5 Essential Commands Every Puppy Should Learn (and How to Teach Them)

Puppy training advice is overwhelming. Between YouTube tutorials, Instagram trainers, and conflicting advice from well-meaning friends, it's easy to feel like you need a degree in animal behavior just to teach your puppy to stop pulling on the leash.

The truth is simpler. Your puppy needs exactly five commands to navigate the world safely and comfortably. Everything else is optional. Here they are, in order of priority.

1. Look (or Watch Me)

Why it matters: This command teaches your puppy to focus on you, which is the foundation for every other skill. A dog who can "look" at you on command can be redirected away from distractions, dangers, and unwanted behaviors.

How to teach it:

1. Hold a treat at your eye level and say your puppy's name. The moment they look at your eyes, mark with "Yes!" and give the treat.
2. Add the verbal cue "Look" or "Watch me" just before they make eye contact.
3. Gradually increase the time they need to hold eye contact — from half a second to five seconds.
4. Practice in different rooms, then outdoors. If they can't focus, you've gone too far too fast.

2. Sit

Why it matters: "Sit" is the most practical command you'll ever teach. It replaces jumping, creates calm before greetings, and is the starting position for many other behaviors.

How to teach it:

1. Hold a treat close to your puppy's nose.
2. Slowly lift the treat up and slightly back over their head. As their head follows the treat, their bottom will naturally lower to the ground.
3. The moment their rear touches the floor, say "Yes!" and give the treat.
4. Once they're reliably following the lure, add the word "Sit" right before the movement.

Common mistake: Pushing the puppy's rear down. This can make them resist. Let them figure it out — the treat lure is more effective.

3. Down

Why it matters: "Down" is a calming position that can be sustained for longer periods. It's useful at the vet, in cafes, and during meals. It's harder than "sit" because lying down is a vulnerable position for a dog.

How to teach it:

1. Start with your puppy in a "sit."
2. Hold a treat in your closed fist and lower it straight down between their front paws, almost touching the floor.
3. As they follow the treat down, slowly pull it forward along the floor. Their front paws will extend, and their body will lower.
4. The moment their elbows and belly touch the floor, mark and reward.

4. Come (Reliable Recall)

Why it matters: This is the one command that can save your dog's life. A reliable recall keeps them from running into traffic or chasing a squirrel into the woods.

How to teach it:

1. Start indoors with no distractions. Say "Come!" in a happy, excited voice and take a few steps backward.
2. When your puppy runs toward you, mark and reward with a high-value treat (real meat or cheese — this command earns the good stuff).
3. Gradually increase distance: across the room, down the hallway, from another room.
4. Practice outdoors in enclosed spaces. Never call your puppy for something unpleasant (nail trims, bath time) — they learn quickly that "come" means the fun stops.

Never punish a dog who comes to you, even if they took forever. Praise them for coming. The discipline comes from preventing the situation next time.

5. Leave It

Why it matters: There are things your puppy shouldn't eat — chicken bones on the sidewalk, medication that fell on the floor, dead animals. "Leave it" gives you a way to stop them before they pick something up.

How to teach it:

1. Place a low-value treat in your closed fist. Let your puppy sniff, lick, and paw at it.
2. The moment they pull their nose away from your hand, say "Yes!" and reward with a different treat from your other hand.
3. Repeat until your puppy consistently backs away from the closed fist.
4. Progress to putting a treat on the floor under your foot, then uncovered on the floor. Always reward with a better treat than the one they're leaving.

Training Tips

• Keep sessions short — 3–5 minutes, 3–5 times per day. Puppies have short attention spans.
• End on a success — always finish a session with something your puppy knows well, so they feel accomplished.
• Use real rewards — kibble works for maintenance, but use boiled chicken or cheese for new skills.
• Train in different locations — a puppy who sits in the kitchen hasn't learned to sit in the park. Generalize the behavior.

Master these five commands, and you'll have a dog who is safe, polite, and welcome anywhere. Everything else — shake, roll over, play dead — is just for fun.