Foundations · Medium
How to teach your dog to respond to their name
Their name should mean "look at me, something good is coming". It's how you get attention before any other cue.

- LevelMedium
- Practice timeAbout 20 min in total, over short sessions
- Reps per session3–7
- You needTreats, leash
Before you start
- A quiet room with no distractions
- Small, soft treats they love (or their own food)
- A leash for practicing outside later
Step by step

- Say their name once, in a pleasant tone
Pawfessor programs for this
More commands
Marker word
A marker word tells your dog the exact moment they got it right. It's the foundation every other command is built on.
Sit
Sit is the "please" of the dog world: a calm default that replaces jumping, pulling and snatching.
Down
A reliable down settles an excited dog and is the start of stay, place and relaxation.




