Skip to content
Preview mode. Sample member data shown for review. Real members see their own account when sign-in is live.
Dashboard / Training Progress / Skill detail
Back to progress overview
Behavior First introduced in Pre-School

Name

Your dog learns that hearing their name means look at you.

  • Teaching
  • Reinforcing
  • Proofing
  • Maintenance

Maple's stage at Elementary

Success indicator

Dog turns head and makes eye contact when name is said.

What it is

Every time your pup makes eye contact with you, give them praise. You can say their name, make silly noises, or sounds if they are distracted. Repeat this until your dog starts to offer it to you.

How we teach it

  • Capture Attention with Excitement: Call your dog happily to grab their attention positively.
  • Mark and Treat for Eye Contact: Use "yes!", a clicker or a hand signal when your dog looks at you.
  • Repetition for Consistency: Repeat 10-15 times in each session for reinforcement.
  • Command for Eye Contact: Instruct your dog to look up, ensuring attention and connection.
  • Eye Contact Reinforces Attention: Similar to human interaction, it solidifies the dog's focus and understanding.

Practice at home

  • Be patient. It may take some time for your dog to learn their name, especially if they are a young puppy or a rescue dog.
  • Take Photos or Videos: Capturing your progress back at home or outside will help us provide additional feedback.

Watch it

Name tutorial thumbnail

Go deeper

Name recognition is the ability of a dog to understand and respond to their name. It is an essential skill for all dogs, as it allows them to focus on their owner and be more responsive to commands.

Read the Name Recognition guide

Maple's record

No record yet

This skill has not been assessed for Maple yet. It will appear here after a trainer records it.

Add structure to your week

See where Name fits in Maple's personalized training plan.