The name game: Three ways to teach your dog its name

By Elizabeth B.

It seems like everyone I know has adopted a new dog this winter, whether that’s a puppy or a rescue. For many, this means going through the joys of puppy-proofing, housebreaking, leash training—and even teaching the dog its new name.

Fortunately, there are several name games you can play with your dog to help a new name sink in super quick. (And they’re more effective than merely sing-songing the name until the dog happens to catch on). You can play the first one by yourself to lay the foundation. Then you’ll need help from family and friends for the other two.

By yourself

The idea here is to give your dog a choice. You say the name only once, and then they choose to look at you or not. If they make the right choice, they get a treat. How it works:

• Say your dog’s name—once—in a bright, friendly voice. 
• If they look over at you, praise them and give them a high-value treat.
• If they don’t, ignore them for a while, then try again.
• Wait until they’re no longer looking at you, then call them again. Praise and treat. 
• Repeat several times a day over several days until they’ve got it down pat. 
• Also, make sure to try this out in all sorts of settings, indoors and out. And even challenge your dog by calling their name when there are distractions, like a passing car or a squirrel. 

With a partner 

This was the game I used to help my cairn terrier, True, learn his name in about 10 minutes. For this one, you’ll need the help of another person. How it works:

• Have two people stand a few feet apart, either inside or out. 
•  Have the first person call the dog in a bright-friendly voice. 
• If they trot over to you, give them praise and a high-value treat. If they do nothing, don’t repeat the name. Just wait 10 seconds and try again. 
• Have the second person call the dog. Praise and treat. 
• After you’ve gone through a few cycles of this, step back to increase the distance. 

In a group 

After your dog is starting to get a grasp on their name, it’s time to widen the circle so they get comfortable with other people saying their name, too. This is a great game to trot out at parties, as friends and family tend to enjoy it. It makes for a great icebreaker and a chance for other people to bond with your new dog. How it works:

• Have friends or family stand or sit in a loose circle. Give everyone a few of your dog’s treats to hold. 
• Go first and call your dog’s name. 
• When they come to you, praise them and give them a treat. 
• Have someone else in the circle call the dog, ideally when the dog isn’t looking at them. Again, praise and treat. 
• If the dog doesn’t immediately go to person who calls, don’t repeat the name. Just wait and try again in 5-10 seconds. Eventually, they’ll start to catch on that they don’t get the treat until they go to the person who calls, the first time. 
• Repeat until everyone’s had a chance to call the dog. 

You can also mix things up by asking friends and family to hold on to a treat or two and call the dog randomly at any point during your gathering. This helps keep the dog on their toes.

Now if only there were some quick tricks like this to housetrain a dog!