03/09/2024
Yes!!! 👏👏
The Importance of the "Place" Command: How to Raise a Well-Behaved Dog
The "Place" command, whether you call it “go to bed,” “spot,” “park it,” or “go lay down,” is a crucial tool in teaching your dog to go to a designated area, lay down, and calm down. In our home, we use this command daily for a variety of reasons, and it has become an essential part of managing our dog’s behavior, especially around our young daughter.
For instance, pictured below: My 14-week-old Labrador, Alfred, was eagerly testing boundaries, getting his nose into my toddler’s hand, and even putting his paws up on her table during her lunch. While he’s still learning, it was the perfect opportunity to reinforce our rules and boundaries—no begging and no stealing food from people even when easy targets like my toddler are present!
By using the "Place" command, I was able to redirect Alfred’s focus to his bed while she ate. Although he remained interested in her food (understandably so, since he's still learning), he stayed on his designated spot. As he grows more familiar with this command, we’ll gradually increase the duration, the distance away in the bed and add more challenging distractions, reinforcing calm and controlled behavior.
Training sessions like these aren’t always perfect. This session over the weekend required plenty of patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement. However, Alfred eventually relaxed and lay down on his bed, which was a small but significant victory. Training should always be engaging and fun, with lots of treats and praise to motivate your pup.
The key takeaway here is that whatever behavior you want from your adult dog, you need to start reinforcing it when they’re a puppy. Remember, you’re not just raising a puppy—you’re raising a future adult dog. Consistent rules and expectations from day one will help ensure your dog grows into a well-mannered companion.
If you have a puppy or know someone who could benefit from tips like these, follow our journey with Alfred as he learns and grows. Let’s raise great dogs together!
