If we had to choose a handful of commands that we think every dog should know, we would recommend these 5. All of these particular commands are helpful in making life with your dog a whole lot easier and more enjoyable.

Sit-Stay - Sit is one of the easier commands with many practical uses! We never use the word 'stay' here at Casey Ray's STL Dog Trainers, it's implied; meaning that when we ask for a Sit, we expect our dogs to hold that Sit until they hear their release word, usually 'free'. Once you've trained a solid sit-stay, you can use it in many situations such as; when you're on a walk and need to wait at an intersection, at doorways to prevent door dashing, when greeting guests to prevent jumping, and the list goes on and on.

Come - This is one of the most practical commands and can be a life-saver! It's so important to have a rock solid come command in case your dog would ever get loose. It saves you from having to chase him around the block or from potentially running into a dangerous situation. Practice your come command often and ALWAYS reward your dog for coming to you!

Leave It - This is a good command for keeping your dog from getting a hold of something that could be potentially harmful. For example if you're walking and come across a dead animal or if you drop medication on the floor.

Heel - Heel definitely makes our list of 5 useful commands! We consider Heel to be when your dog walks on your left side and pays attention to you. Heel can go a long way in making your daily walks more enjoyable and more exhausting for your dog! Your dog is burning a lot more mental energy when he's focusing on staying with you rather than wandering all about. Heel is also helpful when walking past things that normally distract your dog and possibly get him worked up, such as other people, dogs, or cars.

Place - We love Place! Place means 'get up on whatever raised object I specify and stay there until released'. Your dog is free to do whatever they want on Place; lay down, sit, move around, etc., as long as they don't step off. You can use your place command whenever you need your dog to stay put for extended periods of time such as when company comes over, during mealtimes, or when you're just too busy to keep an eye on him!