What are the seven dog commands?

Training a dog takes time, patience, and consistency. While there are many commands you can teach your dog, experts agree that mastering seven basic obedience cues will provide a solid foundation for good behavior. Learning these dog training commands will help reinforce the human-canine bond while ensuring your dog respects you as his or her leader and obeys commands even when distractions are present.

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Why are dog commands important?

Teaching your dog basic obedience commands serves several important purposes:

Establishes you as the leader and your dog as the follower

Helps reinforce good manners and deter unwanted behaviors
Provides mental stimulation and enrichment for your dog
Allows you to effectively communicate with and control your dog

Helps keep your dog safe in various situations
Builds a foundation for more advanced training if desired

Dogs crave structure and leadership. Going through structured training exercises together strengthens the bond between handler and dog while providing clarity for your dog about his or her role within your family.

What are the seven basic dog commands?

While individual training programs may vary slightly, experts agree that these seven cues form the core of effective dog obedience training for pets:

Sit
Stay

Come
Down
Heel

Leave it
Drop it

Mastering these common commands provides a foundation of obedience that makes adding more advanced skills much easier down the road.

How do I teach my dog to sit?

Teaching your dog to sit is often one of the first training cues introduced. The sit command instructs your dog to plant his rear end on the ground while keeping his front legs straight.

Follow these tips for teaching sit:

Start with your dog standing in front of you. Hold a treat at nose level to get his attention.

Slowly raise the treat over his head toward his tail while saying “sit.” His nose will follow the treat upwards.
As his butt starts dropping into the sit position, say “yes!” (or click a clicker) and give him the treat.
Release with a cue like “okay” so he knows the exercise is complete.

Gradually phase out the treat reward as he learns the verbal sit command.
Practice sit in a variety of locations until he will sit reliably on cue.

With positive reinforcement and consistency, your dog will quickly master this fundamental command!

How do I train my dog to stay?

The stay command instructs your dog to remain in position until you release him. Stay is essential for controlling your dog in many situations.

Follow these steps to teach stay:

Start with your dog in a sit position.

Say “stay”, pause for a few seconds, then reward.
Gradually increase the duration of the stay up to 10-15 seconds before rewarding.
Reward periodically with treats during the stay to reinforce it.

Limit early training sessions to a minute or two to avoid frustration.
If he breaks the stay, gently return him to position and repeat the cue.
Increase distance as his stay improves. Take a few steps back while giving the cue.

Practice stay with down and stand positions as well once sit is mastered.

Stay is best taught through short, frequent training sessions to start. With consistent reinforcement, your dog will learn to wait patiently in position as long as needed before you release him.

How do I teach my dog to come when called?

A reliable recall or come command instructs your dog to return directly to you no matter where he is or what he is doing. This can be a challenging cue for some dogs, but is extremely useful for keeping your dog safe.

Here are some tips for teaching come:

Start training in a low distraction environment and on leash at first.
Say your dog’s name followed immediately by “come!” in an excited, happy tone.

Reward with an extra tasty treat when he returns to you.
Avoid repeating the command over and over if he ignores you at first.
Gradually increase distractions and practice off leash once he is responding reliably.

Never call your dog to you for something unpleasant like a nail trim or bath.
Praise enthusiastically and reward every time he comes when called.

Reinforcing come consistently in fun, rewarding training sessions will build your dog’s understanding that coming when called is always a positive experience.

How do I teach my dog to lie down?

The down command cues your dog to lay down with his legs tucked underneath him. Adding down to your dog’s repertoire expands his skillset.

Follow these guidelines to teach down:

Start with your dog in a sit position.

Hold a treat by his nose and slowly lower it straight down to the floor.
As his nose follows the treat and his body sinks into the down, say “yes!” and release the treat.
Once he understands the hand motion, add the verbal cue “down.”

Mix up sit and down commands once he has mastered both.
Remember to release with a cue word like “okay” so he knows the exercise is over.

With regular short sessions, your dog will pick up the down command quickly. Use treats, praise, and release cues to keep the training process positive.

How do I teach my dog to heel?

Heel instructs your dog to walk directly by your side with his shoulder aligned with your leg. This controlled command is useful for keeping your dog safe in public places.

Follow these tips when teaching heel:

Start by having your dog sit on your left side.

Say “heel” and step forward while giving a treat with each step at first.
Use treats, praise, and encouragement to keep your dog in position at your side.
Don’t expect perfection for long durations at first. Reward generously in early training.

Regularly switch direction, stop, speed up, and slow down.
Use a verbal cue like “free” or “okay” to release your dog from the heel.
Phase out constant treats over time by rewarding intermittently.

With regular practice sessions, your dog will learn to stick close by your side when given the heel command.

How do I teach my dog to leave it?

“Leave it” cues your dog not to touch or take something. This command helps reinforce self-control.

Here are tips for teaching leave it:

Have your dog sit and show him a treat in your closed fist.
Say “leave it” and wait for him to stop sniffing and licking your hand.
When he pulls away, reward him by giving the treat with your other hand.

Gradually increase the difficulty by dropping treats on the floor, holding treats more loosely, etc.
Pair the “leave it” verbal cue with the hand signal of an open palm facing your dog.
Practice with toys and other tempting objects, not just treats.

Mastering “leave it” requires patience, especially with food-motivated dogs. Take it slow and reward generously in the early stages.

How do I teach my dog to drop something?

The drop cue tells your dog to release whatever object he has in his possession. This helps reinforce giving up items on cue.

Follow these guidelines when teaching drop:

Hold a low value toy or object and allow your dog to take it from your hand.
Say “drop it” and offer a treat as you firmly grasp the item.
Your dog will likely release the object for the reward. Then provide the treat.

Use two different toys or objects when first training this cue.
Say “take it” and praise when he grabs the second object, then cue “drop it” again.
Phase out treats over time and praise only for successful drops.

Avoid pulling items directly from your dog’s mouth, as this encourages keep away behaviors. Rewarding your dog for relinquishing items on cue is a better approach.

How can I make dog training easier?

Following these tips will help make obedience training more effective and enjoyable for both you and your dog:

Keep training sessions short, positive, and fun – just 5-10 minutes to start.

Use praise, encouragement, and high-value treats to reinforce behaviors.
End each session on a positive note with an easy command.
Train in low distraction areas first before moving to more challenging environments.

Be patient and consistent – dogs learn by repetition over time.
Use cues like “yes!” or a clicker to mark correct behaviors.
Release with a word like “okay” so your dog knows when he can relax.

Gradually increase duration and criteria for commands as your dog progresses.
Avoid repeating commands over and over if your dog does not comply.

Keeping training frequent yet short, upbeat, and rewarding will set you and your dog up for training success!

Conclusion

While dog training requires commitment and consistency, mastering these seven fundamental commands creates a foundation of obedience that brings many benefits for pets and owners alike. Sit, stay, come, down, heel, leave it, and drop it provide essential direction and control that will help reinforce desirable canine behaviors no matter what situation arises. Training together strengthens bonds, builds communication and trust, provides mental stimulation, and ensures your dog reliably listens to you as his trusted leader. With positive methods and realistic expectations, any dog can progress from disobedient puppy to content companion.