- Oct 16, 2025
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I will document my training efforts with Murphy in this channel. Expect sporadic updates.
To begin, here is a list of Murphy's current commands. I know I was quoted as saying she knows 50, commands, but that depends on how one defines a 'command'. Are verbal, touch signals, and hand signals one command? I don't know. There's a legend at the bottom.
Command List*
Updated 10/18/2025
Update 10/22/2025
Obedience
v = verbal command
h = hand signal
t = touch command
d = at a distance
c = chinese
I swear when I first put together this list there was only 30 commands on it and over the last week my husband and I have remembered so many other commands that we have hit 45 commands.
To begin, here is a list of Murphy's current commands. I know I was quoted as saying she knows 50, commands, but that depends on how one defines a 'command'. Are verbal, touch signals, and hand signals one command? I don't know. There's a legend at the bottom.
Command List*
Updated 10/18/2025
Update 10/22/2025
Obedience
- Sit (v, h, t, d, c) [Murphy knows three hand signals for this because she has had four different people train her]
- Down (v, h, t, d) [Murphy knows two hand signals, and will do this command if I tap my foot twice on the ground.]
- Touch (v, h, d)
- Come (v, h, d, c)
- Emergency Recall (v, d)
- No Bark (v, h)
- Heel (v, h, d) [right and left side, tapping side of thigh twice]
- Focus (v, h)
- Stay (v, h, d) [do not move until released]
- Wait (v, h, d) [focus, will be released momentarily]
- Up (v, h) [sit from a down or stand from a sit]
- Back Up (v, h, d)
- Off (v, d) [same as leave it]
- Leave It (v, d)
- Potty (v) [eliminate on command]
- Water (v, h) [drink water on command]
- Take it (v, h)
- Give it (v, h)
- Drop it (v, h)
- Kennel (v)
- Kiss me (v)
- Spin (v, h) [Murphy will spin in the direction you circle in the air (clock or counterclockwise)]
- Off (v, h) [jump off of a platform]
- On (v, h) jump onto a platform
- Speak (v, h) [Murphy knows three handsignals for this because I'm inconsistent]
- Jump (v, h, d) [verticle]
- Roll over (v, h, d)
- Shake (v, h)
- Stand (v, h)
- Upstairs (v, h)
- Downstairs (v, h)
- Inside (v)
- Outside (v)
- Pets (h) [This is a hand signal asking permission to pet her. She almost never declines
]
- Hoop (v, h) [jump through a hoop]
- Frisbee [I consider catching a frisbee to be a trick because she can catch two frisbees in succession that i throw at the same time.]
- Howl (v)
- Jump (v, h) [timed, over an object]
- Go Away (v) [turn and walk away]
- Door (v, h, d, c) [Murphy can open and close doors with her paws, as well as opening fridge doors that have ropes or clothes tied around the handle. She can open lever doors, but she cannot open round door knobs.]
- Light (v, h, d) [Murphy can turn lights off with her paws]
- Find It (v) [Murphy has proven to be able to find a wide variety of scents over a distance of a square mile (I have not tried anything further because I was tired of walking that far to hide the items) Items she has found: sardines, liver treats, my husband, my child, myself, scented cotton balls]
- Pressure (v, h) [Deep Pressure Therapy]
- Medication Reminders (none) [it wouldn't be a reminder if i gave her a cue. She cues me with barking]
- Anxiety Alert (none) [It wouldn't be an alert if I gave her a cue. She cues me with DPT]
v = verbal command
h = hand signal
t = touch command
d = at a distance
c = chinese
I swear when I first put together this list there was only 30 commands on it and over the last week my husband and I have remembered so many other commands that we have hit 45 commands.
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