Although they are more likely to recognize a specific voice and a specific smell, over time, and especially if it is used often in his presence, your dog can eventually learn your name.
If others are referring to you by name regularly, your dog is more likely to recognize your name than if you lived alone.
Do dogs know their name?
Now the question is, do dogs know their name?
The functional purpose of your dog’s name is so that he knows to come to you when you call him, or he directs his attention to you when you say his name.
Signs Your Dog Knows You Love Them
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Their Body Language
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Their body language
behavior. For example, they will stare at you and make direct eye contact. This is their way of saying they trust and love you. They will also have obvious signs such as a big smile, a wagging tail and a bottom wiggle.
The Wild
Of course, wild dogs and their wolf cousins don’t have to worry about things like names, but how do they know each other? Wolf conversation tends to revolve more around night howls, scents detected by their powerful noses, and body language. Your own dog will still interact with other dogs in this way too (hopefully the night howling is replaced by afternoon barking in the yard) but they make a special exception for us. With humans, dogs will learn their own name, but it is more of a habit that needs to be trained into them.
If your dog is excelling in training, why not reward them with delicious dog treats from tails.com for their efforts?
The Expert Advice
Jessi Larson, of My Dog’s Name, an online resource to help owners name their dogs: Dogs have been given names ever since they were domesticated thousands of years ago. Through years of conditioning, they have learned that their name is the word for them – and that they must respond when it is said. This doesn’t mean they think, “I’m a dog named Rover.” But it does mean that if they hear the word “Rover” they know someone is referring to them.
Dogs don’t think of themselves by name. That would require the use of language, and that is something dogs are obviously not capable of. However, they have a strong identity, albeit without a name. Dogs also recognize other people by sight, sound and smell. So, for example, my dog doesn’t see me as “Jessie,” but as the woman who takes care of him and looks, sounds, and smells a certain way.