It is important to teach your dog their name before you begin teaching commands. Having your dog know their name will help the training process. [2] X Research source
Consider running away from your dog while you call his name. Dogs love to chase things and might be more likely to follow you. [7] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source Use the Name Game to practice name recognition. In the training area, keep them on a ten-foot leash. Give them five feet to wander. When they are not looking, call the dog with an excited voice. Make sure they come to you. If they do not come, pull them gently towards you. When they get to you, praise them and give them a treat. Repeat the exercise until your dog consistently returns to you when you call their name. [8] X Research source Do not use the dog’s name in conjunction with negative commands or words (no and stay). Do not scold the dog if they take a while to come to you. [9] X Research source Avoid nicknames that might confuse your dog, like “Come!” and “Stop!” These might sound funny, but they’ll only lead to distress. [10] X Research source
Remember that no dog will respond to their name 100% of the time. Dogs are not machines and thus make errors. They might not hear you or they might have a bad day and not want to listen. [14] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source Some dog breeds like hounds are more difficult to train than other breeds. Be extra patient. [15] X Trustworthy Source American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Leading organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty Go to source
