Commands Your Dog Should Know

In terms of training your dog, there are so many things you can choose to teach them. For instance, some of Scooby’s cooler commands include rollover, bang (which is similar to play dead but we “shoot” him with a finger gun), and he can also give both paws. However, I would not consider any of those commands to be necessary. They are just for fun. There are certain commands that I deem necessary to keep your dog safe, well trained and keep them from driving you insane.

I am not a dog trainer or a veterinarian. I am a self-proclaimed doggie expert. For more information or tips on how to train your dog, consult your vet or trainer! With that being said, let’s get into it.

The first command I deem necessary and is typically the first thing anyone teaches their dog is “come” or “come here”. This is a necessary staple of dog training because it ultimately keeps your dog safe and close to you at all times. If your dog gets out of the house, you should be able to call them back to you. It is also helpful when you are trying to leave a public area like a dog park. You don’t want to be that dog mom or dog dad that is chasing their dog around the park trying to catch them because they are not well trained with the command “come”.

The next command you should teach your dog is “sit”. Sit is a good command to use when you are planning on giving your dog a treat or feeding them. It teaches them that they get rewards for doing something good. You do not want your dog jumping all over you when you open a treat jar or are filling up their food bowl. That is not a good behavior to allow. “Sit” also goes hand in hand with “stay” or “wait”, another important command. “Sit” and “stay” are good commands to utilize when having guests. It keeps them from running up to the front door and bombarding your guests as they enter your home. You don’t want your dog greeting or jumping on guests right when they cross the threshold of your home because it can lead to injury.

Another important basic command is “no“. it is extremely important your dog knows what “no” means. It can be used in a lot of contexts. For instance, if your dog is digging in your yard you should be able to tell them “no”. Another good example is if your dog is mouthy and cries a lot for attention (like my dog). You should be able to tell them “no” and stop whatever the behavior is that you are telling them “no” to.

The next two commands go hand in hand as well: “drop it” and “leave it“. I would start with “drop it”. “Drop it” is good to use if your dog picks up something they shouldn’t have, or you don’t want them to have. For instance, if your dog picks up a slipper or a shoe, you would want them to listen to “drop it” so they do not eat or ruin it. Or, if you are playing with them and want them to drop a toy instead of playing tug with it so you can throw it. I have used “drop it” and “leave it” together on walks with my dog. He has picked up a chicken bone several times before. I needed him to drop it and leave it so he did not choke or get it stuck in his stomach. These commands are important to keep your dog healthy.

The last necessary basic commands are “off” or “get down“. These commands are important for keeping your dogs off of furniture (if that is something you prefer) or getting your dog to stop jumping on people. You may not be able to fully stop them from jumping before they do it if they get really excited, but you can correct the behavior when it is happening to ensure the safety of your dog as well as your guests.

I would love to help you more and give you even more tips, but all dogs are different, and depending on their age and breed, training tactics can differ. One tip I can offer is to avoid repeating words or commands if your dog is not listening. If you keep repeating a command that they know, like “sit” for instance, and they do not do the command, it loses its meaning. Try walking away and not paying them attention and then try the command again after a few minutes.

If you want more specific tips on how to train your dog, I can share with you how I trained mine. Go to the contact section and shoot me a message if you are interested!