Most dog training checklists are just a list of commands with checkboxes. This one is different. It's organized by skill level, not age — so it works whether you have an 8-week-old puppy or a 5-year-old rescue. Each skill includes what "done" looks like (observable criteria, not guesswork), and there are parallel tracks for management and life skills that run alongside command training.

Before you start: make sure your dog is in a trainable state. If you're starting with a puppy, see our 9-week-old puppy guide first. A dog is in a trainable state. A dog who is over-aroused, shut down, or over threshold can't learn effectively. If your dog can't take food, can't look at you, or is panting/pacing/whining, address their emotional state first. Training readiness comes before training.

Equipment You Actually Need

Skip the gadgets. Here's what matters:

  • ☐ 6-foot flat leash (nylon or biothane — NOT a retractable leash, which teaches pulling)
  • ☐ 15–30 ft long line for recall work and distance training
  • ☐ Flat buckle collar with ID tags
  • ☐ Front-clip harness for management while teaching loose-leash walking
  • ☐ Treat pouch (hands-free, clip-on) — you need rewards accessible in under 1 second
  • ☐ High-value training rewards (varied — soft treats, cheese, meat; find what YOUR dog works for)
  • ☐ Crate (sized so the dog can stand, turn, and lie down — not bigger)
  • ☐ Exercise pen or baby gates for management
  • ☐ Place mat or bed for the place command

Command Teaching Order

Commands build on each other. This sequence exists for a reason — each skill is a prerequisite for the next:

  1. Name / attention — prerequisite for everything. Dog looks at you when you say their name.
  2. Marker conditioning — dog understands that your marker word (e.g., "yes") means a reward is coming. This is your communication bridge.
  3. Sit — easiest behavior to lure, builds reinforcement history with the training process itself.
  4. Look at me / watch — handler focus. Pairs with sit for a "check in" behavior.
  5. Come / recall — safety critical. Builds on the engagement you've established.
  6. Leave it — impulse control foundation. Safety critical.
  7. Down — harder position, builds on sit compliance and trust.
  8. Stay / wait — requires the impulse control foundation from leave it.
  9. Place / mat — combines down + stay + impulse control at a specific location.
  10. Loose leash walking / heel — the most complex skill. Requires all prior impulse control + handler focus.
  11. Drop it — safety skill. Builds on leave it.

For detailed step-by-step guides, see our topic guides.

Level 1 — Foundation

Where everyone starts, regardless of the dog's age.

  • ☐ Name recognition — Say the dog's name, they orient toward you. Done when: dog looks at you within 2 seconds of hearing their name, 8 out of 10 times, in a low-distraction environment.
  • ☐ Marker conditioning — Dog understands your marker word means a reward is coming. Done when: dog visibly anticipates the reward (looks at your hand, moves toward you) immediately after the marker, before you reach for food.
  • ☐ Sit on cue — Done when: dog sits within 3 seconds of a single verbal cue, no lure, no hand signal, 8/10 times indoors.
  • ☐ Come when called (low distraction) — Done when: dog moves toward you and arrives within 5 seconds, 8/10 times, indoors or in a fenced yard with no competing distractions.
  • ☐ Accepts handling — Paws, ears, mouth, collar grab. Done when: dog remains relaxed (no pulling away, no mouthing) during 10 seconds of handling each body part.
  • ☐ Crate introduction — Done when: dog enters crate voluntarily, remains calm for 5 minutes with the door closed while you're in the room.
  • ☐ Potty schedule established — Done when: dog is taken out on a consistent schedule and has fewer than 1 accident per week with proper supervision.
  • ☐ Bite inhibition (puppies) — Done when: puppy's mouth contact on skin is soft/gentle, not hard biting. Redirect to toys is automatic.

Level 2 — Safety

The commands that keep your dog alive.

  • ☐ Reliable recall (moderate distraction) — Done when: dog comes when called in the presence of mild distractions (other people, smells, open space), 8/10 times, on a long line.
  • ☐ Leave it — Done when: dog disengages from a placed treat/object on the floor within 2 seconds of cue, 8/10 times. Dog does not re-engage after turning away.
  • ☐ Stay (30 seconds) — Done when: dog holds position (sit or down) for 30 seconds with you 6 feet away, 8/10 times. No fidgeting, no breaking before release cue.
  • ☐ Loose leash walking (low distraction) — Done when: dog walks on a 6-foot leash without pulling for 2 minutes continuously in a quiet area.
  • ☐ Drop it — Done when: dog releases an object from their mouth within 3 seconds of the verbal cue, 8/10 times.

Level 3 — Manners

Making your dog pleasant to live with.

  • ☐ Down on cue — Done when: dog lies down within 3 seconds of verbal cue, no lure, 8/10 times indoors.
  • ☐ Place / mat work — Done when: dog goes to their designated spot on cue, lies down, and remains for 2 minutes with you in the room.
  • ☐ Wait at doorways — Done when: dog pauses at open doors until released, 8/10 times. Does not bolt through.
  • ☐ Polite greetings — Done when: dog keeps four paws on the floor when greeting people, 8/10 times. Jumping is not reinforced.
  • ☐ Settle on cue — Done when: dog lies down and relaxes (not alert, not scanning) within 2 minutes of the settle cue while you're nearby.
  • ☐ Taking treats gently — Done when: dog takes food from your hand without grabbing, snapping, or making teeth contact with fingers.

Level 4 — Real World

Everything above, but with distractions.

  • ☐ All Level 1–3 commands with moderate distractions — Other dogs visible (at distance), people walking by, outdoor environments.
  • ☐ Walks without pulling — Done when: dog maintains loose leash for an entire 15-minute walk in a moderately busy area.
  • ☐ Calm in public spaces — Done when: dog can hold a down-stay on a mat in an outdoor cafe or pet store for 10 minutes without whining, pulling, or barking.
  • ☐ Reliable recall in enclosed areas — Done when: dog comes when called off-leash in a fenced area with other dogs present, 8/10 times.
  • ☐ Car rides calmly — Done when: dog settles in the car (crate or seatbelt harness) without whining, pacing, or barking for a 15-minute drive.

Level 5 — Advanced

Where most pet dogs don't need to go — but some owners want to.

  • ☐ Off-leash reliability — Dog responds to all commands without a leash in uncontrolled environments.
  • ☐ Emergency recall — A distinct "drop everything and come NOW" cue that overrides all distractions. Trained separately from regular recall with extremely high-value rewards.
  • ☐ Calm around triggers — Dog can observe triggers (other dogs, bikes, skateboards) without reacting, at a reasonable distance.
  • ☐ Extended place/stay — 10+ minutes in a down-stay with moderate distractions.
  • ☐ Handler focus in high-arousal environments — Dog checks in and responds to cues at a dog park, pet store, or busy trail.

Parallel Track: Management

Management isn't a failure — it's a strategy. These run alongside your training progression.

  • ☐ Crate training progression — From 5-minute intervals to comfortable multi-hour stays (with appropriate breaks)
  • ☐ Baby gates / exercise pen — Set up to prevent unsupervised access to areas where the dog rehearses unwanted behaviors
  • ☐ Leash tethering in the house — Dog on leash attached to you or furniture during house training phase
  • ☐ Preventing rehearsal — Every time the dog practices an unwanted behavior (counter surfing, garbage raiding, jumping on guests), it gets reinforced. Management prevents the practice.
  • ☐ Environmental setup — Remove temptations rather than relying on willpower. Shoes put away, trash cans secured, food off counters.

Parallel Track: Life Skills

These aren't commands — they're things your dog needs to tolerate for a good life.

  • ☐ Cooperative nail trimming — Teach a chin rest or paw-offer, introduce the tool gradually. Done when: dog allows 2–3 nails trimmed per session without pulling away.
  • ☐ Muzzle conditioning — For ALL dogs, not just "aggressive" ones. Muzzles are needed at vet emergencies, grooming, and some public situations. Done when: dog wears a muzzle calmly for 5 minutes.
  • ☐ Vet visit readiness — Standing on a scale, lying on a table, being handled by strangers. Done when: dog remains calm during a mock exam.
  • ☐ Tooth brushing acceptance — Done when: dog allows 30 seconds of brushing without head-turning or mouthing.
  • ☐ Bath and grooming tolerance — Done when: dog stands calmly for brushing, bath, and towel drying.
  • ☐ Being alone — Graduated separation training. Done when: dog stays calm (no barking, destructing, or pacing) for the duration you typically leave them.

Parallel Track: Socialization (Puppies & New Rescues)

Socialization is creating positive associations, not just exposure. The dog must have the choice to opt out.

Sounds:

  • ☐ Vacuum, doorbell, thunder recordings, traffic, baby crying, sirens, power tools, kitchen appliances

Surfaces & environments:

  • ☐ Grass, gravel, metal grates, tile, wet surfaces, stairs, elevators, car rides

People:

  • ☐ Children, elderly, people with hats/sunglasses/umbrellas, wheelchairs, uniforms, people running/cycling

Animals:

  • ☐ Calm dogs (not dog parks — controlled introductions), cats, birds

Handling:

  • ☐ Paw handling, ear touching, mouth examination, collar grabbing, being restrained, wearing harness/collar

The Progression Framework: Distance, Duration, Distraction

When proofing any skill, increase only one variable at a time:

  • Distance — How far are you from the dog when they perform the behavior?
  • Duration — How long does the dog hold the behavior?
  • Distraction — What's competing for the dog's attention?

If your dog can hold a stay for 30 seconds at 6 feet indoors, don't immediately try 30 seconds at 6 feet at the park. Drop back to 5 seconds at 3 feet outdoors, then build each variable back up separately. When you increase one, decrease the others.

How to Use This Checklist

  1. Start at Level 1 regardless of your dog's age. Even if your adult dog knows sit, verify they meet the "done" criteria. You may find gaps.
  2. Run the parallel tracks simultaneously. Don't wait until Level 4 to start life skills or management — they happen from day one.
  3. Don't skip levels. Each level builds on the one before it. A dog who can't hold a stay indoors will not hold a stay at the park.
  4. Use the "done when" criteria honestly. 8 out of 10 means 8 out of 10 — not "they did it once that one time."
  5. Expect regression. Adolescent dogs (6–18 months) will temporarily lose reliability. This is normal neurobiology, not failure. Keep training through it.
  6. Reactive dogs: If your dog barks, lunges, or freezes at triggers, that's not a training gap — it's a threshold and emotional state issue. Address it separately with counter-conditioning before pushing through the levels.

The bottom line: A good training checklist isn't about checking boxes — it's about building skills in the right order, with observable proof that each one is solid before you add complexity. Take your time. The goal isn't speed — it's reliability.