh, that’s good!
Ohhhhhh, that is very good!
Very, very good – my second choice so far…am still reading!
I kinda like “For God’s Sakes Relax And Have Fun Training Your Dog”.
obBLASTgility
I LOVE Fenzobility. It’s even better than obility!
How about Fobedience? Or Fenzidience?
I often take competitive obedience classes and our instructor calls many of your heeling type games, “Doodeling” “Doodleing” however you spell it. Taking a step, stop heel, turn right, stop, two steps, stop, left turn run fast a few steps , stop turns on and on, Just a series of short heeling moves designed to increase attention and accuracy and head off the dog anticipating things. Maybe you could call it “Fenoodling” Hey! I kinda like that word.
Use it if you want
Oh LOVE LOVE LOVE “Flash Drive,” but then I love anything to do with drive (in dogs). I know, that’s shocking. In the list you gave, I also really like Fenzibility. it’s fun to say, it relates to your name and helps clue people in that it’s your training style (and that’s a GOOD thing!). It’s also easy to say, and memorable/distinct. 🙂
Flash drive is great
Agile Obedience.
Definitely Fenzobility….no one does obility like you!!!
I like Fenzobility best. Agilience Ida’s catchy but implies more agility than anything else. Please, does the trainer have a patent?
My 1st choice is ‘for Gods sake’ but that is a big mouthful. I go for Fenzability. as you have developed the programme you should get the credit. Plus it adds what we are trying to achieve, the ability to teach our dogs obedience (hate that word) through agility.
Maureen (Australia)
Fenzobity gets my vote!!
Fenzibility!
Obediagames
Activagility Obedience
Joybedience
Agile Obedience
Funability Obedience
RAHF training. Love the “Relax & Have Fun”!!
oh, oh, another great one!
I like “ferrets on crack”! Or you could use the same initials for Fenzi Obedience Craziness.
tried out an anagram maker and here are a few of the better ones: A Obeyed Eliciting, Celibate Dogie Yin (what?), Beagle Idiotic Yen, Beagle Icy Edition, Ability Nice Geode.
Hmm… not too helpful, eh? I vote for Flash Drive.
What about ObediFun?
Fenatics. Flash drive is great. Fenzercise. Oh, relax and have fun!
What about O-bility or Ob-ility. A well placed hyphen may save the day! If not the my fav is Fenzibilty 🙂
I like obility too. Fenzobility is ok. Unless her name is trademarked, I don’t think she can do anything.
How about O-Speedience
I like that!
I’ve been reading all these and O-Speedience hits the mark!!!!
Nice. Like that too!
FUN=Fenzi Unpredictable & Natural!
I think Fenzility is the best!!
Jo
Abedience 🙂 ofility, hability (happy agility obedience) ogility,
D’ohbility
Funbedience.
Or Fundience
I LIKE’ obedience games’ because for me that is what we are doing, making it fun for both dog and trainer
AgileObee
While the “For God’s Sake…” best describes the outcome of the glorious fusion of sports it certainly fails to roll easily off the tounge. I love everyone’s creativity! What about D-O-Gility? But then Shakespeare pops into my head, “What is a name…”
I was going to say “Unpredictobility” but ciscospice got there ahead of me. I still like it. I also like FGSRAHFTYD (for gods sake relax….). People will certainly remember that (not the letters, but the words) which is what you really want. good luck.
Obidility, Obigility (I prefer the former)
Funzobility….Funzability….Funzobedience…..I like Fenzibility too. That was mentioned above as well.
Fenzibility gets my vote too. I think Fenzi Frenzy would work but you’re using that.already.
As far as if the other trainer has a legal right to use the name? I don’t think it matters. If she’s been using it for years then she “owns” it. You’d look like a bully if you forced the issue. besides Fenzibility has name recognition and rolls off the tongue
I’m really thinking hard about Leanne’s comment. If I add a hyphen (O-bility or Ob-ility) it solves the issue AND keeps the name. Because at this point the name has a fair amount of recognition.
Well…..unless ‘she’ has registered the word as a TM, she cannot lay claim to it. My massage mentor did just that with her Canine Kinaesthetics(TM). You can find the word all over the internet but only she can use kinaesthetics in conjunction with a type of canine massage. You could move quickly to register it for yourself or, in the interest of keeping peace with a professional colleague, you could find a new word and move on.
I would like to see the your obility continue. Maybe you could add Canine Olbility in front of it? Or Fenzi Obility? Or get it registered first 🙂
Love the OB-ILITY or the O-BILITY and think this solves your problem!!! :):):)
I agree with Thomas. In interest of keeping the peace in your field of work, I don’t think the hyphen will suffice. JMHO. And, people who like your training methods will want to work with you and learn about it, no matter what you call it.
Amen,,,, I would want a name that is
distinctively different !
Yes. “Obility” is good, but I think you can do even better, avoid any confusion, and create something really distinctive — something that conveys what your philosophy and style without being cutesy (apologies to fans of Fenzibility and others of that ilk). Besides, hyphens just make things more complicated.
Fenzilli, like fusilli pasta – symbolically the Spiral –
the arrangement that the natural order of the universe coordinates itself into. The double helix structure of DNA (representing biological evolution) and the spiral structure of a galaxy (representing universal evolution) – here, the spiral refers to the evolution of dog training and philosophy – pairing of dog & handler – speed and form; strength whose spiral double helix structure (dog & handler) allows them to get stronger through the generations/methods.
Spiral energy is what connects spiral beings to the universe. The energy that the pair synergistically create.
I apologize for the rambling explanation whether you like the name or not, I think the spiral is an interesting symbol for what your doing.
Or you could call it what it is, which is creative randomization.
Since creative randomization is also another term for Art ,,, what about ,” Artistic K9s ”
After all art is about self expression , with no boundaries , for pure fun & enjoyment !
Agilience 😀
I tried to keep an open mind but obility just sticks, I vote for the hyphen:)
I love Flash Drive but I think, marketing-wise, it is most clear if the word contains both Agility and Obedience.I vote for Agilience.
This will be very difficult ! I like agileobedience , but I looked it up & it’s already taken , with a / In between the words . Flash Drive is taken by a computer company ! It’s going to be hard to be original but I’m sure there’s a good idea out there some where .
Mobility (movement, obedience, agility)
Mobility
What Marcia said–unless she has registered the term, anyone else can use it. Whether you want the hassle of arguing with her about it is another matter.
Funzility! 🙂
Personally, I like “Fenzility”. It’s you and it sounds fast and unique.
Fenzility or Obilizi
“JumpWeave&Sit”
NO matches on google for this name !
This is funny… I just got turned on to your site and was thinking I wish there was something out there for training a pup obedience and agililty. “Obility”, I like it… So FenziObility it is…
The lady still may complain . It’s like a person saying they are coming to start a computer company and the computer will be called Green Apple ?!
“Fenzi Techniks”……….
“Fenzi Motivations”………
Mobedience (Mobility/Obedience) and it also signifies “more (better) obedience.”