The 5 Most Important Dog Commands

Training your dog is an important part of being a responsible pet owner. Puppies as young as seven to eight weeks old can start learning basic commands that can make your life easier and help keep your pet safe no matter where you are.

If you want to begin obedience training at home, you can’t go wrong with these common dog commands.

1. Recall

Teaching your dog to come to you when called is one of the most useful dog commands. Not only is it helpful if you lose sight of your pup indoors, but it can also help save your dog if he or she becomes lost outdoors. This important command can be used in many scenarios, even emergencies, and can make walks and playtime less stressful.

To teach your dog to come when called, the American Kennel Club recommends beginning this training in a quiet, indoor environment. Start by saying your dog’s name and your command (like “come”) and give him or her a treat. Continue to drop a treat on the floor and say their name, and when they look at you give them another.

This training gradually works its way up to a recall. Remember to always use positive reinforcement during training sessions and be patient with your pup.

2. Sit

The "sit" command is another one of the most important commands to teach your dog. While simple, it plays an important part in controlling your dog’s behavior for the better and stopping unwanted habits like jumping.

Chewy offers a handy guide for how to teach your dog the sit command. Like with any dog training, you’ll need treats, a quiet space, and time. Once your dog has mastered the verbal command, you can even teach him or her to simply respond to a hand signal. 

Also, from the sit position, you can then teach your dog how to lie down. This will involve some more treats and time, and you might also have to demonstrate the behavior you want by touching the floor.

3. Leave It

This is a good command to teach your dog because it can help them stay safe. It’s no secret that puppies, in particular, can get into a lot of trouble when it comes to chewing things they’re not supposed to. This dog training command is best used when something piques your pup’s interest but they haven’t picked it up yet.

This is a slightly more difficult command to teach since you’re attempting to develop an automatic behavior for your dog to ignore items. The AKC recommends using free-choice exercises to learn this cue. This way, your pup can learn to ignore everything from dropped food to advancing dogs and runners on your morning walks.

If you notice your dog already mouthing things, you might also consider teaching them to “drop it.”

4. Stay

This command is useful in many situations and can help you stay in control of your pet. From a sitting position, walk away from your dog holding a treat and command them to stay. You can create an entire training routine with sit, stay, and come commands to practice all three at the same time.

Practicing these commands back to back is a good way to tell if your dog is paying attention and learning as opposed to simply repeating behaviors.

5. Wait

Finally, we can’t forget about the wait command. This is one of the most useful dog commands because it teaches your pooch to be patient in scenarios where it’s important for them to wait. Whether it’s to prevent your dog from bolting out the door or car or ensuring they don’t eat their food too quickly, it’s a good command for them to master.

It’s easier to teach your dog to wait after they’ve learned the stay command. However, this command is different because it also involves a release word so your pet knows it’s okay to move or eat again.

Dog Training Tips

Of course, these are just a handful of important dog commands you can begin teaching your pup almost as soon as you bring him or her home. In a few weeks, your dog can know many of these basic commands that can make your life a lot easier.

There are also a variety of more advanced commands and tricks you can help your dog learn at any age as long as you have the time and energy to put into training them. Every dog is different, but the most important thing you can do to help them learn is to be positive and patient.

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