Basic Commands & Consistency Explained

Some folks like to say "Yes!" when their dog does well.

Not me.

I say, "Thank you."

I appreciate hearing "thank you," so that's what I use with my dogs. If someone suddenly yelled "YES!" around me, I'd probably look around to see what happened. (Just a little bad adult humor.)

After saying "Thank you," I reward my dog with praise, affection, or a treat.

Using "Thank You" When Your Dog Alerts

I also use "Thank you" when my dog alerts me by barking.

When someone knocks on your door, please don't immediately yell, "Shut up!" That's usually the first thing people say, but it sends the wrong message.

Instead:

Tell your dog, "Thank you."
Reward the alert with praise or a treat.
Then ask for a Sit Stay or Down Stay.

This lets your dog know they did their job.

If they continue barking, you may need to place them on a leash while you check who is at the door.

Ask yourself:

Friend or foe?

If it's a friend, turn it into a short training session.

Only open the door if your dog is secure on a leash

or has a solid Sit Stay or Down Stay.

The same applies if someone approaches you while walking or hiking. Your dog needs to know you recognize the situation and are taking responsibility for everyone's safety.

Don't baby-talk your dog during these moments.

Just don't.

Otherwise, they'll learn to seek attention instead of learning to settle down.

Dogs learn to relax when we give calm, confident commands using a normal, secure tone of voice.

Consistency is the key.

I encourage families to post these command definitions on the refrigerator so everyone uses the same words. It's also very helpful for dog sitters.

And don't forget to praise your dog.

It feels just as good to them as it does to you when someone says, "Good job!"

JBK Basic Commands

Heel

Your dog walks on your left side.
(Your horse is on your right side.)

Sit

Sit down right there.

Down

Lay down.
(lay down right there)

Stay

Remain exactly where you are.

A Stay may begin from:

a Stand
a Sit
a Down

This is a formal command.

Here

Come over to this general area.

This is not a formal recall.

Come

Come directly to me and sit in front of me at attention.

This is your formal recall.

Wait

Wait in this general area.

This is not a formal Stay.

Stop

Stop exactly where you are.

Stand

Stand without moving.

Away

Move away.
Go out.
Leave the area.

Off

Get off me or get off the object.

Off does NOT mean Down.

Down means lie down.

No

I eliminate this word from my training.

Instead, redirect your dog with the command you actually want.

That Will Do

Stop what you're doing.

Quit it.

Leave It

Don't touch it.

All Done

You're finished.

You're free to do as you please.

Load Up

Get into:

the truck
the car
the boat
the crate
the veterinary exam table

Back

Back straight up.

A hallway can help teach this, and your body posture helps keep the dog straight.

Go to Your Room

Go to your crate or designated bed.

This is your dog's personal space.

Bring It

Bring me whatever you have.

Examples include:

a sock
a toy
a shoe

When they bring it to you, reward them.

At that point, they've already forgotten that the object was inappropriate. Rewarding the retrieve makes it much easier to recover items without creating a game of chase.

Drop It

Drop whatever is in your mouth.

Then praise your dog.

Good

Examples include:

Good Sit
Good Down
Good Stay
Good Dog

The word "Good" tells your dog exactly which behavior you're rewarding.

Remember:

Dogs don't know what you expect until you consistently teach them.

They naturally understand body language.

They naturally read your emotions.

What they do not understand is inconsistency.

Inconsistency is frustrating for dogs.

When commands constantly change, dogs begin making their own decisions and creating their own rules.

Then owners become frustrated because the dog is no longer responding reliably.

The dog has no way to explain the confusion.

Eventually, too many dogs lose their homes simply because they were never taught consistently.

That's not the dog's fault.

It only takes two 15-minute training sessions each day, working on one or two simple commands.

Teach them the exact same way every time.

Even small differences in your posture can have a significant impact on training.