Place
Place is a command that tells the dog to go somewhere and stay there. It’s typically a raised platform of some kind or a dog bed or mat.
Overview
Place serves many functions. It’s a great resource when there’s a knock on the door and you need your dog to do something. They can go to their place. This gives them something to do and keeps them calm and comfortable like a kennel.
Once they generalize that wherever you point after you say place is the thing they should go to, it can be used to get them into your car, or to lay on a mat at a restaurant, etc.
It’s also a great training tool for teaching dogs basic obedience on and the implied stay, which is why I like to teach it early on.
Videos
Teaching Place and Off
Learn how to teach Place and Off at the same time.
How to Teach Place
Steps
Phase 1 - Acquisition (Learning and Luring)
Lure onto the Place: Guide your dog onto the place, marking and rewarding when all four paws are on it. If needed, start by marking when just one paw touches.
Coax or Use Terminal Marker: Either coax them off the place or use a terminal marker, ensuring they leave to get the reward.
Fade the Lure: Once they start going to the place with minimal guidance, remove the treat and continue using the motion to lure.
Shape the Hand Signal: Turn your hand lure into a hand signal. Once they respond 5/5 times, name the behavior.
*I also like to teach “Off” at the same time so I will typically lure them off and mark and reward them when the last paw touches the ground. See the “Off” documentation.
Phase 2 - Automatic (Motivation)
Add the Command: Say “Place,” then use the hand cue. Mark and reward when all four paws are on the place. Once they reliably respond to the cue, move to the next phase.
Introduce “Off”: At this stage, you can also say “Off” and use a hand cue to get them to leave the place.
Phase 3 - Generalization (Distractions)
As well as using some of the other generalization techniques such as different locations. It’s also important to practice distance. You’ve been next to the place this whole time and now the dog needs to learn to go away from you to a place from a greater distance and also when they aren’t even near you.
Increase Distance: Step back from your dog and the place-bed and say “Place,” following it with your cue. If they don’t go, use a lure and walk them there. Mark and reward when they’re on the place.
Add Variability: Practice with the dog not directly next to you, such as off to the side or between you and the place. Practice with you sitting on the couch or near the front door. Stay consistent with the command, cue, lure, and reward. You may need to walk toward them and help them get to the place as they adjust to the new position.
Week 1 Homework
Practice Phase 1 (luring) every day 1-3x a day.
Once you’ve had a couple of successful luring sessions, try pointing instead of luring. Slowly shaping a hand signal that you do while standing straight up and not needing your hand directly in the dogs face.
By the end of the week you should easily have a dog that goes to Place and Off, if not distracted, every time you signal with your hand.
Remember to try to remove the food from your hand lure as soon as possible.
Week 2 Homework
If your dog will go to place on the hand signal 5/5 times then you can start saying “Place” before you give the hand signal.
Practice the steps in Phase 2 every day 1-3x a day.
The goal at the end of this week is to have your dog go to place on either the verbal or physical hand signal without food in your hands.
Week 3 Homework
Continue asking your dog to “Place” with either verbal or visual cues. They should respond equally well to each one.
Don’t hesitate to HELP them with a hand signal after your verbal command if they are distracted or confused.
Start fading the treats (intermittent reinforcement) when they are responding to the verbal command most of the time without needing help.
Start working on generalizing the “Place” by practicing the steps in Phase 3. Go back to 100% reinforcement in any new or distracting environment.
You may also be able to work on the implied stay if they are responding well to the verbal command.
Week 4 Homework
Start asking for “Place” randomly throughout the day or after a knock on the door.
Continue to work on saying the command only once, then following up with hand signal if they need help. Repeating yourself is not helping.
Continue practicing the implied stay and creating distance and duration.
The goal at the end of this week is to have a dog that understands “Place” means to go climb onto the object you are pointing at and stay there until released. Try for a 1 minute place-stay while you walk 5-10 feet away.
Week 5 Homework…and Beyond
You will continue to help them generalize “Place” and to work in more and more distracting environments.