Look Who it Was Random video

Why Doesn’t My Dog Respond To Their Name?

330 views · Published 20 October 2017 · 3:26 · Indexed 28 September 2026

Channel: Veterinary Network · 2017 · Howto & Style

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However, if your dog doesn’t seem to recognise their name or only responds to it when it suits them, there are a multitude of different reasons for why this might be. 

In this article, we will look at the reasons behind why a dog might not recognise or respond to the use of their name, and how you can tackle the issue from there. Read on to learn more.

Does your dog know their name?

If your dog looks to you or responds when you use their name at some points, then they do know what it is – but if your dog doesn’t raise an ear, turn their head or look at you in any situation that you might call their name, they may not – or can pick out the sound of their name, but don’t assign any meaning to it.

Why might your dog not recognise their name?

If you are sure that your dog doesn’t recognise their name or doesn’t assign any meaning to it, consider why this might be.

Do you only use your dog’s name when you are telling them off, or recalling them to go home? If your dog associates their name with only negative situations, they will be keen to avoid and ignore it, because it doesn’t mean anything good for them. However, if you use your dog’s name now and then to get their attention to give them a treat or other form of reward, your dog will be much more likely to listen and look to you.

Is your dog’s name short, clear and distinct? If their name is very long or confusing, without a distinct sound to it, or a sound that sounds similar to other words they might know, they will not necessarily recognise the meaning of the name itself.

Similarly, if you also use nicknames or short forms of their name commonly, your dog is very likely to react with confusion due to a lack of consistency, or think that a different word is their name.

If you use your dog’s name too often, this can lead to a form of learned irrelevance – your dog will be so used to hearing their name spoken in all manner of tones of voice and different contexts that it becomes meaningless to them, and so they tune it out.

On the other hand, if you don’t use your dog’s name enough, they will not hear it enough to assign meaning to it, and know that it is their moniker and form of address.

These are just a few of the most common reasons behind why your dog might not recognise or respond to the use of their name, and if you can work out which one is in play with your own dog, you will have a head start on resolving the issue.

Retraining a dog to respond to their name.

If your dog’s name is too long, complicated or unclear, they might never recognise and respond to it, which means you may need to use a shorter form of their name or give them another name entirely. The same is true if the name word is too similar to another word your dog knows, such as the word for a certain command – you will have to change one of the words in question.

Also, use treats to incentivise response to the name – and don’t use your dog’s name solely or mainly to recall them or put an end to their fun.

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