Hope is horrible at remembering names. Especially the names of the humans in her dog training classes. But the dogs’? She has them down by week two. Most of them, she knows by the end of class one.
Want to know why? The nice answer is that Hope loves dogs, is fascinated by dogs, and wants to get to know every dog on the planet.
The real answer is that the dogs’ owners are constantly saying the dog’s name and won’t shut the heck up. “Sparky. Sparky. Sparky.”
The dog didn’t listen the first 12 times. What are you doing differently that will get you a jackpot at 13?
He’s Not Deaf. He’s Ignoring You.
Do you know any toddlers? Human children, that is. If you do, you know exactly how your dog feels when you constantly say their name with no other information. There’s no difference between a kid yelling “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy” and you chanting “Fido, Fido, Fido.” After a while, it just becomes background noise.
Stop nagging your dog. Give them clear cues on what to do, and give them a reason to do it.
And please, don’t even start chanting if your dog’s focus is completely riveted on a bunny that just crossed your path, another dog, or the garbage truck going down the alley. Standing there saying “Spot. Spot. Spot.” isn’t going to win against those distractions.
Try this instead: Dash up to your dog, gently blow on the back of their head, and run in the opposite direction while calling their name. Chances are excellent they’ll turn and fly after you.
Because I Said So
But, you argue, “I want my dog to do what I say when I say it!”
Good luck with that. Unless your dog comes with rechargeable batteries, that isn’t going to happen.
Dogs are perfectly happy to do what we ask—as long as they understand how to do it and what they’ll get for doing it.
That reward doesn’t always have to be a treat. It can be praise, a scratch in the right spot, or just a smile. But those only work once you’ve established your bona fides with your dog. Just like any training, you have to build a history of reinforcement before a cue actually means something.
Remember: What gets rewarded gets repeated.
The 2-Minute Challenge
Want to reset your dog’s name recognition? Try this today:
- Get five treats that your dog would run through fire to get.
- Say your dog’s name once, and immediately stick one of those treats in their mouth.
- Repeat five times in a row.
Your dog doesn’t have to come, or look, or sit, or do anything at all. You say the name, they get the jackpot.
Do this just once a day for a week, and we promise you’ll see your dog snap to attention the next time you say their name.