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Dog training simple commands work the best. Complex commands are harder for dogs or especially puppies to understand. If you go to an obedience training class, this point will be made, but it can still be a while till you really have the habit down.

For instance, let’s say you want your dog to lie down. You say the command once but if the dog doesn’t immediately hit the floor, the temptation will be for you to say it again… and again. Sometimes dog owners will say something like “Hey, get down now! I already told you! You know what I mean!” All this language does not further the cause of obedience training.

By using short, simple one-syllable commands in your training, you are creating a habit of response in the dog. Canine behavior is quite habit-based… actually, so is a lot of human behavior! When you use simple words with a dog or puppy, the words are much more recognizable as communication than if the animal has to figure out what you mean from a flow of language.

Of course, dogs can pick out words that way if they want to, as anyone knows who has had a conversation with another human is which they said something like, “Shall we take Buddy to the park?” Buddy may easily pick out his name and perhaps the word “park.” The domestic dog has had a lot of practice in listening to human speech!

So your training will go best if you use simple dog training commands — which can also be described as cue words. That phrase bypasses the whole dominance issue, the idea that you have to always be the boss. While obedience is certainly necessary at times, in general the most satisfying dog training comes about when you and the dog are working as a team.

When you are starting to teach a puppy, that’s an important time to use simplicity in your words. Sit, come, stay, down… these words are tried and true training commands.

By the way, since “down” means something like “Get onto the floor,” what do you say when your dog is jumping up on people and you want him to stop? A good word is “off.”