My dogs go crazy when the doorbell rings, whether it be one of my kid’s friends or the UPS man. Can you relate? Screaming and yelling at the dogs to be quiet and go lay down… all while we “welcome” our guests in.
Not such a welcoming even is it? It’s embarrassing when your dogs are naughty, at least that’s how I felt. Until we started place training for our dogs. The Dog Place Command was a total game changer for us.
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Most of us think about sit, stay, and down as the basic training commands to teach our dog. But in my opinion place training for dogs should be at the top of your list of training.
The PLACE command is simply training your dog to go to a specific place, such as a dog bed, mat, raised platform or a place board. Some people will say “go to your bed”. Keep in mind that a simple “go lay down” is not the same as a PLACE.
We have multiple areas that we use as the dogs “place”. For the most part, their “place” is their dog bed. Although, I really want to buy a nice dog training place board. And for feeding time, we use the kitchen rugs.
Other names for the place command could be “go to bed” or “mat training”. It all means the same thing, stay in this spot until I release you.
The place command can be useful in so many situations. You can have your dog go to his place anytime you need to keep him out of trouble. Here are just a few examples:
[Related: If you need help training your dog, you may also want to read
How to Find the Perfect Dog Trainer.]
Here is a great video from SolidK9 Dog Training showing the Place Command in Action:
Leave a comment below and let me know if you will be training your dog the place command. I always reply to comments, so let’s start a conversation… it could help someone else with a similar problem or question.
P.S. We simply use our dog beds in our living room, but many trainers will recommend a place board or training mat so your dog has a clear understanding of the boundaries. I admit, our dogs will sneak a paw, and sometimes try to squirm their way off the bed. But honestly, I’m happy as long as they are touching the bed 🙂
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Debi McKee is a mom of three kids, two dogs and the creator of Rescue Dogs 101... where she guides you in your journey of adopting and raising a rescue dog every step of the way. She also volunteers for a local dog rescue and Humane Society.