They can fetch, roll over and play dead. But when it comes to turning on the tap for a drink of water, that's a different story.
Until recently, it was virtually impossible for dogs to turn on taps, but now the invention of a 12-year-old Dunedin schoolgirl has changed that.
Balmacewen Intermediate pupil Caitlyn McMillan has won the 12 and under age group at the 2011 ETITO Bright Sparks Awards for her Water Dog project - a sensor which turns on a tap when her dog, Mishka (11), approaches.
Caitlyn said she came up with the idea after worrying about the Labrador-retriever-cross dehydrating during the day when no-one was home.
"Mishka likes to drink out of the bath tap instead of her dog bowls. It's annoying having to always turn the tap on and off for her.
"It's also not very good for her because she waits for us to come home before drinking, rather than drinking when she needs to."
Set on fixing the problem, Caitlyn created a clever contraption which mimics a bath tap for Mishka to drink from whenever she's thirsty.
Sensors (similar to the ones used to turn on outdoor floodlights) turn on the water when Mishka approaches the device, meaning Caitlyn does not need to be there when her dog is thirsty.
While Caitlyn was delighted with the award, she was just as pleased her invention was helping to keep Mishka happy and healthy.
"Mishka is a family member. She's grown up with me."
