You got a new puppy and are now wondering how to teach your dog their name. Teaching your dog their name adds a layer of safety and builds their confidence. It takes time, patience, and effort, but with consistency and the right tactics, you’ll get there!

In this article, we’ll walk you through a step-by-step process to teach your dog their name, how to do it without treats if needed, and how to train a rescue dog with a brand-new name. We’ll also cover common mistakes to avoid and a couple of best tools to make name-training easier.

How to Teach Your Dog Their Name—Step-by-Step Process

Before you start teaching your dog their name, keep lots of treats in handy, a clicker and a long training leash. It’s good to start name-training in a place with fewer distractions like your backyard, or a quiet room.

Start Close to Your Dog

Stand a few feet from your dog. Say your dog’s name in a cheerful voice. As soon as they look at you and make eye contact, use a clicker or a positive phrase like “Yes!” and reward this behavior immediately with a treat. Repeat this 5–10 times in short sessions.

Add some distance

Now, take a few steps away from your pup and call your dog’s name again. If they respond with eye contact, throw a treat their way right away. Repeat until they consistently respond to their name from various distances.

Pro tip: If you’re wondering how to teach a dog its name without treats, replace treats with positive verbal phrases, petting, or a favorite toy. The key is to pair their name with something they enjoy.

How to Teach Your Dog Their Name with Distractions

Now once your dog is consistently responding to you in a place with fewer distractions, it’s time to place some distractions in their space like dog toys.

Call their name from a distance, and reward with a treat when the dog gives you attention. If your dog doesn’t respond, you can move them to a quieter place and try again. Or if you want to stick to distractions, you can move closer and say their name in an upbeat tone.

When your dog starts doing well in mildly distracting environments, it’s time to level up and take the training to a busier spot, like a dog park. But, remember just because your dog knows their name well at home, they’ll respond in public the same way.

Parks are full of smells, people, sounds, and other dogs, all of which can be overwhelming. So, begin training in public by standing close to your dog.

Call their name and reward them with high value treats like tiny pieces of boiled chicken when they respond.

Gradually increase the distance between you and your pup while continuing to reward them for giving you attention.

Always keep your dog on a leash during this phase so they don’t run off chasing birds or climbing trees, and you can continue training in peace.

Use positive verbal cues like “yes” or “good job” when they respond. Avoid shouting or repeating their name over and over, as this teaches them, they only need to listen after the third or fourth time.

Once your dog reliably responds to their name even in distracting environments, you can start giving treats intermittently. But make sure to pair their name with a positive word or praise so they continue associating their name with something good..

Pro tip: Break the treats into small pieces so you are not overfeeding your pup during name training.

Pro Tip 2: Only give treats when your dog looks at you and make an eye contact. Follow this practice with other words too you plan to teach your dog.

Tools that Make Name Training Easier

Best Clicker Suggestion

This pet training clicker is one of the best tools for teaching your dog their name. It comes with an expandable wristlet and metal clip that conveniently attaches to your belt loop so you can carry on with the training in the park. Also, it’s made of rust-proof metal so splashes from your dog water bottle, for example, won’t affect its appearance.

Best Soft-training Treats

To make name training effective and efficient, you need to have tasty treats handy. Ziwi Peak Air dried treats is our personal favorite since its  soft, chewy, easy to break and come in yummy flavors like beef, chicken, and lamb. Although these treats are soft, the best thing about them is they hold their shape even if they roll on the ground.

Best Long Training Leash

A long training leash is a must while you are ready to practice name training outdoors. Max and Neo double handle dog leash tops our list when it comes to leashes, as it has it all—six feet in length (also available in shorter lengths for training), two padded handles, and a sturdy clasp that attaches seamlessly to the dog collar.

Also, you can use the D-ring on the leash to attach the poop bag dispenser. During name training, your main goal is to keep your dog focused on you. The second padded handle helps you quickly redirect their attention if they get distracted by people or try to chase other animals.

How to Teach a Rescue Dog a New Name

Teaching a rescue dog a new name involves the same steps, but it may require a bit more patience. Rescue dogs may have had a negative association with their previous name or environment. They may also show aggressive behavior because of past trauma or lack of socialization in the puppy stage, so we need to treat them gently with care.

Here’s how to do it:

• Choose a simple and cheerful new name like Luna, Daisy or Max.
• Say the name in a positive tone while offering treats and praise.
• Avoid nicknames until the dog responds confidently to the new name.
• Use a consistent routine and keep sessions short but frequent.

It may take a little longer, but with love and consistency, rescue dogs can learn and respond to a new name beautifully.

What to Avoid When Teaching Your Dog Their Name

• When you are teaching your dog their name, pick an easy name like Bella, Stella, or Charlie.
• Avoid using nicknames in the early days of training, as it may confuse your dog. Stick to their official name for commands and important tasks.
• Once your dog consistently responds to their name, you can use nicknames casually during playtime or relaxed moments but keep using their real name during training or mealtime.
• Also, avoid shouting their name or calling it repeatedly as this will make them think that they should respond to you once you call them a specific number of times.
• Take things slow. And don’t shy away from starting the practice from scratch if need be.
• Avoid using your dog’s name only in negative contexts like “Stella, down!” or “Max, quiet!” This creates a negative association, and your dog may begin to ignore their name.

Conclusion

Teaching your dog their name might sound like an uphill task, but it really isn’t. You just need a bit of patience, effort, and consistency. Follow a simple pattern of calling your dog’s name when you are nearby, offer a treat when your dog looks at you and make eye contact with you. Then, call their name from a distance and throw a treat when your dog gives you attention. It will only be a matter of days before your dog is fully responding to their name.