#dogtraininggames

I Called My Puppy's Name 50 Times – He Sniffed the Baseboard. Here's What I Did Wrong.

I'll never forget the day I brought Charlie home. Eight weeks old, fluffy as a cloud, and completely oblivious that he even had a name. I'd stand in the kitchen calling "Charlie!" over and over while he sniffed baseboards like I didn't exist. Honestly? I felt ridiculous.

Turns out, I was making one huge mistake: I was repeating his name without giving him any reason to care. Dogs don't learn names through repetition. They learn through association. Every time you say their name and something good happens immediately after – their brain builds a connection.

The game-changer? Turning name recognition into actual games. Within four days, Charlie was whipping his head around the instant he heard his name. Not because he understood it was his "name" – but because he'd learned that sound meant something fun was about to happen.

Here are the 5 games that actually worked:

1️⃣ The Classic Name Game

2️⃣ Peekaboo Name Game

3️⃣ Name & Treat Toss

4️⃣ Hide and Seek (Name Edition)

5️⃣ Name That Toy

Drop a "🐶" if you've ever felt like your puppy was ignoring you on purpose. And if you want the full step-by-step guide, check the link:

How to Teach a Golden Retriever Puppy Its Name with Games