Puppy Name Training

Once you have settled on a name for your puppy, you need to get to work to teach him to recognise his name and respond to it.

Repetition, along with reward, works wonders in dog training, including name training. Use your puppy’s name often, in an upbeat tone of voice, and when he responds by giving you his attention and focus, praise him and give him a treat. Treats don’t have to be food; petting, praise and a favourite toy to play with are also rewards your puppy will appreciate. Dog training takes patience so don’t expect your puppy to know his name as soon as you decide on it. Never use your puppy’s name in anger or when telling him off.

You want your puppy to associate his name with good things and happy feelings rather than scoldings. Remember that the name itself means little to a puppy. To him it’s just a collection of sounds and tone of voice, together with the emotion behind the sound. If the emotion behind the sound is anger, a puppy will associate his name with fear or confusion.

When your puppy learns that he gets a reward, in the form of pats and strokes, toys or treats, when he focuses on you after hearing his name, he’ll be keen to give you the attention you want from him.

Learning his name is the first dog training a puppy receives, and is vital for further training when you may take him to dog or puppy behaviour classes and need to command his attention against the distraction of other dogs.

Be consistent in your use of his name, and you’ll quickly get a consistent response when you call him.

Name Training at a Glance

Always:

* Use puppy’s name often
* Use an upbeat, happy voice
* Be quick to praise and reward
* Be consistent

Never:

* Shorten or use derivatives of the name
* Use an angry or scolding voice
* Ignore a positive response

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