February 17th, 2010
What do you think is the first thing your canine companion needs to know to become a positively well-behaved dog?
Sit? Nope.
Down? Nuh-uh.
Come? Wrong again, although that cue—in trainer-speak, the recall—certainly is very important. So are the “sit” and the “down.”
But before you can teach your dog any of those cues, you need to get his attention. And the best way to get that attention is to teach him his name. A dog who knows his name is a dog who turns to you when he hears that name and awaits further instructions. He’s a dog whose focus you can regain when he’s distracted. He’s a dog whom you can redirect when he’s doing something he shouldn’t.
Before you teach your dog his name, though, you need to choose one. Take this process seriously: make sure that your dog’s name is simple and easy for everyone in your family to pronounce. And resist the temptation to give your dog a name that elicits laughter; in the movie Legally Blonde, protagonist Elle Woods’s decision to name her Chihuahua Bruiser was not a good idea. Dogs don’t like being laughed at any more than people do.
Once you’ve settled on your dog’s name, you can teach him to respond to it. Have a clicker and treats nearby; then, do the following:
1. Wait till your dog’s looking at you.
2. When he does, say his name, click your clicker (or say “Yes!” if you’re not using a clicker), and give him a treat.
3. Repeat this sequence several times, until your dog clearly associates the sound of his name with scoring a treat.
4. Wait until your dog looks away from you; then, say his name. If he looks at you, click and give him a treat. If he doesn’t, do not repeat his name; instead, make a kissing or similar noise to get his attention. When he looks at you, give him his treat. Then, go back to the previous step until your dog obviously associates his name with getting a goodie.
Don’t expect your dog to learn his name all by himself. He’s certainly capable of doing so, but he’ll take longer to learn it on his own than if you take the time to teach the name to him. The time you lose letting him figure out his name for himself is time you could spend teaching him other cues and otherwise building the bond between you.
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15 Responses to “Teach Your Dog His Name”
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Susan McCullough has been a professional writer for 30-plus years, but didn't start focusing on dogs until 1996, when an overzealous Sheltie attacked and shredded a message that had been faxed to Susan's office. Instead of merely telling the sender "My dog ate your fax," Susan decided to see seek expert advice about how to share an office with one's animal companion. She turned that advice into an article for a national pet magazine, and she's been writing about dog behavior and care ever since.
Great post, Susan. Since we get older rescues, I was always afraid to change their names. However, after having 3 that we’ve changed, they adapt quite well at any age if they’re trained correctly!
This is SO true. Picking a good name is so important. For example, I would NEVER give a dog a name that starts with “S” because if I want her name to be an attention getter I don’t want it to sound anything like STAY. By the same token, it’s tempting to pick one with a C or a K since COME (or whatever recall word you use) might be helpful.
Back when I knew nothing about nothing with dogs, my husband and I sat apart on the floor with treats and called our new puppy back and forth to help her learn her name. I think it helped … since I’d picked a tough name (Penelope Grace).
I know now that two-syllable names are better. At least, that’s what I’ve read from other trainers/behaviorists.
Great piece, Susan.
I like this post. I am a huge dog lover and like reading about animals in general too. I’m gonna RSS.
Wow you have some really cool information on dogs on this site. How many types of dogs do you own?
Hey I discovered your blog by luck on ask while hunting for something completely different but I am very glad that I did, You have just snagged yourself another subscriber.
Glad to have you here!
I have the privilege of sharing my life with one Golden Retriever — but collectively, we K9Cuisine bloggers live with a variety of dogs and other companion animals. Our bios give specifics.
Good afternoon, This is a excellent article, but I was wondering how do I suscribe to the RSS feed?
Glad you liked it. Let me refer this to our website wizard. I’ll ask her to get back to you directly.
[...] 1. Puppies don’t know English. Bridging the communication gap between our species takes time, compassion, and an understanding of canine intelligence and the science of dog training and behavior shaping. I also love this piece by Susan McCullough (friend, fellow writer/blogger) on the #1 thing you need to teach your new dog/puppy. [...]
Thank you!
this post its very usefull thx!
Glad you found it helpful!
I just found this blog a while ago when a friend of mine suggested it to me. I have been a regular reader ever since.
So glad you’re enjoying it. Please feel free to ask any dog training or behavior questions you have!