5 Essential Commands Every Dog Should Know

Training your dog isn't just about obedience - it's about clear communication, safety, and building a strong relationship. These five essential commands form the foundation of everything else you'll teach. More importantly, they can prevent dangerous situations and give your dog the freedom to enjoy life off-leash.

Why These Five Commands?

Research on dog training effectiveness shows that five core behaviors form the foundation of reliable obedience: sit (default position), down (impulse control), stay (duration), come (safety), and leave it (inhibition). Master these, and everything else becomes easier.

In Auckland specifically, with the new August 2025 regulations requiring dogs to be "under effective control," these commands aren't optional - they're essential for legal off-leash access.

1. Sit: Your Default Position

Why It Matters

Sit is the gateway command. It's the foundation for stay, wait, and down. More importantly, it's an incompatible behavior - a dog cannot simultaneously sit and jump, sit and pull, or sit and bolt through doors. This makes it your most versatile management tool.

Teaching Protocol

Phase 1: Luring (Days 1-3)

• Hold treat at dog's nose
• Slowly move treat up and back over head
• As bottom hits ground, mark ("yes") and reward
• Repeat 10-15 times per session, 3-4 sessions daily
• Don't add verbal cue yet

Phase 2: Adding the Cue (Days 4-7)

• Say "sit" BEFORE luring
• Lure → sit → mark → reward
• Gradually reduce lure movement (fade the lure)
• Dog should begin sitting at verbal cue alone

Phase 3: Proofing (Week 2+)

• Practice in different rooms
• Add mild distractions
• Practice at door thresholds
• Use sit before meals, walks, play
• Graduate to outdoor practice

Common Mistakes

• Adding cue too early (dog associates wrong movement with word)
• Physically pushing dog into sit (creates resistance)
• Repeating "sit sit sit" (teaches cue is three words)
• Not proofing in real-world locations

2. Stay: Building Duration

The Three Ds

Stay training follows the 3 Ds principle: Duration, Distance, Distraction. Increase only ONE element at a time. If you add distance, reduce duration. If you add distraction, reduce both distance and duration.

Week 1: Duration

• Dog in sit
• Say "stay" with palm-out hand signal
• Count 3 seconds
• Mark and reward WHILE dog is still in position
• Gradually increase: 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute

Week 2: Distance

• Take one step back, return, reward
• Two steps back, return, reward
• Build to 10 feet, then 20 feet
• Return to short duration as you add distance

Week 3+: Distraction

• Add mild movement
• Practice near (not at) doorways
• Add other people walking by
• Eventually proof at front door with visitors

3. Come (Recall): The Life-Saving Command

With Auckland's 19% increase in roaming dogs, reliable recall isn't optional. This command can prevent your dog from becoming a statistic.

Building Powerful Motivation

Recall must compete with the ENTIRE WORLD. Make coming to you the best decision your dog makes all day.

Foundation (Indoor):

• Say dog's name enthusiastically
• Run backwards
• When dog reaches you, PARTY: multiple treats, praise, play
• Practice 5-10 times daily
• Never call for unpleasant things (nails, bath, crating)

Progressive Outdoor Training:

• Week 1: Fenced yard, long line attached
• Week 2: Empty park, long line
• Week 3: Mild distractions (birds, people at distance)
• Week 4+: Gradually increase distractions
• Always reward generously

Critical Rules

• NEVER call your dog and then punish them
• NEVER chase a dog that doesn't come (makes it a game)
• NEVER let your dog off-leash until recall is 90%+ reliable in distraction
• Practice recalls during walks (call from sniffing, reward, release back)

4. Down: Establishing Control

Down is more challenging than sit because it places dogs in a vulnerable position. This is why it's such a powerful indicator of your relationship and your dog's trust.

Teaching Method

Option 1: Lure Method

• Start with dog in sit
• Hold treat at nose, slowly lower to ground
• Draw treat away from dog (creates L shape)
• As elbows hit ground, mark and reward
• Add verbal "down" once behavior is consistent

Option 2: Capture Method

• Wait for dog to lie down naturally
• Immediately mark and reward
• Repeat 20-30 times
• Add verbal cue when behavior becomes frequent

5. Leave It: Impulse Control

This command prevents poisoning, fights, and dangerous situations. It teaches your dog that ignoring things on your cue leads to better rewards.

Progressive Training

Level 1: Easy

• Hold low-value treat in closed fist
• Dog will sniff, lick, paw at hand
• The moment they look away, mark and reward from OTHER hand
• Repeat until dog immediately looks away from closed fist

Level 2: Moderate

• Place treat on ground, covered by your hand
• Say "leave it"
• When dog looks away, mark and reward from pocket
• Gradually reduce hand coverage

Level 3: Advanced

• Drop treat on ground
• Say "leave it"
• Block dog with body if needed
• Reward for ignoring
• Eventually practice on walks with found items

Integrating Commands in Real Life

Commands aren't tricks - they're practical life skills. Use them constantly:

• Sit before meals, doorways, putting on lead
• Down-stay while you eat dinner
• Come when called from yard to inside
• Leave it for food on counters, other dogs' toys
• Stay at vet's office, groomers, training classes

Auckland-Specific Applications

These commands are particularly crucial for Auckland dog owners:

• Recall at off-leash parks (Meola Reef, Churchill Park)
• Sit-stay when other dogs approach on footpath
• Leave it for food at dog-friendly cafes
• Down-stay on public transport
• Come when called at beaches with seasonal restrictions

I spent two months building these five commands with my Labrador. Now he has reliable off-leash freedom at Auckland beaches and parks. The investment was worth every minute. - Auckland dog owner

Training Timeline Expectations

With consistent daily practice:

• Week 1-2: Commands learned in low-distraction environment
• Week 3-4: Commands reliable at home with mild distractions
• Week 5-8: Commands work in backyard, quiet streets
• Week 9-12: Commands proof in moderate distractions
• Month 4-6: Reliable in high-distraction real-world environments

Remember: this timeline assumes 10-15 minutes of training, 2-3 times daily. Less training = slower progress.