the “place” command- good for dogs who need to relax but don’t know how to… Written on May 11, 2010, by marlene.

WHAT IS THE “PLACE” COMMAND?

Place is taught on a mat and it is basically a crate with out walls for your dog. This command is taught using the down command on the mat. When he knows it as a command you can put his mat anywhere in the house or even take it with you places. Remember: when starting any command get your dog in a working frame of mind by doing his basic obedience.

STEPS TO TEACH THE “PLACE” COMMAND:

Place your mat next to a wall. You can use the wall as an ally, meaning one side the dog can’t be released from. This will give you an advantage.

Start out anywhere in the room on leash and “heel” or “let’s go” your dog over the mat so he is between the wall and you.

If he is afraid to go over the mat, (remember to motivate) do this 3-4x until he is comfortable. Get him comfortable walking across it so he ignores the mat and pays attention to you.

If he is hesitant, repeat step 3 again.

When he is comfortable, release the dog and allow him to sniff the mat until he really does not show interest in the mat.

Now go back to the “heel” or “let’s go” command and stop when the dog is on the mat. Give him the “sit” command. Repeat this step until he sits automatically.

While he is in the “sit” give him the hand signal for the “down” command. Do not use the verbal command for down. Say “good place” when he is down on the mat.

You want to say “good place” very often, slowly and with emphasis to engrain it in his brain.

If he gets off of the place, you must correct him back into the down on the mat with “no. place” (plus leash correction).

To release from place command use “okay” or another command.

TEACHING “GO TO PLACE” (from longer distances)

Start out with your dog in a “Let’s Go”. When you are near the mat, point toward the mat saying “Place”.

If your dog doesn’t go to the mat, step through so he goes onto the mat. If he looks unsure, motivate him.

When he goes on the mat, he must go into the down position. When he does this successfully, praise him (good place).

Now you can progress to giving the command from further distances. However, start from only 6-12 inches away because you want him to be successful especially when learning.

When he is doing well, gradually increase the distance to 6-8 feet away. Remember to follow him to the mat.

When he is doing well from these further distances, start dropping the leash and sending him to his place but start again from a short distance and use your body language as a guide.

When he knows to go to place from anywhere in the room you are ready to add distractions.

If he breaks the Place Command or does not go to place, you must correct him over to it with the leash correction (using “no, place”).

Calmly praise any improvements along the way. Keep practicing- this command has more steps than the average command, so you’ll need patience and determination.

Good luck!

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