Name Recognition

We cannot expect our dogs to come to us if they do not associate their name with great feelings.

How often do you say your dog’s name when you are upset?

How often do you repeat your dog’s name multiple times before he responds?

This activity is the first of two that will teach your dog to respond right away and with enthusiasm.

Say your dog's name and give him a treat. He does not have to look at you or sit. He just needs to hear his name and receive a treat.
Make sure that your dog is within a few feet of you when practicing. This way, if he is looking away and does not respond, you can quickly get to him with a reward. It is early in training so you should expect him not to respond, especially in distracting situations.
Begin to alter the way you say his name. For example, say it with a soft voice and slowly work your way up to yelling it. Your dog will learn that hearing his name is a good thing, no matter how it is said, even if he is running away. In this scenario, it is hard for us to control our voice due to adrenaline and we often yell, which can cause your dog to continue to run away.
Over the next week, have twenty treats set aside each day on the table. Make sure that all of the treats are gone by the end of the day because you have simply said his name and rewarded. Practice this in many different indoor and outdoor locations.

Avoiding Learned Irrelevance

Learned irrelevance in dog training is when a dog stops responding to a cue because it is no longer important to the dog. This can happen with a dog’s name when a person repeats it over and over again without rewarding their dog. The same thing could happen with the “come” cue if it repeated too many times without waiting for your dog to respond.

For example, if you say “Fido! Fido! Fido, come! Come, Fido!” You are teaching your dog that there is no need to respond to his name or the “come” cue the first time, only possibly responding when repeated multiple times.

It is crucial for your dog to learn to respond to his name and the “come” cue the very first time they are said. Avoid repeating these words.

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