How to Teach a Dog its Name?

Why is it Necessary to Teach a Name to a Dog?

Just like humans need names for their specifications, the same theory applies to animals. The dogs at your home also require their name for specific identification in the crowd.

For example, if you have taken your dog for an outing and suddenly he has run away from the leash, at this time, you would require a name by which you can call your pet and by which the canine can understand that his master is calling him.

This is the reason why teaching a name to a dog is necessary. Not only is it helpful in finding your dog in a crowded place, but it is also helpful in training dogs as it also works as a command for the canine.

Why Do Dogs Respond Quickly to Their Names?

We all know that we use to call the name of our canine whenever we feed them, at the time of workout and walking sessions and when we want to spend time with them. The owner’s regular usage of the name makes them familiar with the word.

The dogs are usually unaware that it’s his name, but they respond quickly to it because whenever this name calls him, something good happens to him, like the play time or the meal time.

Hence, we can say that with the regular usage of the name daily, the dogs get a habit of listening to this name, due to which they respond as fast as possible to these words.

How to Teach a Dog its Name?

To teach the name to a dog, the owner has to follow some proper steps with appropriate guidance as it is quite difficult to teach a dog its name. The steps a dog owner can follow to teach the name to a canine are mentioned below.

Decide the Name You are Going to Choose

The first step that the owner has to follow to teach a name to the canine is to decide on a suitable name for the canine. The owner is suggested to choose a name per the nature of the canine as the name of the canine often reflects its character.

Introduce the Canine to His Name

It is the most important step in the entire procedure, to introduce the canine to his name all the owner can do is tell the name like “Bruno” and get closer to the pet and feed him every time after calling his name.

Repeat it Almost 20-30 Times a Day

Repetition of the canine’s name is very necessary as it will make him understand that the word you are using is somehow related to him.

Positive Reinforcement

The owner should strictly follow the rule of positive reinforcement while repeating the canine’s name.

For example, provide rewards to the pet every time you use his name, like certain treats, play sessions, an outing, and even quality time.

This will make him remember the word as dogs grab those things easily, which brings them positive vibes.

Strictly Ignore Punishments

An owner is suggested to ignore using the name of the canine while he has to behave a bit strictly with the canine in the first few days of practice. Negative reinforcement can affect the canine’s training, thus making him lose his focus over the name.

Avoid the Overuse of the Name

The owner should remember that overusing the name must be strictly avoided. This is because using the canine’s name every time can make a noise and be disturbing to the pet. Make sure every time you use it, you should have a valid reason like treats, workout sessions, etc.

Make the Name Consistent

Sometimes dog owners get fond of the variations when using their canine name. We all know using the short form of names is a trend nowadays. But the owner should strictly avoid this behavior in the first few days of the training as this can confuse the canine.

Reward Him Every Time He Responds

Giving a reward to the canine is the ultimate way to make the pet remember anything, as dogs don’t easily forget the things which bring them delicious rewards. If your dog barks instantly after your call, give him his favorite treat. This can be very helpful in the training process.

Make it a Bit More Challenging.

If you are noticing that the canine is responding to your calls, then the next step you have to take is to create some distraction for the canine during the training.

Use his name when he is sleeping or eating, though some things like a ball towards him during the training session, and call his name. If the doggy responds to your call in every situation, you will almost win the battle.

Give Some Time to the Training

We all know that each dog from a different breed possesses different types of qualities, due to which the quality of their memory also differs.

So if you are noticing that your dog is taking some time to learn his name, then you have to consider it as his new skills grasping capability is a bit low. The only thing which can bring you success is being consistent with the process.

All the above-discussed steps are based on the preferences of dog owners about which steps they use more for teaching names to the canine and also on which the canine quickly responds.

So if a dog owner is looking for steps regarding the process of teaching name to canine, then the owner can completely rely on the steps mentioned above to get the best results.

Things the Owner Should Take Care of While Naming the Dog

Now, we have discussed the steps to follow while naming the dog. The next thing the owner has to do is follow some facts while naming the dog, as the more accurate the method will be used in naming the dog, the faster the training will give results. The things the owner should take care of while naming the dog are discussed below.

Always Keep the Name Short and Simple

It was noticed among the dog owners that some of them don’t want to use a common type of name like Bruno and Rover for their canine.

They want that whenever they call their name, it will put an impact on the surroundings, due to which they use quite a long name for their canine.

But this thing needs to be strictly avoided as using a long name can lead to difficulties in the training.

It can be time-consuming and even lead to a confusing environment for the dog and the owner during the training period. That is why it is suggested that the owner keep the name short and simple.

Choose a Name With a Sharp Sounding Constant

Yes, dogs don’t know word choice, but they are not deaf. If the name is attractive, the canine will easily respond. It was noticed in most dogs that whenever they are called with a sharp sounded name, that is being started with consonants like P, K, and D.

They respond quickly to it as these sharp consonants produce sounds similar to the noise produced by a clicker, thus striking the dog’s ears and making him respond quickly to it.

The use of sharp-sounding consonants in a name in training can make it easier as the name will seem attractive to the pet, so the pet will quickly respond to it.

These are the two things that the owner should notice while knowing how to teach a dog its name, and choosing a nick name for their canine, as this will not only help in the training process but will also put an impact on the surrounding whenever the owner calls the pet. But be patient with the entire process.

Once again to remind you to treat your dog religiously after every successful name calling.

This way they will not only be encouraged to perform better, but can associate themselves easily with fun plays.

Always go for positive reinforcements. Create distracting situations so that they trained for uncertain environments.