Name Game
Level 2: Respond to Name

You will learn:

• Observation
• ​Reinforcement

Your dog will learn:

• ​Give attention
• Respond to cue
  

The goal of this exercise is to put eye contact on cue.
When the dog hears his name, he quickly turns and makes eye contact with you.

uses for this behavior

• Name Game Level 3 and Level 4.
• Eye contact in response to name.
• Focus on you in the presence of distractions.
• Maintaining eye contact with you when outdoors or when separated.
• Frequent "check-ins" for possible new cues, when in doubt, or when concerned about something in the environment.

tips for success

• This exercise can be interspersed with other activities, so the dog learns that he does not have to maintain constant eye contact, but should respond quickly with eye contact upon hearing his name.​

Make it a game!

• Test it out: Can your dog play tug, give eye contact upon hearing his name, then resume playing tug again? How about when eating dinner? Reinforce with a click and a chance to resume what he was doing before you called his name.

Training Steps:

Step 1:
Cue the dog by saying his name. Click when you first see the dog's head start to turn. Toss the treat so that the dog has to turn away from you to eat it.

Click Points

• ​While the head is turning

Tag Points

• After saying the dog's name, the tag point is: Wait
• Click head turn
• Toss treat away

Step 2:
​Continue playing this game, clicking the action of the head turn. Say the dog's name just before he finishes eating his treat.

Click Points

• ​While the head is turning​

Tag Points

• Click head motion
• Before he finishes his treat, the tag point is: Say his name.

Step 3:
Once you are getting fast head turns, click for eye contact instead of the head turn.

Click Points

• ​Eyes on your eyes

Tag Points

• After saying his name, the tag point is: Wait

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