Why do pets respond to their name?
In: Biology
Same reason you do – there’s usually something in it for them!
Dogs often find that coming when they hear that specific sound may mean treats, or pets, or something yummy on the floor. Or maybe even walkies!!!!!
Cats often find that when their manservant calls their name there is a likelihood of adequate scratching and petting (if they are so inclined) or the potential for a warm lap to sit upon. All as it should be for their regal personage.
Behavioral Specialist, it’s my job to understand the workings of behaviors like this.
Sorry for the long post, I’m trying to explain the fundamental theory of behaviors in a post so it’s just skimming the surface. I really recommend taking a course on behavioral science if you would like to learn more.
Nothing does anything without reason. Why do you go to the bathroom? To release the negative feelings of a pent up bladder or intestine. Why do you go to the bathroom in a bathroom? Because of prior training (potty-trained kids) as well as avoiding previously encountered conditions (poo and pee smell bad). So when you need to go to the bathroom you get rid of the negative effects caused by your own body, as well as follow previously reinforced behaviors.
Now, this is an example of a body-focused behavior to use a term broadly. Think of sleeping, changing the temperature of the body by getting warmer or cooler, eating, and so on. There are primary reinforced behaviors. Nobody had to teach you that eating is good or going into the shade on a hot day is good. These behaviors are built into just about every living being, and those without complex nervous systems not going beyond these base needs.
Don’t worry, I’ll get to why dogs respond when you call their name, almost there.
So you never had to be taught that eating and drinking is good. But you did need to learn what to eat. You learned what drinks you enjoy. I wasn’t born enjoying tacos and pizza. Over time I ate them and had a more pleasurable than a negative experience. Given many years they have become my favorite food. This is an example of a reinforcing stimulus. Something in the world has gained value to me because I enjoy it.
But what does this have to do with responding to a name? Pizza is an example of food I like that meets a primary need. But pizza doesn’t show up whenever I’m hungry. If I want pizza I need to do things to get pizza. This could be walking to the kitchen to get pizza, heating it up, ordering pizza on the phone, or even working at my job with the goal of getting pizza. All of these are behaviors, I’m changing the world in some way. But none of them directly meet my base goal, ending the hunger feelings. This is, finally, where names come in.
Why does a dog come when called? Because in the past the animal has paired coming when called with something the enjoy. In the past coming to you meant getting a treat. Now not every time gets a treat, but odds are better of a treat now than if it doesn’t come. So might as well. This is why when you start training an animal you use a lot of food. Because think about the overall picture, why would you come when called? Moving takes energy and opens risks. The reward at the other end had better be worth it. And that’s exactly what happens.
This isn’t just dogs coming when called, it’s a student responding when the teacher calls on them. The same principals apply when a driver lowers their speed when a cop is near. Or when someone calls someone they like. Or when I go to work in exchange for money. All behaviors are learned in one way or another and are strengthened or weakened based on the results of that behavior.
Please don’t take this to mean that training a dog or cat is like teaching a child. The base theories are the same, but the application is completely different. The methods used are completely different for a variety of reasons that boil down to human children are different than pers. (Disclaimer in case my supervisor reads this.)
As a final note, this doesn’t just go from human to pet. My cat has trained me to change the litter. When she feels the box is too full she’ll wait until I’m in the room, then stand in front of the box and meow until I change it. The first time this happened I didn’t know what she wanted, but she didn’t stop until I emptied the box. How did she learn that meowing get’s my attention? Because meowing in the kitchen gets tuna (or used to get, tuna is kitty crack) so it was learned that meowing can get the human’s attention. But she doesn’t meow when I’m not in the room or someone else goes in. She knows that meowing at random people doesn’t get any results, so she doesn’t do it with them.
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