Dog Commands in Portuguese

Many people decide to adopt a dog. However, if your Portuguese isn´t great and you need a crash course on how to talk to (command) your dog in Portuguese, don´t worry because help is at hand.

Getting your dog to sit is one of the first things you will want it to do and that´s simple in Portuguese; it´s senta. Now, when you want your dog to come to you, the command is anda cá, (come here), and when you want them to start walking (come on) the command is anda. Maybe your dog is very keen to get out for a walk and you need to ask them to wait, espera, or to tell them to stay, fica.

So far, so good. Now maybe your dog picked up something that you don´t like the look of so you have to tell them to leave it, so just say deixa! Or, maybe they are jumping up at you or onto the sofa and you don´t like it so say the command, para baixo! (down!).

One of the things many people find with their new dogs is that they often pull on the leash, so you need to tell them não puxe! Don´t pull! If they are getting excited or noisy, try the commands calma or quieto.

When you´re out and about the Portuguese may ask you questions about your dog like: is it a male? É um macho/menino? Or a female? É uma cadela/menina?; does he bite? Ele morde? Or, you may want to explain that your dog was adopted: foi adotado, and that maybe he´s nervous, shy or afraid: ele está nervoso, é tímido, está com medo.