The Purpose of Place Training for Dogs: A Complete Guide

What is the Purpose of Place Training a Dog?

Place training is a versatile dog training technique that teaches your dog where to go to earn a reward. This location, known as the "place," can be a place board, a mat, or any defined area you choose. When used effectively, place training offers a clear way to communicate with your dog and manage their behaviour both during training sessions and in everyday life.

Why Place Training Is Effective

The core of place training is simple: you’re teaching your dog that going to a specific spot will lead to positive outcomes, such as a treat, praise, or the opportunity to engage in a favourite activity like retrieving. This clarity in communication is what makes place training so effective.

Key Purposes of Place Training:

• Create Calm in Busy Situations: By teaching your dog to go to a specific location, you can manage their behaviour in environments that might otherwise be overwhelming such as training with distractions, or guests arriving at your house.
• Reinforce Good Behaviour: Place training makes it easy to reward desirable actions, like sitting calmly when guests arrive or staying in one spot while distractions are present.
• Support Advanced Training: Once a dog understands the concept of “place,” the behaviour can be generalized to other areas and used in advanced training scenarios like distance commands or directionals.

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How Place Training Works

Place training is about consistency and clarity. The dog learns that going to a particular spot, whether a dog training platform or a specific mat, leads to rewards. Over time, this becomes a reliable way to guide your dog's behaviour.

The Step-by-Step Process:

1. Introduce the Place Target: Start with a clear target, such as a place board or mat. Encourage the dog to step onto the target and reward them immediately.
2. Associate the Word "Place": Once the dog consistently goes to the target, start using the cue "Place" as they approach it. This reinforces the idea that “Place” means to go to the target.
3. Build Duration and Focus: Gradually increase the time your dog stays on the target before being released. Use rewards to reinforce patience and steadiness.
4. Generalize the Behaviour: Begin practising in different environments and with various types of targets. The goal is for the dog to understand that “Place” can refer to any designated spot.

Everyday Uses of Place Training

Once your dog understands the “place” behaviour, it can be applied to many everyday situations, making your life and your dog’s life easier. Here are some common uses:

1. Calm Greetings with Visitors

When guests arrive, instruct your dog to go to their “place”—a mat, bed, or place board near the entrance. This keeps them calm and prevents them from jumping or getting overly excited.

2. Dining Out with Your Dog

Take a portable mat to a café or restaurant and use it as your dog’s designated spot. This allows your dog to settle and relax in public settings, making dining out together more enjoyable.

3. Managing Household Distractions

Place training can help during busy moments at home, like meal preparation or when the doorbell rings. Send your dog to their “place” to keep them out from underfoot while still feeling included in the action.

Training Benefits Beyond Everyday Life

The advantages of place training go beyond managing day-to-day distractions. It’s a key component in several advanced training scenarios:

1. Steadiness Training

Place training is excellent for reinforcing steadiness. Whether you're practising a sit-stay with distractions or teaching your gundog to remain on the peg during a drive, the concept of “place” helps reinforce focus and impulse control.

2. Distance Handling

Place training builds the foundation for distance commands. You can send your dog to their place from a distance, practising directionals like left, right, or back, which is critical for activities like gundog training or agility.

3. Emergency Stop

Teaching your dog to go to a designated place can help them understand a stop whistle or emergency stop means sitting at a distance.

What Rewards Can Be Used in Place Training?

The beauty of place training is that you can use various rewards depending on what motivates your dog. These can include:

• Food Treats: High-value treats can make the initial training stages more engaging.
• Toys: Dogs who love to play can be rewarded with their favourite toy when they go to their place.
• Working breed dogs: For gundogs, the reward could be a thrown dummy or the opportunity to continue hunting.

Tips for Effective Place Training

• Keep Sessions Short: Maintain short, frequent training sessions to keep your dog motivated. For example, 6-10 repetitions before a break, 3 sets per session. 
• Reward Consistently: Always reward the correct behaviour, especially in the early stages.
• Gradually Add Distractions: As your dog masters the “place” behaviour, increase distractions to build reliability.

Conclusion: Why Place Training Matters

Place training is a simple yet powerful and portable method to manage your dog’s behaviour, improve obedience, and enhance focus. By using a consistent target, whether a place board or mat, you can communicate clearly with your dog, making training more effective and enjoyable. It’s a foundational skill that can be applied in everyday life, obedience work, and advanced gundog training.