Are you attending a social gathering in a German-speaking country and find yourself drawn to the canine companions more than the human ones? It’s time to learn how to communicate with dogs in German! While animals make wonderful conversation partners, knowing a few German dog commands can be particularly useful, especially if you’re interacting with a dog trained in German. Even if you’re with American dogs, many owners enjoy teaching them German commands, partly because popular dog breeds like the German Shepherd, Doberman, and Dachshund have German origins. Teaching your dog commands in German can also be advantageous for German language learners, as the language’s authoritative sound might make commands like “Sitz!” and “Platz!” more impactful. commands all dogs should know
Dogs communicate through a rich combination of body language, vocalizations, and tail wags. The German equivalent of “woof” is “wau” or “wuff.” Beyond this, a vast array of commands can enhance your communication with dogs.
Essential German Dog Commands
When teaching your dog commands in German, it’s wise to start with the fundamentals that ensure their safety. Commands like “sit,” “stay,” and “heel” are crucial for preventing your dog from encountering dangerous situations.
Here’s a table of basic German dog commands:
| English | German | IPA | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sit | Sitz | [zɪts] | Instructs the dog to lower its hindquarters onto the ground, maintaining a seated position. |
| Stay | Bleib | [blaɪ̯p] | Tells the dog to remain in its current location and position until given another command. |
| Good job | Bravo | [ˈbʁaːvoː] | Used to praise your pup, reinforcing correct behavior. |
| Good dog | Braver Hund | [ˈbʁaːfɐ ˈhʊnt] | General praise to make tails wag. |
| Shake hands | Gib Pfote | [ɡɪp ˈpfɔːtə] | Asks your dog to raise a paw and place it in your hand. |
| Drop, Drop it | Aus | [aʊ̯s] | Commands the dog to release whatever it’s holding in its mouth. |
| Heel | Bei Fuß | [baɪ̯ ˈfuːs] | Means the dog must walk directly next to you. |
| Come | Komm | [kɔm] | Calls your dog to return to you or follow you. |
| Here | Hier | [hiːɐ] | Similar to “come,” telling the dog to come with you. |
| Go | Los | [loːs] | Gives your dog permission to move or run. |
| Down | Platz | [plats] | Tells your dog to lay down on the ground. |
| Stand | Steh | [ʃteː] | Asks your dog to rise to its feet from a sitting or lying position. |
| Roll over | Rolle | [ʁɔlə] | Tells your dog to lie down, roll over, and end up standing on the other side. |
| Fetch | Hol | [hoːl] | Tells your dog to go and get something that you have thrown or pointed at. |
| Fetch the stick | Hol Stöckchen | [hoːl ˈʃtœkçən] | Specific command telling your dog to go and get a thrown stick. |
| Speak | Gib Laut | [ɡɪp laʊ̯t] | Tells your dog to make noise, usually one bark. |
| Jump | Hopp | [hɔp] | Tells your dog to leap over an obstacle or just jump into the air. |
| Run | Lauf | [laʊ̯f] | Encourages your dog to stretch their paws and run free. |
| No | Nein | [naɪ̯n] | General command used to prevent any unwanted behavior. |
| Stop | Halt | [halt] | Used to stop the dog immediately. |
| Slow | Langsam | [ˈlaŋzam] | Instructs your dog to reduce speed. |
| Faster | Schneller | [ˈʃnɛlɐ] | Encourages your dog to increase speed. |
| Straight ahead | Geradeaus | [ɡəˈʁaːtəˌʔaʊ̯s] | Directs your dog to continue moving forward. |
| Right | Rechts | [ʁɛçts] | Directs your dog to go right. |
| Left | Links | [lɪŋks] | Directs your dog to go left. |
| Wait | Warte | [ˈvaʁtə] | Lets your dog know you want them to wait for you. |
| Onwards | Vorwärts | [ˈfoːɐ̯vɛʁts] | Tells your dog to keep going. |
Fun and Creative German Commands for Your Dog
Developing a unique language with your pet is a special part of the human-animal bond. Beyond the essential commands, here are some fun German phrases to inspire you:
| English | German | IPA | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Give a little kiss | Gib Küsschen | [ɡɪp ˈkʏsçən] | Have your dog “kiss” your hand or face. |
| Dance | Tanz | [tants] | Ask your dog to stand on their hind legs. |
| Twirl | Dreh dich | [dʁeː dɪç] | Ask your dog to turn around. |
| Swim | Schwimm | [ʃvɪm] | Useful for trips to the beach or lake. |
| Crawl | Kriech | [kʁiːç] | Use this if you want your dog to crawl underneath an obstacle. |
| Hide | Versteck dich | [fɛɐ̯ˈʃtɛk dɪç] | Command for playing hide-and-seek with your dog. |
| Angel, angel, fly | Engelchen, Engelchen, flieg | [ˈɛŋəlçən ˈɛŋəlçən fliːk] | A playful command when lifting your dog into the air. |
| Where’s your ball? | Wo ist dein Ball? | [voː ɪst daɪ̯n bal] | Playful command encouraging your dog to find their ball. |
| Where’s your tail? | Wo ist dein Schwanz? | [voː ɪst daɪ̯n [ʃvant͡s]] | Playful command encouraging your dog to chase its tail. |
| Cuddle time | Kuschelzeit | [ˈkʊʃəlˌtsaɪ̯t] | Lets your dog know you’re ready for cuddles. |
| Treat | Leckerli | [ˈlɛkɐli] | A word that will quickly become a favorite for your dog. |
| Urgh (discourage) | Pfui | [pfʊɪ̯] | Use this command to discourage unwanted behaviors like rolling in dirt. |
| Sniff | Schnüffel | [ˈʃnʏfəl] | Lets your dog know when you’ve discovered a scent they might be interested in, or to stop and appreciate. |
| Howl | Heule | [ˈhɔɪ̯lə] | Encourages your dog to make a howling sound. |
| Sleep | Schlaf | [ʃlaf] | Helps your dog settle down or fall asleep. |
German Commands for Police Dogs
While most people teach their dogs German commands for fun, police officers utilize them for practical reasons. Training in German can provide an advantage as it’s less commonly understood, making it harder for suspects to interfere with the dog’s commands. Commands like “Fass” (attack) are specifically reserved for police dogs in critical situations. 7 essential commands your dog should know
Here are some commands used in police dog training:
| English | German | IPA | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guard | Wach; Pass auf | [vax; pas ʔaʊ̯f] | Commands the dog to protect a specific area or person. |
| Attack | Fass | [fas] | A command for police dogs to apprehend a suspect, reserved for significant threats. |
| Retrieve | Bring | [bʁɪŋk] | Commands the police dog to pick up an item and bring it back to the handler. |
| Search | Such; Revier (area search) | [zʊχ; [ʁeˈviːɐ̯] | Instructs a police dog to look for something specific and signal its location. |
| Back | Platz; Zurück | [plats; tsuːˈʁʁʏk] | Instructs the dog to walk backwards, often for crowd control. |
| Quiet | Ruhig; Aus | [ˈʁuːɪ̯ç; ʔaʊ̯s] | Tells the dog to stop barking, crucial during covert operations. |
| Alert | Anzeigen | [ˈanˌʦaɪ̯ɡŋ̍] | Used to command a dog to signal when they have found something. |
| Track | Fährte; Spur | [ˈfɛʁtə; ʃpuːɐ̯] | Signals the dog to follow a scent trail. |
Kommissar Rex: A Famous German Shepherd
The Austrian crime drama television series “Kommissar Rex” (Inspector Rex) features a German Shepherd police dog named Rex and his partner solving crimes in Vienna. The original dog, Santo von Haus Ziegelmeye, was instrumental in the show’s success due to his ability to learn commands. commands your dog should know
Understanding Dog Language Learning
A study published in Science Magazine in 2004 highlighted a Border Collie named Rico who understood over 200 words, many related to toys. Rico learned these words through “fast mapping,” a process similar to how human children acquire language. This research demonstrates the sophisticated capacity dogs have for language learning, processing it much like human toddlers do. Perhaps your dog can learn even more words and set a new record! For more German vocabulary, explore the German Language Blog.
