When Never to Use a Dog’s Name

There are times when one should never use the dog’s name. If you are angry and/or reprimanding the dog, avoid saying the dog’s name. Your dog is bright. The dog knows to whom you are addressing your comments.

There is a reason for not using the dog’s name when the situation is less than positive. You want to have the advantage that, when you use the dog’s name, always positive things happen. Always. You want to create positive associations with that name sound. You might want to use the dog’s name in situations like:

• [Insert name], do you want a cookie?
• [Insert name], let’s give you some supper.
• [Insert name], do you want to go for a walk?

Then, when you use the dog’s name for a recall (your ‘come’ command), the dog knows that it is a positive thing to hear its name. Good things are going to happen. By avoiding the use of the dog’s name when you are correcting or when you are upset, you have given yourself a significant advantage when you actually do use the dog’s name in a meaningful situation.

When you use the dog’s name may seem like a trivial matter to you. It isn’t trivial to the dog.

Catherine Forsythe