Name RecognitionDog turns toward you at their name
The name is an attention-getter, not a command. It should mean 'something good is about to be asked of you,' so never use it to scold.
Also known as: Respond to Name
At a glance
- Tier
- 0 · Foundational
- Time to fluency
- 1–3 weeks
- Practice
- 7× per week, 3 min each
- Equipment
- Small soft treats
How to teach name recognition
Lure
Say the name, reward the head turn
- Wait until the dog is looking away, then say the name once
- Mark the head turn, reward generously
- If they do not turn, get closer or quieter rather than louder
- Ten reps scattered through the day beats one session of ten
Verbal Cue
The name alone, no food visible
- Vary your tone so it works when you are not cheerful
- Practise from another room
- Never follow the name with something the dog dislikes
- Reward sometimes, not every time, once it is solid
Success criteria
- Unlearned
- No reliable response to the name
- In progress
- Turns to the name alone, indoors, 9 times in 10
- Mastered
- Turns to the name outdoors mid-sniff or mid-play
Common mistakes
- Using the name to scold, which teaches the dog to avoid it
- Saying it repeatedly when ignored, which devalues it
- Using the name as a recall (they are different skills)