Whether you’ve just adopted a rescue dog or a puppy, one of the first things to get them accustomed to is their name. This is so they learn what to respond to but also will come in handy for all their training too. It’s important to be able to be in control of your dog and be able to draw and hold their attention when you need to too.
The most important aspect of your dog knowing their name is so they know to redirect their attention to you when with other dogs or distractions. It is important that your dog finds it rewarding to respond to their name and seek your interaction.
This can be done using a variety of attention and focus exercises to teach your dog that when they hear their name and they look at you there is a reward which will follow.
To start introducing your new dog to their name, start in a calm set up. This is so your dog is set up to succeed by beginning to train in a calm, quiet environment, with no distractions. Begin by saying your dog’s new name and as soon as the dog looks at you or gives you any kind of interaction, mark this behaviour with a “yes” or a reward with food or their favourite toy while giving lots of praise.
Once you have introduced your dog to his or her name, allow them to get distracted by other things in the room, ignore them and let them sniff or start to play with something else. Then say their name again and if they give you any kind of response, reinforce the response positively with more praise and a reward like food or their favourite toy. It’s important to not confuse your dog by asking the dog to sit or do anything else before giving the dog the treat, as the reward is for looking at you when you say their name, not for any other behaviour. This is just about them recognising the name as theirs.
Build up the association with the name by practicing from a distance, by moving to the garden and then using it in places with more distractions or things to keep their attention. Never use their name to scold them or punish them. Always use it in similar tones and positively. Build it up by using it throughout the day until you are confident that your dog is comfortable with this being their name.
