One of the first things someone typically asks a dog owner is, “What’s his/her name?” Naming a new furry companion can be both challenging and fun. Sometimes they come with a name, they appear to know it well, it fits, and we decide to stick with it. Other times, they come with a shelter or rescue name that just doesn’t feel right. In some cases, we’ve been waiting for our puppy, and they arrive with a fancy registered name from the breeder, but it’s up to us to decide what they’ll be called day to day. No matter the origin of the name, one of the very first skills we teach a dog is to respond to it.
My dog, Oreo, was born in rescue and named by a young girl in the foster home. It fits him perfectly. But even though Oreo “had” a name when we brought him home at 8 weeks of age, he didn’t know it.
There are many ways to teach your dog to respond to their name. A common and effective way to teach this is the Name Game. You say your dog’s name in a cheerful tone, mark the moment they look at you with a click or a verbal marker (like “yes!”), and immediately give them a treat. This helps your dog associate hearing their name with positive attention and rewards.
With Oreo, I used a more active version of the name game that worked beautifully. I began by tossing a treat away from me so he’d chase after it. As soon as he grabbed it, I called his name and tossed a second treat in the opposite direction. As he turned and ran toward that one, I repeated the sequence in the original direction, and so on.
This fast-paced back-and-forth taught him that turning his head toward the sound of his name, no matter where he was, was fun and rewarding. It helped wire that reflex into his brain. And that’s what we want, right? A dog who automatically responds to their name, even with exciting distractions around.
Why It Matters
A dog’s name is more than an identifier, it’s an attention cue. It’s often the first word we say before giving a command, preventing trouble, or navigating a stressful situation. But in my work with dogs and their humans, I’ve noticed that once a dog “learns” their name, many owners stop practicing. They assume it’s locked in. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
Just like any skill, name recognition needs proofing and reinforcement. Part of that involves understanding how we, as humans, might accidentally weaken the association.
Mindful Reflection: When you were young and a caregiver called your name, what could you tell was coming based on how it was called?
Many of us can instantly recall the tone that meant praise, versus the one that meant uh oh. Maybe like me, you heard your formal first name followed by your middle name and knew a reprimand was coming. Our dogs are no different. In research conducted by Attila Andics using fMRIs, dogs were found to use different parts of their brains for praising and non-praising intonation.
If you say your dog’s name in a harsh or urgent tone, they may become hesitant to respond. Saying their name in an upbeat, inviting tone followed by something good like praise, play, or treats can help maintain a positive association.
We’re a very verbal species and we repeat ourselves often. We sometimes chant our dog’s name like it’s a magic spell that will suddenly override distractions. For our dogs, all that repetition can cause a problem.
When a dog hears their name repeated over and over without anything meaningful following it, they can start to tune it out. That’s called habituation. Combine that with the common mistake of phasing out treats too soon, and you risk extinction, where the behavior fades simply because it’s no longer being reinforced. The result? A dog who looks like they’ve “forgotten” their name.
But they haven’t. We just stopped giving them a reason to respond.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with always having treats on you, especially when building or maintaining attention in distracting environments. Some dogs, like Oreo with the Great Pyrenees in his lineage, are more independent by nature. For them, consistent, high-value reinforcement is often necessary, not because they’re stubborn, but because that’s how they’re wired.
Think of it like a paycheck. We don’t expect humans to keep doing a job without compensation. Why should dogs be any different?
Practice Makes Perfect
Rehearsing behaviors builds habits for both us and our dogs. When we practice calling our dog’s name in a positive, upbeat tone, we’re also training ourselves to use that tone even when we’re stressed. Just like I practiced with Oreo until turning his head toward me when he heard his name became reflexive, we can set ourselves up to use that same inviting tone when it matters most, like in an emergency.
Mindful Reflection: If someone else, a friend, neighbor, or even a stranger, called your dog’s name, would your dog respond?
Another helpful tip is to practice the name game with other people. Many dogs will respond to the primary caregiver or trainer’s voice. But ideally, your dog should respond to their name no matter who says it because there will be times that you are not with your dog. Part of proofing the behavior should include altering the person giving your dog the cue. Recruiting family and friends to play the name game can help strengthen your dog’s ability to respond no matter who’s calling and that could be potentially life-saving.
Practical Tips Recap:
- Keep your tone friendly and engaging
- Pair your dog’s name with a positive outcome
- Don’t repeatedly call their name if they are not responding
- Practice in a variety of environments (start with mild distractions and increase them over time)
- Invite other people to play the name game with them
- Don’t rush to eliminate food rewards
- Understand that breed traits influence attention and motivation
Have you noticed your dog doesn’t always respond to their name? Not sure how to get back to reliable attention? Let’s work together to create a plan to make your dog’s name matter again.
Reach out to sue@wavelengthwellbeing for 1:1 coaching tailored to your dog’s unique personality and your goals as a pet parent.
Happy practicing!
