Teaching Pup to Pay Attention to Name

[baileychristine0514]

How can I begin to teach my BC his name? Seems to me that would be the first thing all dogs should be taught right? He would need to know that before he can learn to pay attention to commands, as typically you would call a dogs name to get them to initially pay attention? Dougie is 8 weeks and  has the attention span of a fly. 

[UziDaddy]

You just got to say it a lot.  I've had mine since 8 weeks, he's 13 weeks now.  At this point he does know it, though he tends to have selective hearing frequently.

Yeah, no I'm busy chewing on this thing. lalalalala

[Bordercentrics]

At the training club I belong to, name recognition is the first thing taught in Puppy class.  Say the name, and when the puppy looks at you, instantly reward.  Most puppies respond to food, but some to toys.  You just have to know your own puppy.  Repeat this exercise a lot until the pup is looking at you whenever he or she hears the name.  I personally would use a clicker, clicking right away at the look, followed right away with the reward.  Good luck and have fun.

 

Kathy Robbins

 

 

[D'Elle]

I just use the name all the time with the dog, no matter the age, when teaching a new name. I use it in praise, I say it randomly in the dog's hearing and reward immediately if the dog looks at me, I pet the dog's belly saying "what a good ____, what a good dog" etc.  By 13 weeks he should know and respond to his name, so perhaps you are just not using it enough or you have not rewarded him enough when he does respond to it by looking at you. When you have a puppy, it's a good idea to keep treats in your pocket all of the time, and a clicker if you are using one. ALL of the time, so that you can instantly reward all good things, and responding to the name is one of those. Reward with a treat every time he turns his head toward you when you say his name in a happy upbeat tone for a week and he will know his name. And, of course, never ever use his name to scold or correct him.

[Mandy1961]

Your puppy will learn, sit, paw, down, touch and wait long before his name. Just keep repeating it and all of a sudden it clicks.

[D'Elle]

22 hours ago, Mandy1961 said:

Your puppy will learn, sit, paw, down, touch and wait long before his name. Just keep repeating it and all of a sudden it clicks.

Just saying.....this has not been my experience at all. Learning his or her name has in my experience come right along with everything else I was teaching the dog or puppy, not long after learning these other things. It is not predictable, as all dogs are different, but the ones I have worked with learned their names very fast.

[GentleLake]

^^ This.

Slower learning of the name hasn't been my experience either. Like D'Elle, I make an effort to train name recognition from day one. I've never expected a dog to pick it up with random exposure. Most of the time I don't actually use the dog's name in a normal day's activity. I suppose if that's how someone's approaching it it might take longer.

[Rigby]

You probably also want to avoid the dog's name being associated with anything negative for now. "Dougie NO" is just going to slow you down at this point. Winter is a bit older but we changed her name when we adopted her and she knew the new name in just 2 days of me saying it randomly and giving her a treat. I 'load' names like I load clickers. The dog doesn't have to do anything just hearing their name makes food appear like magic. I phase out of giving food every time once they're looking at me when I say the name. 

[GentleLake]

5 hours ago, Rigby said:

I 'load' names like I load clickers.

Exactly!

[Morley's Dad]

Morley knew his name by the third meal......Now, He listens intently....and then goes about his business....He is only 13 weeks old. He does have a pretty good recall.....now if he will just understand that "leave it" applies to my wife's herb and pineapple plants.