Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the world, with over 470 million dogs living in homes around the globe. With so many people having a dog, it is important to know how to train your pup.
To train a dog, the owner must select a name for their pet. Dogs respond better when they are called by name as opposed to generic terms such as “hey!” or “good boy.” The key to selecting a dog’s name is to choose one that will not only be easy for you and others around your home to say but also one that will have meaning behind it.
How to Name Your Dog?
We humans develop a personal attachment to our names at an early age. Even before we can speak, children will recognize their names and respond with joy or excitement when they hear them.
It turns out, our furry friends probably do not interpret their names similarly to us humans. Though we can’t know for sure unless and until someday we might be able to get inside the dog’s head.
It’s likely that a dog just learns to associate the sound of their name with positive things like balls, leashes, car keys, or treats.
Over time, dogs learn that good stuff happens for them when they hear their name sound. Dogs have this ability because they learn early on as pups to recognize “good stuff” happening. They learn to grasp and comprehend certain vocalizations from humans whereas, in other words, they ignore them altogether, due to their redundancy. The key to teaching your dog their name is quite simple. All you have to do is to teach your dog to associate their name with the “good stuff“.
You can make your dog happy by calling her name, but you need to pay attention and not send mixed messages. If your dog does something undesired and you use its name to yell at your dog, it’s likely to make them stop and think.
The faster your dog comes to you, the better. You don’t want to poison or taint your dog’s name. When your dog hears their name they should have a “Yay! Good stuff!” response.
So, as you go forward teaching your new dog her name the tone of voice must be always positive. If yelling at them does have to happen then do not use their name when doing so – just use “bad dog” or something like that.
A Good Name Can Improve Your Dog’s Training!
A dog’s name can make or break its destiny. Think about it; how many times have you heard a story of someone who changed the course of their life simply by changing the way they refer to themselves? This is especially true for dogs, as names are so important in shaping an animal’s identity and self-confidence. So what does this mean for your pup?
Choosing a fitting moniker could be just the thing needed to nudge them onto the road to success.
Remember, when choosing a dog name you want to be sure it has no negative associations. Consider the sound of your prospective names and make sure they do not have any sounds that might remind your pup of something unpleasant like “no!” or “bad boy.” If you are still unsure about what would work for both humans and dogs in this case, take time to research how other people with similar pets were able to find a good match.
If you have more than one dog, it is best to avoid giving them similar-sounding names, this will help prevent confusion for all parties included. One or two syllable names are advised, though multi-syllabic names can be shortened into nicknames.
Dogs who come from an adoption center often have no name. If they do, and it’s a good one that the dog responds to well, then there is no need to change it. However, if you think your dog associates something negative with its name (like abuse), then changing its name might help undo some of the damage done by previous owners.
Teaching Your Dog to Respond to its Name!
A dog’s name should only mean “look at me and wait for further instructions.” It does not mean to come to the person who called them, you must make this distinction if you want your dog to obey efficiently.
You can train your dog into responding to their name by using the power of clicker training. This process involves capturing your dog’s attention with a sound (the “click”), followed immediately by a food reward. At first, when your dog is already looking at you, say their name in an excited tone combined with a click and some treats. Do this several times until your dog learns to associate its name with a click and reward.
You can also teach your dog to focus on you by clicking and rewarding them several times, for periods that gradually increase in length. As they continue to look at you, click and give them a treat. If they look away, wait until they return before rewarding again. It may take some practice but this is an effective way of teaching your dog to pay attention.
Use a high-value treat, like dried liver or cheese to aid you in the process. Find foods that immediately capture their attention. Try out different types of foods to find which ones work best for your dog.
Add Distractions to Name Training
If you’ve been working with your pup and getting a very prompt and consistent “snap” of their head back to you every time they hear their name, congratulations! You are now ready to add some distractions.
It’s important to start small and work your way up. You want to set the dog up for success, not failure. Start by asking someone from your family to make some noise to distract your dog. Once the dog gets distracted by the noise, call out their name. If your dog immediately looks at you, mark it with a click and give them a treat. If your dog doesn’t listen to you consistently and stays distracted, then you need to go back, to work without distractions.
As your dog gets better at listening, you can increase the difficulty by adding multiple distractions. You can even ask two family members to create different types of noise, in different areas of the house.
With a few months of training, your dog will be better able to focus on you for longer periods. This is crucial in teaching them to respond reliably when called. And this means that even if they’re distracted by something else, it’s likely they’ll still come running at the sound of their name.
I hope you found my blog post helpful. If so, please share it with anyone who may find this information valuable.