How to Teach a Puppy Basic Commands: Sit, Down, Stay and Name

Teaching a puppy basic commands is one of the most rewarding things you'll do together, and you can start almost the moment they're home. The key, and this is where kind, reward-based training beats old-fashioned methods every time, is that you're not bossing your puppy about. You're showing them that doing what you ask makes lovely things happen. Keep sessions short, keep them fun, and reward generously, and your puppy will be sitting, lying down and responding to their name faster than you'd think. Here's exactly how to teach the four that matter most: name, sit, down and stay.

The golden rules before you start

A few simple principles make everything work better:

• Keep sessions short. Two to five minutes, several times a day, beats one long session. Puppies have tiny attention spans.
• Train in a calm, quiet spot to begin with, then gradually add distractions.
• Use small, tasty rewards taken from your puppy's daily food allowance so you're not overfeeding.
• Reward the instant your puppy gets it right, so they connect the action with the treat.
• Always end on a win and a happy note, never a telling-off.

Never punish a puppy for not getting it. If they're struggling, the exercise is too hard or they're tired, just make it easier.

Teaching their name

Everything starts with name recognition, because a puppy who looks at you when you say their name is a puppy you can guide. Say their name once in a bright, happy voice. The moment they look at you, mark it with a cheerful "yes!" and reward. Repeat little and often, in different rooms and at different times. Keep it positive: only ever use their name for good things, never as a telling-off, or they'll learn to switch off when they hear it.

Teaching sit

Sit is usually the easiest first command, and a brilliant confidence-builder. Following the Royal Kennel Club method for teaching sit:

1. Hold a treat just above your puppy's nose.
2. Slowly move your hand back over their head. As their nose follows up, their bottom naturally lowers to the floor.
3. The moment they sit, say "yes!" and give the treat.
4. Once they've got the movement, start saying "sit" just before you lure, then gradually fade the hand signal until the word alone works.

Teaching down

Down (lying down) builds on sit and is wonderful for settling an excitable puppy. The Royal Kennel Club guide to teaching your dog to lie down uses the same gentle luring idea:

1. Start with your puppy sitting.
2. Hold a treat just below their nose, then slowly move your hand down to the floor and a little away from them.
3. As they follow the treat down, their body should fold into a lie-down. Mark and reward the instant their elbows touch the floor.
4. Add the word "down" once the movement is reliable, then fade the lure.

If they keep standing up, try luring them under your bent knee or a low coffee table, which encourages them to drop rather than pop back up.

Groomer's tip: A puppy who knows "sit" and a calm "settle" is a dream on the grooming table. I use exactly the same reward-based approach for handling paws and ears, mark the calm moment, reward, keep it short. Practising sit and down at home makes those first grooms so much smoother.

Teaching stay

Stay teaches self-control, so it comes a little later, once sit and down are solid. The Royal Kennel Club advice on teaching stay builds it up gently:

1. Ask your puppy to sit or lie down.
2. Wait just one or two seconds, then reward while they're still in position. That's a stay.
3. Very gradually stretch the time before you reward, then start taking a single step back and returning.
4. Build up distance and duration slowly, one small step at a time. Use a clear release word like "okay" or "free" so they know when they can move.

Pick your moment: don't attempt stay when your puppy is bursting with energy. A little exercise first takes the edge off.

Keep it positive and get help if you're stuck

Puppies learn at their own pace, and some days go backwards. That's normal. Stay patient, keep it fun, and celebrate small wins. Puppy classes are a brilliant investment for both training and socialisation, look for reward-based, force-free trainers accredited through the ABTC or APBC.

Frequently asked questions

When can I start teaching my puppy basic commands? As soon as they're settled at home, usually around eight weeks. Start with name recognition and sit in short, fun sessions, and build up from there.

How long should puppy training sessions be? Short, just two to five minutes at a time, several times a day. Puppies have brief attention spans, so little and often works far better than one long session.

What is the best way to teach a puppy? Reward-based, positive training. Show your puppy that doing what you ask earns treats, praise or play. It's kinder, more effective, and it builds trust rather than fear.

Should I use treats to train my puppy? Yes, small tasty rewards are a great motivator. Take them from your puppy's daily food allowance so they don't gain weight, and gradually reward less often as a command becomes reliable.

Fluffs is a professional dog grooming salon in Wigginton, York, offering one-to-one grooming for dogs of every breed and coat type across Haxby, Strensall, Huntington, New Earswick and the surrounding villages. The same calm, reward-based approach you use at home is exactly how we introduce puppies to grooming. Book a gentle puppy groom.