The first thing we all train our puppies, even before we know what we’re doing, is that when we make a particular sound, we’d like their attention. This specific sound that we are trying to teach you is your own name.
Many pet owners tend to think that their dog’s name is more than that. They use it as a catch-all command with several meanings that vary depending on exactly what they’d like their dog to do at the time: “Scout!” (meaning “Come here!”); “Explorer!” (meaning “Stop!”); “Explorer!” (meaning “Duck!”); “Explorer!” (meaning “Stop barking!”); You get the idea.
Your dog may be the smartest dog in the world, but he’s not a mind reader. The bottom line is, use your dog’s name to get his attention. Period. Then use other sounds (commands) to tell or show him what you would like him to do.
So let’s continue with the lesson: Teach your puppy his name
Read everything first and then practice it with your dog.
1. Stock your pocket (or a bag or bag) with about twenty treats.
2. Take your dog to a place where there are not many distractions.
3. Wait for your dog to look at something other than you, then say his name (once!).
4. The moment he looks at you, immediately offer him a treat and say “Good!” (Or whatever word you’ve chosen as ‘reinforcer’. I just like to use the words ‘good boy’ or ‘good girl.’)
5. Move a few steps to a different area and once again wait for your dog to look away from you.
6. Say your dog’s name again and instantly reward him with the treat and reward when you look at him.
7. Repeat these steps five times. If your pup was especially distracted before reacting to his name, give him extra praise and treats.
If you say your dog’s name and he doesn’t look at you, he may be too distracted. Move it a few steps to a different place and try this again.
Say his name. Use an excited tone of voice. Provides instant rewards when he looks at you.
If even now he doesn’t react to his name, clap his hands, whistle, or maybe create some other noise to get attention. When he looks, say his name one more time and provide the rewards right away. Do this as a last resort. You would like your pet to learn to react to its name, not to other sounds.
If your dog ignores the sound of his name after several tries, try moving to a less distracting spot. (Distractions consist of smells, not just sights and sounds.)
Keep trying, be patient and remember not to repeat their name. Provide immediate rewards when they respond. This will work with any dog, even hard to house release puppies are trainable.
Most importantly, have fun actively playing with your dog! Don’t focus all your time together on training. Spend a lot of quality time just enjoying each other’s company!