Dogs are one of the most beloved and loyal pets in the world. As any dog owner knows, obedience training is important for having a well-behaved furry friend. Communicating with your pup can be tricky especially if you don’t speak the same language. To bridge the gap, mastering basic dog commands in German is essential.

German commands are an easy way to give instructions to your pup. Like any language, the commands have to be used in the right way for your canine companion to understand them. Read on for a full list of the most common German commands and their meaning in English.

Dog Commands in German And Their Meaning In English

Sitzen – Sit: Telling your dog to sit.
Runter – Down: Telling your dog to lie down.
Bleib – Stay: Telling your dog to remain in one place.
Fuß – Heel: Telling your dog to stay close by and walk obediently at your side.
Geh – Go: Telling your dog to move away from you.
Komm – Come: Telling your dog to come to you.
Bitte – Please: Tell your dog to be polite.
Warte – Wait: Telling your dog to stop and wait until you give further instructions.
Such – Look: Telling your dog to search for an object or person.
Hoch – Up: Telling your dog to jump up with all four paws.
Wirf – Throw: Telling your dog to catch and take something.
Gib an – Give: Telling your dog to give something to you.
Leise – Quiet: Telling your dog to stop barking.
An der Leine – On the Lead: Telling your dog to keep walking on the lead.
Freilauf – Off the Lead or Free to Roam: Telling your dog to no longer be on the lead and instead roam around freely.
Aus – Out: Telling your dog to drop whatever it has in its mouth and to leave the area.
Ruhig – Calm Down: Telling your dog to be calm and relaxed.
Verschwinde – Disappear: Telling your dog to move away quickly.
Fallen – Drop: Telling your dog to drop an object tensely.
Zeig – Show: Telling your dog to indicate something hidden.
Fass – Take It or Grab It: Telling your dog to take or pick up an object from the ground.
Los – Let Go: Telling your dog to release an object clutched in its mouth.
Steh – Stand: Telling your dog to go from a sitting or lying position to a standing posture.
Binde – Connect: Telling your dog to tie two things together.
Lass Los – Release: Telling your dog to let go of something it’s holding.
Such-Lasse – Find & Return: Telling your dog to search for something, and bring it back to you.
Bringen – Bring: Telling your dog to pick up an object and bring it to you.
Wache – Watch: Telling your dog to stay come to attention and protect.
Warte hier – Wait Here: Telling your dog to stay in one place until summoned.
Bleib liegen – Lie Down and Stay: Telling your dog to stay on the ground until further instruction.
Schufte – Dig: Telling your dog to start digging a hole.
Voran – Forward: Telling your dog to travel in a straight line in front of you.
Bellen – Bark: Telling your dog to bark as a warning or to alert you to danger.
Plappern – Chatter: Telling your dog to bark as a greeting to a friendly person or animal.
Blick – Look: Telling your dog to look in a certain direction.
Bring es her- Bring It Here: Telling your dog to pick up an object and bring it to you.
Sich umdrehen – Roll Over: Telling your dog to roll onto its back once it has stood up.
Pfote – Paw: Telling your dog to lift up a paw.
Hopp – Jump: Telling your dog to jump up to greet you or to catch something.
Schau – Look: Telling your dog to look at something or someone.

Why Train Your Dog With German Dog Commands?

German dog commands are a great way to enhance the bond between you and your dog. Training with German commands encourages an open dialogue between the handler and dog which reinforces mutual trust and understanding. Furthermore, German commands are direct and easy to understand for your dog, and with proper pronunciation and timing, commands like “Nein” (No), “Runter” (Down), and “Hacke” (Heel) can be very effective in training your dog. Lastly, teaching German commands to an English speaker is a great way to pick up a few German skills along the way, so it can be a fun and enjoyable process for everyone involved.

German Pre-Eminence in Dog Training

The German school of dog training is considered the most revered in the world. German dog trainers have rightfully earned their place at the top because of their dedication to developing effective and humane methods that are based on positive reinforcement. This is often informed by a scientific understanding of dog behavior. In addition, because of its popularity in the sport of Schutzhund, German-style training has become the go-to for trainers wishing to work on obedience and protection. While dog owners prefer German-style methods because of their effectiveness, humane nature, and respect for the dog’s emotional and physical well-being, there is no single method that works for all dog breeds. Instead, trainers use a combination of techniques to create a successful training program.

German Dog Commands Attack

In Germany, there is no single command for ordering a dog to attack. However, depending on the training of an individual dog, a command such as “Attacke!” may be used.

German Dog Commands Pronunciation

Sitz! [zits]
Platz! [plats]
Bleib! [blyb]
Fuß! [foos]
Komm! [kohm]
Warte! [vart-uh]
Geh! [geh]
Nein! [nine]
Hier! [heer]
Bleib da! [blyb dah]
Lass das! [lahs dahs]
Leise! [ly-zuh]
Ruhe! [roo-heh]
Bein! [bine]
Los! [lohs]
Guter Hund! [gooh-tuh hund]
Schön! [shun]
Braver Hund! [brah-vuh hund]

Military Dog Commands

Sit
Stay
Heel
Fetch
Attack
Search
Release
Down
Secure
Drop
Retrieve
Bark
Guard
Move
Follow
Seek
Defend
Occupy
Speak
Seek and Secure

Dog Commands in Different Languages

Sit (English)
Ikutsu (Japanese)
Perro echa (Spanish)
Tshilamoya (Xhosa)
Pasulutu (Ilokano)
Alin (Tagalog)
Siede (German)
Assit (French)
Jide (Mandarin)
Akhir (Arabic)
Karo (Telugu)
Atiba (Yoruba)
Assisi (Swahili)
Naamu (Finnish)
Baas (Afrikaans)
Ilakal (Kannada)
Así (Portuguese)
Akhal (Marathi)
Waisai (Basque)
Anchuksu (Korean)

German Dog Command with Hand Signal

Platz (Lie Down) – Arms crossed in front of the body
Sitz (Sit) – Flat palm raised
Auf (Stand) – Arm & palm up
Aus (Drop it) – Clap hands
Bleib (Stay) – Palm up towards dog, move hands apart
Fuß (Heel) – Bent palm facing dog
Such (Search) – Hand circling in the air
Hier (Come) – Arm & palm extended up & out
Nimm (Take) – Arm and palm extended out parallel to the ground
Komm (Come Here) – Arm and palm extended down to the ground
Leise (Hush) – Finger on lips
Raje (Go Away) – Arm and palm extended away from the dog
Geh (Go Ahead) – Arm extended ahead, palm down
Gib (Give) – Arm & palm extended out
Hopp (Jump) – Clap your hands
Schau (Watch) – Point finger outward
Schaff (Clear Out) – Arm & pointed finger at the dog
Such lauf (Search & Run) – Hand in a circular motion, then pointing outward
Geduldig (Patient) – Placing your hands on your chest
Kotzen (Puking) – Point your finger away from the dog
Pfui (Don’t) – Waving finger at the dog
Lecken (Lick) – Hand out and point finger in a circular motion
Nein (No) – Hand up with palm facing dog
Bähn (Wait) – One hand on the ground, one hand out pointing
Horch (Listen) – Finger in front of the mouth
Hinlegen (Lie Down) – Arm in a straight line & palm up
Fußlauf (Run Toe Heel) – Hand pointed outward and forward
links/rechts (Left/Right) – Arm bent towards the direction you need
Pass auf (Watch Out) – Hand up at shoulder level
Leer (Empty) – Hand out with open fingers
Bleib stehn (Stay Put) – Hand flat in the air
Roll (Roll Over) – Hand in a circle
Etwas holen (Retrieve) – Hand pointing to the ground
Anschauen (Look at me) – Hand pointing to your face
Hier bleib (Stay Here) – Corkscrew motion with hand and arm
Weg (Go Away) – Arm and palm extended outward
Schleich (Crawl) – Hand and arm level to the ground
Setz (Set) – Finger pointing in a circle
Zieh (Pull) – Hand in a forward motion
Kriechen (Crawl) – Hand in an upward motion

German Police Dog Commands

Sitz! (Sit!)
Platz! (Down!)
Bleib! (Stay!)
Fuß! (Heel!)
Hier! (Come!)
Fuß links/rechts! (Heel left/right!)
Apport! (Fetch!)
Aus! (Drop it!)
Nein! (No!)
Hole! (Retrieve!)
Lauf! (Go!)
Geh! (Go on!)
Spreng! (Search!)
Sitzt! (Heel and sit!)
Steh! (Stand!)
Acht! (Attention!)
Geh vorwärts! (March!)
Kriech! (Crawl!)
Ab! (Out!)

Hardest Dog Breeds to Train

Hovawart
Chow Chow
Jack Russel Terrier
Shar-Pei
Doberman Pinscher
Rottweiler
Siberian Husky
Akita
Bullmastiff
American Pit Bull Terrier

Hardest Training Commands to Teach a Dog

Heel
Place command
Recall
Leave it
Leash walking
Down stay
Sit/Stay
Settle
Touch
Spin

FAQs

Q. When Should You Start Training Your Dog in German Dog commands?

A. You should start training your dog in German dog commands as soon as possible. Most experts recommend starting basic training when your puppy is between six and eight weeks old.

Q. Can an Old Dog Learn Commands in German?

A. Yes, older dogs can learn commands in German. The key is to stay patient and consistent with training and reward the dog for any successes it makes.

Q. Do Dogs Understand German Better than Other Languages?

A. No, dogs do not understand German better than other languages. While they can be trained to recognize specific words in German (or any other language), they can only recognize an arbitrary number of words in any language.

Q. How do you tell a dog to stop in German?

A. In German, you would say “stoppen!” to tell a dog to stop.

Q. How do you praise a dog in German?

A. Gut gemacht!

Conclusion

In conclusion, dog commands in German and their meaning in English can be incredibly helpful when learning the language. While commands in the English language may seem straightforward, using commands in German is an incredibly effective way to practice speaking and understanding the language. With the right guidance, it is possible to get your dog into good habits in no time at all.