It’s become one of those buzzwords in the dog training world lately. You’ll see it everywhere online, dogs sitting calmly on raised beds while the family cooks dinner, answers the door, eats meals, trains other dogs… you name it.
And while there is a lot of hype around it, there’s also a lot of value in it when it’s done properly.
As a nationally accredited dog trainer, “place” is something I use regularly in my training programs, but probably not in the way social media often portrays it.
At its core, place training simply means teaching your dog to settle on a designated spot until released.
That might be a bed, mat, platform or towel.
Simple concept.
But incredibly powerful when used well.
What we love about place training is that it gives dogs clear structure and clarity. Dogs thrive when they understand what’s expected of them. Instead of constantly correcting unwanted behaviours (jumping on guests, hovering around the kitchen, pacing, barking at the door), we can show them what to do instead.
It becomes a calm default behaviour.
But there are a few important things people don’t always talk about.
Place training is not a magic fix.
It won’t replace proper exercise, enrichment, socialisation or other training.
It won’t solve anxiety, frustration or behavioural issues on its own.
And it definitely shouldn’t be used as a way to simply “park” a dog all day.
When we teach place properly, we’re building:
• impulse control
• calmness around stimulation
• the ability to settle
• clearer communication between dog and owner
And most importantly, we build it gradually and fairly.
We start with short durations, reward calm behaviour, and slowly add distractions as the dog understands the task.
No rushing. No unrealistic expectations.
Some dogs take to it quickly.
Others need more time and support.
That’s normal.
When used correctly, place training can be an incredibly helpful life skill for dogs and their owners. It creates calm in busy households and gives dogs a clear job to do in situations where they might otherwise struggle.
Not hype.
Just good training when done right.
If you’d like help teaching your dog calm, practical life skills like this, our private training sessions are designed to give you clear, realistic strategies that work in the real world.