10/02/2026
𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴’𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺.
And before you get upset… hear me out.
How many times a day do you say your dog’s name?
“Buddy.”
“Buddy, come here.”
“Buddy, what are you doing?”
“Buddy, stop.”
“Buddy…”
“Buddy…”
“Buddy…”
And how often does your dog actually stop what they’re doing and look at you?
If the answer is “not very often,” you have probably taught your dog that their name is just background noise.
𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗴’𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲.
I want their name to mean:
“Stop what you’re doing and pay attention to me.”
Not necessarily “come.”
Not “sit.”
Not “do something specific.”
Just look at me and get ready to listen.
That one little response can become incredibly valuable.
Your dog is sniffing.
They’re watching another dog.
They’re distracted by something across the street.
They found something on the ground.
They’re starting to fixate on something.
You say their name.
They turn and look at you.
𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴.
But here's where people get into trouble:
𝗪𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗴’𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.
We say it over and over.
We don't wait for a response.
We don't reinforce the response when we get one.
And eventually the dog learns:
“Apparently that word doesn't really require me to do anything.”
So how do I teach it?
I let my dog become interested in something else.
Maybe we're on a walk and they're sniffing.
Maybe I toss something away from me and let them investigate.
Once they're distracted, I say their name ONCE.
If they turn and look at me?
YES & Reward.
“Thank you for looking at me when I said your name.”
Then we do it again.
And we gradually increase the distractions.
What I DON'T do is stand there yelling their name 15 times until they finally decide to acknowledge me.
𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟰 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.
If they don't respond, I help them succeed. I might reduce the distraction, change my position, or use an appropriate leash prompt depending on the dog and the situation.
The point is simple:
𝗜 𝘀𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘁.
𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁.
𝗜 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.
"But I like talking to my dog"
Cool, me too, give them a different name for when you're just talking to them.
For me: Cora is Smush. Circa is Bird.
Those names mean absolutely nothing other than, “Hey, you're cute and I love you.”
Their actual names have a job.
Look at me!
