10 Essential Commands You Can Teach Your Dog

Dogs are more than just lovable and loyal; they’re also pretty smart. In fact, researchers believe that the typical dog has the same intelligence level as an average 2-year-old, and some breeds are even smarter!

With their intelligence and your patience and diligence, your dog has the ability to learn several basic commands. Doing so will not only help improve your pup’s behavior and ensure his safety, but it will also foster a stronger bond between the two of you. 

What commands should your dog know? Here’s a look at 10 essentials to get started with…

1.             Come

When you say “come,” your dog should react by stopping whatever he is doing and draw near you. It’s an important command, as it helps give you more control over your pup, and it can also help to keep him out of harm’s way.

2.             Sit

The “sit” command may seem pretty basic, but it can help to control inappropriate behavior in your dog. For example, if your dog gets excited when he sees other people, the “sit” command can prevent him from jumping up.

3.             Stay

Teaching your dog the “stay” command can be useful for a number of reasons. It lets him know where is supposed to be, can prevent unwanted behavior, and can even protect him from dangerous situations, such as running out of the house to chase an animal or out in front of a car.

4.             Lie Down

The “lid down” command is similar to the “sit” command in that it can help to prevent unwelcomed behaviors. For instance, your dog can’t jump up to sniff the cabinet when he is lying down. This command is also important for learning more advanced commands, such as roll over.

5.             Leave It

As the title suggests, the “leave it” command teaches your dog not to pick something up. It can help to prevent your pup from destroying something, like a pair of shoes, or chewing on something that could be dangerous, such as a power cord.

6.             Drop It

Dogs can become possessive, which can lead to troublesome and even dangerous behavior. If your canine companion knows the “drop it” command, you can prevent him from damaging your property and help him avoid serious trouble, such as eating something that could cause an injury.

7.             Wait

The “wait” command teaches your dog that he is not to move until you give him the okay to do so. This command is very helpful in situations where you dog could potentially get hurt; for example, it can prevent him from running out of the front door or from crossing the street until you give him the go-ahead.

8.             Okay

This command is used to teach your do that you are permitting him to release from any other command he has been given. For example, if you have told him to “stay,” the “okay” command will tell him that you are giving him the clear to move.

9.             No

This basic command can be used to tell your dog that he is not allowed to have something, or that he must stop what he is doing. It can be used to avert his attention and prevent him from doing an unwanted behavior, such as chewing, digging or jumping.

10.   Off

This basic command will let your dog know when he is supposed to stay down and not jump up. For instance, you can use it to stop him from jumping up on someone else or to keep him off of the furniture.

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