Ever had a new-born baby at home? If so, you would know that it is pleasant to see the baby respond once you call her/his name. It’s the same way when training your dog to love and respond to its name. A dog must have a name and, more so, respond to it.
It is helpful since your dog will come running to you once you call him by his name. This encourages harmony while interacting. Moreover, the dog will have a sense of identity and ownership. You need to follow a couple of steps when training the dog to acknowledge his name.
1.Choose Your Dog’s Name
This may look like a simple step, but it is great to give it a thought. When we give our children their names, they are in our hands when they are born. On the other hand, many people get adopted dogs. They have had different experiences before coming into your home. Training your dog to recognize its name is the first language training he must learn.
a)Get to know your dog
Just like humans, dogs bear various habits and characters. You can play with the dog to understand their preferences and habits. You might notice their reaction to different surroundings and items. Observe which food he gets excited or withdrawn to take.
The colors that fascinate him. Something that fascinates him will be easy to notice because he will wiggle his tail. Try several names until you see the dog’s reaction. You can now create a name after observing his traits.
b)Pick a name with two or one syllables
The process of picking a name for your dog is more fun when your family is involved. They may have different thoughts on the qualities of your dog. About the dog’s name, most people prefer shorter names. Furthermore, short names are easy for your dog to learn and pick up on.
c)Choose a name with unique sounds
When speaking about sounds, we consider consonants and vowels to make up a name. I would say that a good way to ensure this is by having a repeating vowel or consonant in the name. A name like ‘Didi’ is easy to learn because both the vowel and consonant are repeating.
Another option is to choose lively characters like ‘c’ or ‘k.’ The pronunciation of these characters is more expressive and hard to go unnoticed. At least when playing with your dog in the park, he will get to distinguish his name from other sounds.
d)Don’t choose a name with frequent coincidences
If there is a household member with a name that is close to the dog’s name, your dog will get mixed up. A good example is naming your dog ‘Karl’ while one of your household members has the name ‘Kelly’. You can tell that the pronunciation of both words can easily collide and result in confusion.
Additionally, your dog’s name should not associate with common verbs or prepositions. A word such as ‘Shay’ collides with the verb ‘stay’. Since your dog does not comprehend the meaning of the words, his name’s sound has to stand out.
2.Train Your Dog to React to His Name
Find the perfect location
Choose a familiar and serene location if you want to train your best friend to respond when you call their name. Also, ensure there are no distractions. The fact that you are training him about sounds justifies that the surrounding should be clear of noise.
Most people choose the kitchen or backyard since the view is familiar, and the place is silent. Your dog can be off-leash or on a leash while starting.
Make a practical plan
I am not sure how you go about your day and all activities in between. I usually make an easy yet defining plan for the day. Training your dog to recognize his name calls for consistency and monitoring. The best way to ensure you don’t disruption your plan is by writing it down.
You could perhaps write that you attend the training every day in a week for 10 minutes. From that, you can track progress and decide on reducing or increasing the training period. All the same, consistency is the key ingredient while training your dog. It’s pretty much a principle that works for most situations.
Call their name in a jovial and clear tone
- Call your dog once in every training session. Using the name frequently will make him think that it’s just another word in a sentence. When you use the name once, it affirms the significance of the name. Attach a positive voice and tone while calling him. Some of the exercises are:
- Calling your dog while running so that he chases after you. Dogs love physical exercises.
- Use the Name game practice. Keep your dog on a 10ft training leash on the training location. Allow him to wander on a 5ft distance. Then call his name and wait for him to come to you. If he does not, pull him towards him. Make a positive remark and offer him a reward. Repeat the same process until he responds willingly.
- Never use negative remarks together with his name. Also, do not show an angry attitude when he is unresponsive.
Reward him when he responds
I am sure all of you would agree that you love being praised when you make an achievement. It pumps your confidence and desire to do more in the future. The same case applies to your dog; he feels good when you give him a pat on the back. You can clap, give him a treat or hug him to show approval.
3.Level Up Training
Make it more challenging
A new challenge comes after the dog has mastered the previous training. You can now call his name when performing other activities aside from the training session. Additionally, change the training location.
Give fewer treats
Offer your dog treats less frequently after he responds to his name. This shows that he no longer needs treats for acknowledging his name.
Call him often
Now that he recognizes his name, you can use it anytime you are with him. When showering, eating, playing, and every other time.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you have expanded your outlook as far as dog naming and training are concerned. You need to be unquestionably patient with the learning pace of your dog. Training your dog to recognize their name is among the first training he receives. Therefore, it’s normal for him to take a longer time to learn. It’s basically the principle of ‘not immediately but eventually’.
It’s fun getting to teach your dog as you get to bond even more. This builds your relationship, and you could also improve your patience from the process. I hope you love your dog more and the training works out. Don’t forget to check out our latest review on Dog Training Shock Collar reviews.