I’m impressed that my high-energy, easily distracted weimaraner is really good at the “stay” command. Well, at least by my “Remy” standards. He has an intense drive for work, so when he’s been given the right kind of challenge he becomes incredibly focused.

Today I want to focus a bit more on the “place” command. It’s essentially the same as “stay” but it’s a way to tell your dog to “stay on this exact, specific thing.” With advanced training, you can even send your dog to that “place” from a distance.

That “thing” could be a dog bed, a rug, a blanket or whatever. Most people like to choose something that’s easily transportable like a towel or a mat. In our case, a good example is our portable dog cot from Carlson Pet Products, the sponsor of this post.

Carlson Portable Dog Cot for teaching your dog “place”

Why should you teach the “place” command?

The “place” command is handy for when you need your dog to remain in one spot. For example, when you have guests at the door, you could tell your dog “place” and he would know to go to his bed or mat. Or maybe you’re just focused on something and you need your dog to leave you alone for 5 minutes.

One of the benefits of teaching “place” in addition to the more general “stay” command is you can take your dog’s bed or mat with you when you’re traveling. Having that physical item helps your dog remain calm in different areas because that “place” is already part of his training routine/habit. Of course, it takes lots of practice and reinforcement over time.

The best example I have that is similar is when I say “kennel” my dog instantly drops what he’s doing and makes a beeline for his kennel without thinking! He’s like a looney tunes character “spinning his tires” so fast he’s practically running in place on our hard floors.

He knows he’ll get fed in his kennel or he’ll get a bully stick or at the very least a treat. So he goes there when asked. Every. Single. Time. No questions asked. It’s by far his most reliable command, and as I write this I’m realizing how beneficial it would be to get to this level with his “place” command as well.

In this post, I wanted to show you a couple examples of how the “place” command can come in handy during your outdoor adventures with your dog. For more info, see my post on how to teach your dog the place command.

And here is a short (1 min) video we made on teaching this command:

Using the “place” command during family picnics

When everyone is enjoying their food and you don’t want your dog right there ready to snatch potato salad off Grandma’s plate, you can tell your dog “place.”

We brought our dogs to a family reunion last summer, which involved a lot of family meals outdoors. I had to tether Remy to a fence so he wouldn’t bother anyone and he ended up barking and making a scene.

Teaching your dog “place” is much easier because when you reach that level of training the “place” is almost like a reward on its own. When your dog is trained to go to his “place” he knows to anticipate a treat.

Even if you still have to put a leash on your dog or tether him, having that “place” will help him understand he is expected to wait in one spot. If you’ve worked on “place” dozens and dozens of times, it should eventually become a positive experience for your dog where he anticipates a reward.

Using the “place” command during camping

Although camping is actually a ton of work, I always remember the relaxing moments the most. Sitting around the campfire, sticking my feet in the creek, reading in a hammock.

Therefore, having a “place” for my hyped-up weimaraner to just chill helps ME relax. I get more enjoyment out of camping with my little gray maniac.

More importantly, sometimes you just need to keep your dog out of the way while you’re setting up your tent, making food or building a fire.

The Carlson pet cot is awesome when you don’t have to hike far to your campsite. It’s a great option for giving your dog a “place” while you do what you need to do.

 

Working on “place” today, kind of like stay except it means “stay here on this specific thing.” With advanced training, you can also send the dog to a “place” from a distance. A specific “place” helps this wild child understand where I want him to relax for a few. The struggle is real, he says. Portable dog cot from our sponsor @carlsonpetproducts & sport harness from @mightypawdogs

A post shared by That Mutt (@thatmuttcom) on Jul 16, 2018 at 12:43pm PDT

Last summer we camped in an area known to have rattlesnakes. When we first arrived at the site, we didn’t want Remy running around like a free-for-all right startling any snakes. And yes, we did see a rattler immediately!

We needed to keep Remy still and in one spot while we got our site situated. We didn’t have our Carlson cot along for that trip, but this would’ve been a perfect scenario where we could’ve used it to show Remy where we needed him to be.

Plus, the Carlson Portable Dog Cot is nice for camping in general because it keeps your dog off the cold ground for sleeping. You could place your dog’s bed or sleeping bag on top of the cot if you wanted.

The “place” command helps me get photos!

I like having a “place” for my dog to help him stay still for photos.

Teaching a reliable “stay” command in general is important, but teaching your dog “place” as in “stay on this specific thing” is also helpful. Like I shared with my “kennel” example, the “place” itself can almost become like a reward for your dog if you reinforce it enough.

So, using a portable cot for your “place” command can be helpful for getting outdoor photos of your dog. For my hyper dog, having a “place” really helps him stay still and focused while I obsessively take Instagram photos… because he knows the treats will be coming!

More about the Carlson Pet Products Portable Dog Cots

We have a large portable dog cot from Carlson Pet Products that is 48” L x 26” W x 9” H. It is sturdy but lightweight and folds up into a fraction of its size. The cot reminds me of a portable camping chair, only shorter. It takes 1 second to set up and comes with its own carry bag for travel.

ORDER A PORTABLE DOG COT HERE

The cots come in green, red, gray or tan and they come in 2 sizes. The small size is 26”L x 26” W x 9” H.

Please share this post if it will help someone you know!

-Lindsay