If you’ve been looking for a list of the best German dog commands, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I have listed the most important German commands for dogs, including pronunciation and translation.
I also prepared an infographic that you can save directly to your phone, so you always have the most important dog training commands in German to hand.
Keep reading to discover them all.
Are German commands better for dogs?
There is no definitive answer to this question as it depends on the individual dog and its owner. Some dogs may respond better to German commands, while others may do better with English commands. It is important to find what works best for you and your canine companion.
If you are training for schutzhund, it may be beneficial to use German commands, as this is the language used in the sport. Ultimately, the most important thing is that the dog owner is consistent with their commands, regardless of which language they use.
What are the best German dog commands for police dogs?
Police dogs are trained to obey commands in German. This is because the commands are short and mean what they say – nothing more, nothing less!
This is the list of the best German commands to use to train your dog:
- Back up: Zurück (Zu-ru-kh)
- Bark / speak: Gib Laut (Gheb Laout)
- Bite / attack: Fass (Fass)
- Blind search: Revier (Re-fieer)
- Come / here: Hier (Heeee-ar)
- Crawl: Kriechen (Kri-khen)
- Down: Platz (Plah-tzz)
- Eat / take your food: Nimm Futter (Nim Futter)
- Fast: Schnell (sh-nel)
- Fetch: Bring (Bring)
- Find narcotics: Such Rauschgift (Sooo-kh Raush ghiift)
- Go inside: Geh Rein (Gay rine)
- Go out: Voraus (For-owss)
- Good (praise): So ist Brav (so ist braf)
- Good job: Gut Gemacht (Goot ghem-akht)
- Good dog (praise): Braver Hund (Braffer Hoond)
- Growl: Brummen (Broomen)
- Guard: Wache (Wa-khe)
- Heel: Fuß/Fuss (Foos)
- Howl: Heul (Hoo-el)
- Jump / up: Hopp (Hooop)
- Kennel: Zwinger (zwingher)
- Leave it: Lass es (Lass es)
- Left: Links (Links)
- Let go / out: Aus (Awuss)
- Look at me: Schau mich an (Shao mikh an)
- No / stop that! (correction): Nein, Pfui (Nine, Pfoooey)
- Ok / everything alright: In Ordnung (In Ordnungh)
- Outside: Raus (Raus)
- Paw / shake: Pfote (Fote)
- Quiet: Ruhig (Roo-hig)
- Right: Rechts (Rekh-ts)
- Search / find / track: Such (Sooo-kh)
- Find lost article: Such Verloren (Soo-kh Ferloren)
- Sit: Sitz (Ziits)
- Slow: Langsam (lang-zam)
- Stand: Steh (Sh-teh)
- Stay calm / stand still: Bleib Ruhig (Blibe rooegh)
- Stay: Bleib (Bliibe)
- Stop: Halt (Halt)
- Take it: Nimm (Nimm)
- Touch: Berühren (Be-ru-ren)
- Treat: Leckerli (Lek-erli)
- Wait: Warten (Varten)
- Walk / run: Lauf (Lauf)
- Watch / pay attention: Achtung (Akh-toongh)
- What is going on?: Was ist los? (Vas est Loos?)
There are lots of other dog commands in German, but these are the most common.
Why should I use German commands with my dogs?
When it comes to training your dog, there are some German commands that seem to work better than others. This is likely due to the fact that German commands are not as arbitrary as their English counterparts.
I personally use German commands with my dogs during all training sessions and walks alike.
I prefer German for three main reasons:
- I lived in Germany for six years and I started my first intensive dog training courses there.
- German is a more severe and authoritative language.
- If another person calls his dog with “come”, my dog does not react, because I speak a language with my dog that most people do not speak.
Obviously you don’t have to learn this language, but you can simply take your cue from these German commands and use the ones you prefer.
Frequently asked questions about dog training commands in German
Why are police dog commands in German?
One of the most common questions about police dogs is why their commands are given in German. There are a few reasons for this. First, German words are shorter and easier for dogs to understand than English words. Second, German shepherd dogs are the most common type of police dog and they were originally bred in Germany. As a result, they are more responsive to German commands. Finally, German training methods are considered to be the best in the world, so it makes sense for police departments to use German commands.
What is the German command for “attack”?
The German command for attack is “fass”, pronounced “fahss”.
What does “zook”/“such” in German mean?
“Zook” is the English pronunciation of the German dog command “such” which means “to search” for something or someone. This is a common German command for protection and K9 police dogs.
Why train your dog with German dog commands?
There are a number of reasons why you might want to train your dog using German commands. Perhaps you have a German breed of dog, such as a rottweiler or German shepherd. Or maybe you just want to impress your friends by using German words when you tell your dog what to do!
Whatever the reason, using German dog commands can be a great way to bond with your pet and give them some extra stimulation and variety in their training. Plus, it’s always fun to learn words in another language – even if your dog doesn’t quite understand what they mean!
What language are police dogs trained in?
Police dogs are trained in German, as well as many other languages. Some of the most common languages include Dutch, French, Spanish, and Czech.
What is the German dog command for “quiet”?
The German command for quiet is “ruhig”, pronounced “roo-hig”.
Do dogs respond better to German?
No! For example, K9 police dogs are trained in German not because they understand it better or faster, but so that random passersby cannot give commands and confuse them, even by using words accidentally in the area.
Why are police dogs trained in German?
One of the most common reasons for police dogs to be trained in a different language is because their job requires them to be able to communicate with an unfamiliar environment. Another reason is that they can be required to respond to requests from people who don’t speak the same language as them.
Conclusion
In this article, I’ve collected a list of German dog commands that are sure to help you train your dog, as well as a few others that I think might be great for you to learn.
| German | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Sitz | Ziits | Sit |
| Platz | Plah-tzz | Down |
| Bleib | Bliibe | Stay |
| Aus | Awuss | Let go / out |
| Hier | Heeee-ar | Come / Here |
| Steh | Sh-teh | Stand |
| Bring | Bring | Fetch |
| Hopp | Hooop | Jump / up |
| Voraus | For-owss | Go out |
| Such | Sooo-kh | Search / find / track |
| Wache | Wa-khe | Guard |
| Gib Laut | Gheb Laout | Bark / speak |
| Fass | Fass | Bite |
| Such Rauchgift | Sooo-kh Raukh ghiift | Find narcotics |
| Revier | Re-fieer | Blind search |
| Geh Rein | Gay rine | Go inside |
| Was ist los? | Vas est Loos? | What is going on? |
| Braver Hund | Braffer Hoond | Good dog (praise word) |
| Lass es | Lass es | Leave it |
| Such Verloren | Soo-kh Ferloren | Search lost article |
| Bleib Ruhig | Blibe rooegh | Stay calm / Stand still |
| Nimm Futter | Nim Futter | Eat / take your food |
| In Ordnung | In Ordnungh | Ok / everything alright |
| Nein, Pfui | Nine, Pfoooey | No / stop that!(correction word) |
| Fuß/Fuss | Foos | Heel |
| Fass | Fahss | Bite / Attack |
| Nimm | Nimm | Take it |
| Achtung | Akh-toongh | Watch – pay attention |
| Warten | Varten | Wait |
| Rechts | Rekh-ts | Right |
| Links | Links | Left |
| Berühren | Be-ru-ren | Touch |
| Pfote | Fote | Paw / shake |
| Kriechen | Kri-khen | Crawl |
| Züruck | Zu-ru-kh | Back up |
| Brummen | Broomen | Growl |
| Heul | Hoo-el | Howl |
| Halt | Halt | Stop |
| Gut Gemacht | Goot ghem-akht | Good Job |
| Leckerli | Lek-erli | Treat |
| Zwinger | zwingher | Kennel |
| So ist Brav | zo ist braf | Good (praise) |
| Schnell | sh-nel | Fast |
| Langsam | lang-zam | Slow |
| Ruhig | Roo-hig | Quiet |
| Nimm | Nim | Take it |
| Shau mich an | Shao mikh an | Look at me |
| Lauf | Lauf | Walk / Run |
| Raus | Raus | Outside |
If there is any other dog training command in German you want to know, please let me know.
REMEMBER: Training a dog means understanding how to communicate with them. This is the most important part of training any dog and it is about learning how to speak their language, not the other way around.
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Thank you for reading and have a great day.
Until next time.
