Minecraft wiki entry for Time-saving_tips, associated text: If you use tamed wolves for hunting, and choose not to use the flint and steel trick to pre-cook passive mobs, then one punch to a passive mob will focus your wolves on it, and they will quickly kill it without further effort by you. You can then collect its meat and experience orbs.
If you are building and your wolves are in your way, lead them away from the building and right-click on them to make them sit. They will stay seated in that spot until you right-click on them again.