Múin Gaeilge do do Mhadra
Teach your dog Irish
Seven core commands. No fluency required — your dog has never once judged your fada placement, and won’t start now.
01
Suí
Sit
“SEE”
The easiest first word — most dogs already know the hand signal, so they'll connect it to the new sound fast.
02
Fan
Stay
“FAHN”
Short and sharp, easy to say firmly without sounding like you're scolding.
03
Tar anseo
Come here
“TAR an-SHUH”
Say it warm and a little high-pitched — recall words work best when they sound like good news.
04
Cois
Heel
“KWISH”
Some Gaeltacht speakers say lúb instead — both are used, so don't worry about picking the “wrong” one.
05
Stad
Stop
“STAHD”
Useful right at a road crossing on a walk — one syllable, easy to shout.
06
Maith an madra
Good dog
“MAH un MOD-ruh”
You'll also hear maith an mhadra (“MAH un WOD-ruh”) — the softened mh- is normal Irish grammar, not a typo.
07
Siúlóid!
Walk time!
“SHOO-lohd”
The word every dog already knows in some language — swap it in and watch the reaction stay exactly the same.
Why start here
Repetition without homework
A dog owner saying “suí” to their dog ten times a day is more language exposure than a weekly class — and it doesn't feel like studying.
Once you and your dog have a few of these down, the natural next step is a group walk where people use a bit of Irish along the way. That directory is coming — get in touch on the contact page if you’d like to help start one in your area.