Dog Training Checklist by Life Stage
The Dog Training Checklist is a step-by-step plan that helps you teach your dog 32 essential commands, organized into Puppy, Junior, and Adult stages. Tick off each skill as your dog learns it and watch a progress bar fill as you go.
Every command comes with a short Training Tip that explains exactly how to teach it, so you can start right away whether you have a new puppy or an older dog catching up on the basics. It works as a printable-style obedience checklist you can return to session after session.
Three Training Stages
Puppy
8 weeks – 6 months. 12 foundational commands covering name recognition, sit, come, stay, leave it, crate and house training, leash introduction, bite inhibition, and socialization.
Junior
6 months – 1 year. 10 intermediate commands such as heel, extended stay, wait, place, loose leash walking, nose targeting, and recall with distractions.
Adult
1 year and up. 10 advanced commands and tricks including roll over, play dead, fetch & return, back up, and a potentially lifesaving emergency stop.
How to Use the Dog Training Checklist
Choose a training stage
Select the Puppy, Junior, or Adult tab. Start with Puppy if your dog is new to training, regardless of age — the stages follow skill order, not just age. The badge on each tab shows your progress for that stage.
Read the training tip
Click the Training Tip button below a command to reveal step-by-step instructions for teaching it — the luring, capturing, or shaping technique to use and how to reward.
Mark each command as learned
Once your dog has the command down, click anywhere on the command row, or its checkbox, to tick it off. Click again to undo if you want to keep practicing.
Track progress and reset
The overall progress bar shows how many of the 32 commands your dog has mastered. Use Reset Stage to clear just the current stage, or Reset All to start over completely.
Features
Stage-Based Training
Commands are grouped into three life stages — Puppy (8 weeks–6 months), Junior (6 months–1 year), and Adult (1 year+) — so you can focus on age-appropriate skills.
32 Essential Commands
A curated list of 32 commands and tricks, from name recognition and sit to emergency stop, each with its own checkbox to tick off as your dog learns it.
Training Tip for Every Command
Each command has a concise, expandable tip explaining the technique and how to reward — so you can start training without hunting for outside resources.
Progress Tracking
A per-stage badge counter and an overall progress bar with a percentage show your achievement at a glance, and completed stages are highlighted.
Auto-Save Progress
Checked commands are saved automatically to your browser. Close the page and come back later — your progress will still be there.
Flexible Reset
Clear progress for a single stage with Reset Stage, or wipe everything and begin again with Reset All — useful for training a second dog.
Frequently Asked Questions
What commands should I teach my dog first?
Start with the Puppy stage, which leads with name recognition, sit, come, and stay. These foundational commands build attention and control, and later skills like extended stay and recall with distractions build directly on them.
Do I need to complete the commands in order?
The commands are listed in a recommended order, but you can work on them in any sequence. Some build on others — for example, "Stay (Extended)" builds on "Stay (Brief)" — so following the order can be helpful, especially for beginners.
How long should each training session be?
Keep sessions short — about 5 to 10 minutes for puppies and 10 to 15 minutes for older dogs. Several short sessions through the day work better than one long one. End on a positive note with a command your dog already knows.
Can I train an adult dog starting from the Puppy stage?
Yes. If your adult dog has not learned the basics, start with the Puppy stage. The stages are based on skill progression rather than strict age, and many adult dogs benefit from going through the foundational commands first.
At what age can a puppy start training?
Puppies can begin gentle training as early as 8 weeks, which is where this checklist's Puppy stage starts. Focus on positive, low-pressure skills like name recognition, socialization, and house training, and keep every session short and rewarding.
What if my dog struggles with a command?
Open the Training Tip for step-by-step guidance first. If your dog still struggles, break the command into smaller steps, use higher-value treats, and train in a less distracting environment. Patience and consistency matter more than speed.
Is my progress saved if I clear my browser data?
Progress is stored in your browser, so clearing browser data or switching to a different browser or device will reset it. If you are signed in, your progress also syncs to your account, so it can be restored when you log back in.
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