How Do Dogs Learn Their Names?

Like our human friends, some dogs are more verbal than others. Our Australian Shepherd, for example, sings a brand-new canine opera each morning. My Catahoula says hello with a simple tail wag and sweet hound-dog eyes.

Dogs are equally varied when it comes to understanding human language. Some pick up just a few basic words, while others, like a border collie named Chaser, understand more than 1,000 names for different objects. Tell Chaser to fetch “Uncle Fuzz” instead of “Wise Owl,” and he’s on it! But when it comes to their own names, how do dogs figure out who they are and who you’re talking to?

How Dogs Understand Humans

Dogs learn words through a combination of deductive reasoning and positive reinforcement, but it’s unclear if dogs are able to conceive of themselves as an entity with a name. (It’s thought that perhaps they don’t.)

In other words, when I say, “Good morning, Henry,” to our Catahoula, he isn’t thinking, “There’s Mum saying hello to me, whose name is Henry!” He might simply be thinking, “There’s Mum. She’s making that sound that usually means something good is about to happen. I predict breakfast!”

Dogs, of course, also read context and body language. When I grab the lead, it doesn’t matter what I say: the dog expects to go out.

What dogs can understand, according to research from 2024, is that some of the words humans use can point to objects in their environment. Scientists tested dogs’ brain waves while listening to words that aligned with an object they were familiar with and words that were wrong.

The brain waves that were triggered in response to the incorrect words lined up with how infant brain waves respond to mismatched words and objects, known as semantic violations. Whether they thing of themselves as an “object” that a name can refer to isn’t clear, but this study provided interesting insights into how dogs associated meanings with the sounds we make.

Dogs certainly think of themselves (as beings) in certain ways: “More food for me!” Or, “This pee smells like mine!” Or, “That dog is not me.” But the extent to which dogs conceive of themselves as having a self, or whether or not they can imagine an autobiography about their lives—well, it’s hard to say (and for most dog lovers, that’s just fine.)

There are definite ways to help your dog understand when you’re talking to them, and to ensure that your dog responds to you when you need them to. Here are some tips!

How to Choose a Dog Name that Suits How Dogs Listen

If it’s not too late, you should choose a name for your dog that’s short (one or two syllables) and distinct in terms of its sound. You want a name with hard consonants, like Max or Molly.

Choosing a name that ends in a vowel (Maggie, Mango, Poppy, or Rocky, for example) might also be easier for your dog to understand than others, as they nudge you to change the tone of your voice. This helps them tell their name apart from other words in your daily chatter with friends and family. Double-syllable words can also be easier for your dog to understand.

Likewise, you might hope to teach your dog a bunch of cues like “sit,” “lie down,” and “drop it.” However, if you call your dog “Poppet,” for example, this might sound too much like “drop it.” It could mean they don’t understand the cue in future. Other examples might be “paw” and “Paul” or “shake” and “Shane.”

Avoiding giving dogs similar names to your family members or other dogs can also help prevent confusion. For example, if your son is called Harry, a dog might find the name Happy confusing.

Softer names with lots of vowels, like Oodles, will stand out less. Long names, like Daenerys or Melisandre, are more likely to sound muddled and confusing to dog ears. (And, also, maybe wait until your favourite show finishes before you name them after a favourite character. Do you really want a tiny Daenaerys running around the living room?)

You can read more about choosing the perfect dog name here.

How to Teach a Dog Their Name

Here’s how to get your dog responding to their name:

1. Begin with short, five-minute training sessions. Bring your puppy close and keep them on a lead so they can’t run off. Have a bag of treats handy.
2. Begin by saying your dog’s name, make eye contact, then say, “Yes!” and give them a treat.
3. Do this several times, then include a few sentences your dog definitely will not understand.
4. Then add in their name again (try to say it always in the same tone, with the same ring to it) and when they makes eye contact, say, “Yes!” and give them a treat.
5. Repeat several times over a period of minutes. We suggest these mini-treats for training to keep the calorie count down!

Increase Distance and Continue Training

Continue with the same sort of training described above, but increase the distance between you and your dog.

Keep your dog on their lead, but let them roam around and become distracted. Say their name in an upbeat way, using the same positive tone. When they look to you, say, “Yes!” and let them come to you for a treat.

With repeated practice, your dog will learn to stop what he’s doing and look to you for direction or positive reinforcement when you call their name.

More Tips for Teaching a Dog Their Name

• Say your dog’s name in the same way (tonally, melodically) each time.
• Offer positive reinforcement when your dog responds to their name. You can say “yes” or “good dog,” or offer affection or a treat.
• Don’t use your dog’s name when you don’t want them to respond. If you’re talking about your dog to another human while your dog is in the room, try to use a different name. Otherwise, your dog will hear their name but learn that perhaps nothing is about to happen. This will create confusion—should they respond or not?
• Don’t use your dog’s name for punishment or when you’re frustrated with the dog. You want your dog to associate their name with positive feelings and actions.

In short, your dog’s name should always be a happy occasion!

We’re full of lots of training tips and advice here at Rover.com, but we also have loads of fantastic dog walkers and sitters—many of whom offer dog boarding in your area–so you’re sure to find someone who’ll love to spend quality time with your dog when you can’t be there!