Commands that every dog needs

Place. (Everyone's probably sick of this video, but since it's relevant... )
Wait (Wait till I give another command or release)
Bring it (self-explanatory - I got Jaia to bring me the clicker I dropped by using this)
Look (or Focus - Look at me) Very important!!!!

Congratulations on your puppy!  

 If you want the dog to stay off the furniture until you invite them up and get down when you say:

"On" command to invite a dog on the furniture.

"Off" for when you want your dog to get down from the couch, chair, etc.  

I cant stress enough the importance of a heavy heavy "stay". I say this because it can be used in a emergency if your dog dosnt have 100% recall and also because its a gateway command to other stuff like getting the pet to sit and wait for its food, for teaching a dog not to bolt through a door or gate before you, to teach a dog not to jump out of the car as soon as you open the door and much more.

At puppy classes I notce a lot of people dont realize the importance of teaching a dog its name and to have the dog look at your eyes when you say his or her name. Get some yummy treats for this and bring it up to eye level as you say his/her name, reward when they look up at you not just in your general direction.

I did this with Rory and when she was a pup and we'd be off leash somewhere I would just call her name as if asking her to check in with me which was totally different then "come". Now when we are out and about she does exactly that, she is always looking out to see where I am unlike Primo who will run for the hills regardless of where I am or what I'm doing, LOL

Also keep in mind that "down" can be confusing.....

lay down

sit down

get down

down

Try and pick different words for each like just "sit" and "off" instead of get down.

My husbands childhood dog had the funniest commands ever

go potty was "go south 40"

Lay down was "hit the deck"

Ooh that reminds me you can teach potty to. When Rory was potty training I used to chant "go potty go potty go potty" becuase it was winter and I wanted to go back inside......I hadnt even planned on it but nowadyas she'll usually go on command. It comes in handy mor eoften then you'd think. For example we were walking the bike path and up ahead was a huge volley ball tournament and I thought "she hasnt gone yet, with my luck she is gonna poo right infront of all those people" so I let her off and said "go potty" and she did. it has proven successful amny many times!

I've found some really useful ones are "this way" and "other side" used when walking. "this way" means Penny is going the wrong way and needs to follow me. "Other side" I use when she goes on the wrong side of a pole or tree to me and needs to come around behind it to untangle the leash.

"Shhh" is also super useful, especially for a vocal dog! 

As you see it can be pretty individualized.  For me "wait" is a biggie.  I tend to say 'Hush' instead of 'quiet'. 

Because we have 3 dogs of all ages and sizes (and health) -- one of the ones WE use that others wouldn't find useful is "No galumping!" -- that means don't be rough.  The little one is also the old lady (she's like 14 - 16 and fragile to two rambunctious 30 pounders). 

One of the most valuable commands I use is a sign command rather than a verbal one.  I teach "shhhh" (not just the sound but the classic index finger to your lips gesture).  "hush" means to become quiet.  ""shhhh" means KEEP quiet (as in don't start barking ... stay quiet). 

 My husband often works very very late and I may meet him for dinner at midnight.  But I really don't like being out and about by myself at that hour and by then it's cool out, so I usually take the pups 'with' when I go.  But I don't want them out in a parking lot being boisterous.  So ... "shhhh" and sometimes I will do "shhh" and go 5 feet and "shhh -- GOOD!!" and even at the door I will turn around and reinforce it.  Then sometimes I'll poke my head back out randomly and if one is 'looking' I'll tell them what a good bunch they are!  They know "shhh" plus a big smile on my face means good job but 'shhh' plus a ***big*** frown/scowl from me means "YOU ARE BUSTED -- DON'T MAKE ME COME OVER THERE!!" (and oh yeah, they DO get it!! *grin*).

I don't talk baby talk to my dogs.  I don't talk "dog-ese" cryptic stuff either -- I wouldn't say "no bark" on a bet.  I don't talk like that.  I use common everyday language with them ... they get it because they're used to it.

What someone said above -Aurora Love I think -- be careful to break down commands into non-confusing language.  WE say "down" to mean everything from 'lie down' to 'get off me' to going 'downtown' (which is mystical and confusing no matter where you live *grin*). 

But think your way thru practicalities and try to be aware as you are teaching WHAT you really mean. 

AND someone else (or maybe Aurora with more really good ideas) mentioned the importance of a dog learning it's name.  Essentially looking AT you needs to be THE best thing on the planet for your dog.  Looking AT you and giving you his attention should truly be awesome.  But too often many dogs wind up thinking "No" is their name. 

EZ exercise for any 'new to you' dog or pup. 

Sit in a chair, dog in front of you.  Small highvalue treat in EACH hand.  Say the dog's name once ... the *instant* the dog's eyes look at you treat ***fast***.  You must catch that glance with the reward.  Then refine it to looking (head full on) at you -- treat fast and BIG HUGE MEGA MOM/DAD SMILE.  Phase out the treat (but occasionally reward this one just to keep them guessing) and expand it to all sorts of situations. 

Mostly it rewards the dog for nothing more than giving you their attention -- we don't want them to think the only time we call them is when we want something difficult or we're mad and want them to stop something.

Interestingly, Penny knows that when I put my finger on my lips and whisper to her, she needs to be quiet and not start making noise in the first place. I've used it when I'm trying to sneak her out without the other dogs knowing. She learnt that we go a lot faster to good quality fun with just the two of us if she's quiet about it. 

 Drop it.

oh yeah, drop it is definately one of the most important. can be life saving!!

"go in your crate" is another one i use frequently. for example, when i carry laundry around (i have a notorious sock thief) or maybe i'm cooking and moving around the kitchen fast.

"get out" means get out of either the bathroom (where i keep my guinea pig-dont ask) or the bedroom (dog free zone-mostly)

"go" with a pointed finger (teaching the dog to pay attention to which direction i want them to go). it's good for when you want your dog to feel free to romp and play, but not in a certain area.

another thing i ended up teaching and was glad did is "jump" this is something jason loves to do naturally. he is a vervous dog and it has become a command i give to distract him and get him back to happy when he is anxious. works like a charm. he'll forget all about the thing that scared him. lol.

i think the most important thing besides the basic you named, was GO POTTY on command.

This is a super time saver and could be a great grass saver in the summer time!  Meaning, I can tell her to GO POTTY and she goes pee, I can dilute it.... also it saves me from standing in the freezing rain or something and prevents her from playing or something off leash before going to go pee.

Also, WHERE IS IT.  She's a very "vocal" dog in terms of liking to communicate with me... she likes to play a lot and her toys/treats get "lost" out of her reach and she goes nuts... so I taught her WHERE IS IT and immediately she'll go where her "lost" things are, sit there and paw at the location and howl at me to get it for her... could be annoying when she wants my attention at the same time though... cause she'll do it on PURPOSE so I can go get it for her..... lol

honestly, I don't think a pet really needs to know any COMMANDS other than a good recall. Good manners are things you teach the dog to do habitually without giving commands. Good manners means the dog potties in the correct place, greets people politely instead of jumping up on them, doesn't mouth people, doesn't charge out doors or knock people down the stairs by trying to rush past them, doesn't pull on the leash, doesn't beg for for what the people are eating, doesn't get up on the furniture, doesn't eat the house, doesn't bark all day for no reason, doesn't dig giant craters in the backyard, doesn't grab things off the ground and try to eat them, etc. you get the idea.

With very active dogs, like the RR, I have grown to love the "chill" command.  This means to lie down and relax.

We've used this in training classes and at events while waiting for something or at the vet's office while waiting.  It means that they know that I expect them to relax and wait for whatever is coming.

I also second the "wait" command.  It allows be to go in and out of doors first, to fix the blanket in the car before they hop in and many other uses.

 Like Mudpuppy said, I like my dogs to just behave on their own without me having to bark commands at them constantly.  I'm working on them sitting automatically, out of the way when someone comes over.  For the most part they do, with exceptions being a couple people that don't listen and pet them before they sit. 

I'm also working on getting them to go to their spots when I get home.  This allows me to put down my stuff, undress the baby, take off my shoes, whatever, without my dogs jumping all over me for attention.  Right now, the first one to settle down when I get home gets attention at that point.  Eventually I will start making them wait longer and longer, until I have everything done.  Currently though they are too impatient to jump to that part yet.

We use a few already mentioned and a couple of others that suit our lifestyle.   They worked great for us with Shadow and we have used them with Rocky and at 4 months most are sinking in.

Sit, was easy he is a good sitter even without saying it he sits right in front of you or if walking sits when you stop.   No lessons, has been doing that naturally since we got him at 10 weeks.

Stay I use hand signals also I found this very useful with Shadow as  he got older I didnt have to use some commands as he knew the hand signals.

Bring it...great one for us.   Rocky has picked this up quickly helps take clothes to the laundry and brings back thing he shouldnt have gotten in the first place.

Open...... we used this to have Shadow help open doors when our hands were full, Rocky is picking up on this one

Outside?  said with a question.  I use this when he whines or barks in the house or moves toward the door. 

Go potty    good one for us too, I noticed it had been mentioned

Back  helps to get him to back out of tight areas.   this is in preparation  for helping hubby up if he should fall or cant get up from the chair.

(Note: this was great when I got stuck in the grape vines I just cut and was laughing so hard I couldnt get up.  I rabbed hold of Shadow collar and  gave the back command until he pulled me out of the mess of vines________________________________________________________________________________________________

A few different ones.... Hubby is disabled and although ambulatory I had taught Shadow and now Rocky

Where's Daddy?   Rocky is getting pretty good at this one as long as hubby is in the house.   This will allow me to have help in case he falls or has a problem and I cant find him

Where's Mommy?  Rocky is also good at this.  I am outside alot in the garden, hubby will be looking for me and Rocky is now using his nose to find my location

Hubby's nighttime pills have an alarm on them.  When the alarm goes off I say   "Get Daddy's pills"  we then go to the bedroom, he jumps up on the end of the bed and walks to the top of the bed and sits looking at the table until I get the pills and turn off the alarm.  Hubby said that when I am not home he will walk to the bedroom door and sit until he gets hubby attention.  Then he will do the same routine as soon as hubby goes to the bedroom. 

We use Down for lay down and Dont jump for his excited jumping when we get home..... these both need more work

We both try to use the same words but our tone can be different.   We try very hard to be consistant, found out with our Rotties that was best especially since they were bigger than me, lol.   You can see that our method is not so much for obediance as it is for lifestyle.  Works for us so far.