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Teaching a dog to respond to its name is one of the fundamental bases of dog training, and not only that, it is also a means by which coexistence, the strengthening of human-dog bonds and the dog’s own safety are ensured.
This “command” is a mandatory thing that every owner must teach his furry companion once he has started to settle into his new home, regardless of whether it is a puppy or an adult dog.
Learning this basic principle of dog training requires patience, perseverance and understanding, each dog learns at its own pace, and the person must adapt to it in order to successfully pass this stage of learning. But for a more effective teaching, it is helpful to know the 6 tips to teach your dog to respond to his name.
Essential data for learning your name
Before starting the training, it is important to highlight the following points:
1.The choice of the dog’s name
The name given to the animal plays a huge role in teaching it to respond to its name. The action dogs take upon hearing a command comes from association and sound rather than from an analysis of its meaning, so the sound and length of the name will affect how quickly the dog can memorize it. Short names, with one or two vowels, are the most recommended for dogs for this very reason, not to mention that the pronunciation must be understandable to avoid confusion.
2. The environment always affects
To teach your dog to respond to his name it is vital to start in a quiet place, without distractions and familiar to him, so the home is the ideal place for the first practices. Over time and as the dog assimilates more and more the command of its name, the environment must be varied, adding difficulties to maximize learning.
3.Careful with food
Training should never be done right after eating or before mealtime, as the dog will not be able to concentrate and the task of learning his name will be more complicated.
Training data
In order for learning to be effective, it is necessary to consider the following points:
1.Positive reinforcement should never be lacking:
In order for the dog to learn its name, the presence of positive reinforcement is mandatory, this includes cuddling and petting as well as treats. If the dog does not have something to help him associate training and his name as positive, attempts to teach him will be unsuccessful. Instead, with the right incentive, focusing the dog’s attention and interest will be much easier and with long-term benefits.
2.Practices
training sessions should last a maximum of ten minutes and can be repeated about four times a day. It is important not to overwhelm the dog, as this will hinder its learning and may even cause rejection on its part. Of course, the practices must be constant, every day, without the routine teaching your dog to respond to his name will not work.
3. Step by step
learning must go step by step, each part of the training needs time to be assimilated and to advance safely to the next point. First get his attention, then try to get him to respond to his name, if there is no response try again, if there is, offer a treat (pet or treat); and so on until the dog internalizes and learns his name.
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