Heard the phrase, “Don’t use the lord’s name in vain?” Whether it applies to you directly or not it’s a simple rule we abide by at New York Dog Nanny. Name recognition and the behavior to follow (your dog should come) when their hear their name is a very basic command that should be part of every owner’s daily regime for bonding with their pup.
And yet, let us let you in on a little secret. Did you know that 1/5 dogs are confused about what their name is because their owner never bothered to teach them their name? Seems straightforward, but after working with hundreds of dogs for the past three years in and around NYC, we’re as surprised as you are. Here are some basic stats and some helpful tips that you can try at home to ensure that your dog really knows his/her name.
1) Say and speak their name in a calm tone. Animals respond to the energy and the sound of their name. When you are in a balanced state your dog will come to associate their name with this as a baseline for their name.
2) The opposite of tip #1: Do not say your dogs name in a panicked state. For instance, your dog is hiding because he doesn’t want to go outside or you’re scolding him/her for having an accident in the home or destroying some portion of your furniture. Repeatedly saying their name in a stressed, disappointed, frightened or angry energetic state will ultimately result in a dog associating their name with shame, guilt and otherwise negative emotions. No bueno!
3) Give affection regularly when you say your dogs name. For instance while giving a belly rub or cuddling on the couch.
4) Give a treat when saying their name when he/she is a puppy so they can learn that their name is associated with treats/food something they love!
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