How to teach your dog their name

Puppies and adult dogs who join your family require a fair amount of training and need to learn to pay attention when you call their name. Here's how to teach your dog to recognise their name.

Always use positive reinforcement and associate their name with something positive. Carry their name training at home, in a quiet room. Treats will help! 

• When your dog is not looking at you, say the name in a very happy voice. If they turn to look at you, congratulate them and immediately reward them with a treat. Repeat this process several times every day.
• If your pup does not respond, try in a smaller room and with different treats.
• Is your dog responding every time? Move to a bigger room and increase the distance between you and your pooch. You can give them less treats but always praise them when they look at you. 

Mistakes to avoid

The most important is to avoid pairing their name with negative language, such as "name - be quiet!"

• Avoid saying their name multiple times in a row, otherwise they'll need you to repeat it several times to respond.  
• Don't shout their name, even if they fail to look at you.
• Don’t say your pooch's name before every command. 

Can you give an adult dog a new name?

If you adopted an adult dog and want to give them a new name, in theory you can. Although your pooch might take a while to get used to it. Keep associating their new name with positive reinforcement, be patient and always repeat it in a happy and calm tone of voice.