A dog that knows a handful of commands well is easier to live with, safer in public, and a lot less stressful to take anywhere. You don't need a dog that knows 50 tricks. You need a dog that will sit when asked, come when called, and leave something alone when told to — and do it reliably, not just when there's a treat visible in your hand.
Every guide in this section uses reward-based positive reinforcement. That means treats, praise and play to mark the behaviour you want — no choke chains, no leash corrections, no dominance-based methods. This is the approach recommended by the RSPCA, the Australian Veterinary Association, and accredited trainers across Australia.
Most dogs can learn the basics at any age. Puppies from 8 weeks old can start with sit and name recognition. Older rescue dogs can pick up commands just as well — they might even learn faster because they're past the bitey, distractible puppy stage. The key is keeping sessions short (5 minutes, a few times a day), being consistent with your cue words, and making it worth the dog's while to pay attention.
Essential Dog Commands
| Command | Why It Matters | How to Teach It | Difficulty | Pro Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sit | Foundation for all other commands. Teaches impulse control and polite greetings. | Hold a treat above the dog's nose and arc it back over the head. The dog's bottom drops — mark and reward the instant it does. | Easy | Practise before meals, before opening doors, and before putting the lead on. Sit becomes a default "please" behaviour. |
| Drop / Down | Calms an excited dog. Useful at cafés, vet clinics and when visitors arrive. | From a sit, lure a treat from the dog's nose straight down to the floor between the paws. Mark and reward when elbows touch the ground. | Medium | If the dog stands instead of lying down, try luring under a low chair or your bent leg so they have to flatten to reach the treat. |
| Stay | Keeps your dog safe at doorways, road crossings and in off-lead areas. | Ask for a sit or drop. Say "stay," take one step back, return and reward. Build distance and duration gradually — seconds at a time. | Medium | Train the three Ds separately: distance, duration and distraction. Only increase one at a time. If the dog breaks, you've moved too fast. |
| Come / Recall | The most important safety command. A reliable recall can save your dog's life. | Start on a long lead in a low-distraction area. Say "come" in a happy tone, reward generously when the dog arrives. Never call to punish. | Hard | Use high-value treats (chicken, cheese) for recall — this command needs to beat whatever the dog is running toward. Never chase a dog that won't come. |
| Leave It | Stops your dog grabbing food off the ground, approaching snakes, or picking up rubbish on walks. | Hold a treat in a closed fist. When the dog stops nosing at it, mark and reward with a different treat from your other hand. | Medium | In Australia, "leave it" is especially useful on bush walks where dogs encounter cane toads, snakes and bait. Practise with increasing temptation levels. |
| Drop It | Gets dangerous or valuable items out of your dog's mouth without a tug-of-war. | Offer a toy, let the dog grab it. Present a treat near the nose and say "drop it." Mark and reward when the dog releases. Return the toy so dropping is never a loss. | Medium | Always trade up — the dog should learn that dropping something earns something better. Never chase or pry the item out. |
| Heel | Teaches the dog to walk calmly at your side without pulling on the lead. | Hold treats in your left hand by your side. Take a few steps — if the dog stays beside you, mark and reward. Stop and reset if the dog pulls ahead. | Hard | A front-clip harness helps while the dog is learning. Keep heel sessions short (30 seconds on, free walk, repeat). Don't expect heel for the entire walk. |
| Off | Tells the dog to get down from furniture, stop jumping on people, or move away from the kitchen bench. | When the dog jumps up, turn away and wait. The instant all four paws hit the floor, mark and reward. Add the word "off" once the dog starts offering the behaviour. | Easy | Everyone in the household needs to be consistent. If one person allows jumping and another doesn't, the dog gets mixed signals. |
| Watch Me | Gets your dog's attention and focus back on you before giving another command. | Hold a treat near your nose. When the dog makes eye contact, mark and reward. Gradually add the cue "watch me" and build duration. | Easy | Useful before road crossings, when passing other dogs, or at the vet. A dog that checks in with you is easier to redirect. |
What You'll Find Here
Guides in this section cover the commands every Australian dog owner should know: sit, drop (down), stay, come (recall), leave it, heel, and off. We also cover how to add hand signals, how to proof commands in distracting environments, and when it's worth booking a session with a qualified trainer. Each article walks through the method step by step so you can train at home.