Teach name recognition
The cornerstone of attention. Before any cue, comes this.
Before you can teach anything, your dog needs to understand his name means "look at me". Sounds obvious, but most owners wear out the name by repeating it in any context (scolding included) and turn it into background noise.
What you get
- Recovers his attention in any situation
- Prerequisite for every other cue
- Reduces reactivity through anticipation
Without attention, there is no learning. It's the first layer.
Before you start
- · None
Materials
- · Small treats
- · Quiet place
Step by step
- 1
Pair name with reward
Say his name in a happy tone. The second he looks at you, mark "yes!" and treat. Repeat 10 times.
- 2
Call him when distracted
Wait for him to look the other way. Say his name once. If he looks: party. If not, don't repeat — wait for the next try.
- 3
Change environments
Practice in the kitchen, balcony, lift, hall. Each environment counts as new for the first minute.
- 4
Generalize with distractions
In the park, with other dogs far away, call him. Huge reward if he looks. Move closer and reduce distance if he fails.
Common mistakes
- Using the name to scold ("LUNA, NO!")
- Saying it 5 times in a row until he looks
- Mixing his name with nicknames during training sessions
If something isn't working
He ignores his name on the street
→ Temporarily raise the treat value (chicken vs kibble) and reduce distractions for 3-4 sessions.
Pro tips
- If his name is already "burnt out" from bad use, pick a fresh training-only word (e.g. "look") and build it from zero.
Deep dive
Name recognition is the exercise that separates a trainable dog from a frustrating one. Building it well from day one prevents 80% of the obedience problems you'll face later.
Other exercises in this level
Teach your dog to sit
The first trick every dog learns. The gateway to obedience.
Teach your dog to lie down
The calm cue. For terraces, cafés and quiet evenings.
Teach your dog to come when called
The most important cue you will ever teach. Literally.
Teach your dog to stay
Three variables: duration, distance, distraction. One at a time.