A place command is a command that tells your dog to go to their dog bed, and stay there until you release them with a "break" command.
In this post, you will learn exactly how to keep your dog on place.
Teach the "Place" Dog Command
Teaching a place command is a great idea for any dog who:
- Lacks impulse control
- Lacks accountability
- Is clingy with their people
- Has separation anxiety
- Demand Barks
- Gets overly excited
- Jumps on people
- Pulls on the leash
- Doesn't sit still very well
Place Command
The place command means:
Put all four feet on this surface and hang out until I tell you otherwise.
The best thing about the place command is that when taught correctly, place implies relaxation. So when you teach your dog to place, it should be done with calm and confident energy.
You'll want to start with placing your dog in a controlled environment, like the living room. Then work up to teaching your dog to place when people come to the door, the dog barks or in busy areas like parks.
To get your dog on place, lure them up with the treat and the leash. Give the treat once all four paws are up on the place surface.
Then, hold them accountable to staying on place until you give them the break command.
Dog Training Place Board
You can teach your dog to place on anything that's a raised surface. This way there is a clear boundary for when your dog is on place or off of place.
A bed or surface like one of these two would work perfectly for teaching a dog place.
How Long Should a Dog Stay in Place
When you first start teaching place, you'll probably only have your dog place for a few minutes at a time.
As your dog begins to learn the place command, they'll be able to relax and stay there longer. If done properly, you a dog should be able to stay in a place position up to 90 minutes.
Place vs Stay Command vs Sit
When training your dog, one of the most important things is to be clear on your criteria.
The biggest similarity between these three commands is that they imply duration, meaning you'll need to give your dog a "break" command so they know when to be done sitting, staying or placing.
Sit= Butt on ground, standing on front legs until I tell you otherwise.
Place= Put all four feet on this surface until I tell you otherwise. You can relax.
Stay= Don't come any further until I give the next direction. Keep your attention on me until I give the break command.
These three commands, while similar, give your dog some anticipation about what is coming next and how alert they need to be.
Stay mean something else is probably happening soon, like a break, down, or come command.
Place means your next command will be a "break", so the dog can truly relax and choose to stay on place if they so choose.
And sit just means sit until I tell you otherwise, and anything could happen next.
You should only use a stay command if you don't care if your dog keeps sitting. In other words, stay should not imply sit, but sit should imply stay. Stay can be at the dog's discretion for a stand, sit or lie down.
You can grab the ebook that I give my dog training clients complete with a step by step and FAQs. Plus, you'll get custom support from Liggett Dog Trainer's owner and trainer, Alex, as you work through teaching your dog this command!
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How to Teach Your Dog a Place Command
