Hey, it's Oscar.
If I could only teach a pet owner ONE command, it'd be "place."
Here's why:
You've got visitors coming over. Your dog is jumping all over them. You tell him to go to his place. He goes to his bed, lays down, and chills.
You're at your kid's soccer game. Your dog is pulling on the leash, barking at other dogs. You lay out his place mat, tell him "place," and he relaxes.
You're at home trying to work. Your dog keeps bothering you for attention. You send him to place. He goes to his bed and settles.
Place training gives your dog a job when you need him to chill out.
In today's issue:
What place training actually is (and why it works)
The lure-to-place method (easiest way to teach it)
How to use the recall loop to solidify the command
What I'd do differently now (6 years later)
What Place Training Is:
Place isn't just "sit on a bed."
It's teaching your dog that this specific spot is HIS spot. When he's there, good things happen. Eventually, it becomes a relaxation cue. He WANTS to be on his place.
I use this all the time with pet dogs. Visitors in the house? Place. Dog park? Place. You just need your dog to chill for 20 minutes? Place.
It's one of the most practical commands you can teach.
How to Teach It (Step-by-Step):
Step 1: Lure the Dog Onto the Place
Remember luring from last week? Same concept.
Grab a treat, lure your dog onto his bed (or place mat, elevated cot, whatever you're using).
As soon as all four paws are on the place, mark it with GOOD and reward him.
Then release him with OKAY and let him off.
Repeat.
Lure on → GOOD → reward → OKAY → release off.
Do this 10-15 times in a session. That's it.
Step 2: Only Reward ON the Place
This is critical.
You want to create a very positive experience ON the place. Not off the place.
So when your dog is on his place, he gets rewarded. When he's off, nothing happens.
After 2-3 sessions of this, your dog is going to start jumping on the place by himself. He's figured out: "When I'm on this thing, I get paid."
That's when you start adding the cue.
Step 3: Add the Cue "PLACE"
Once your dog is voluntarily jumping on the place, you can add the word.
Stand next to the place. Wait for your dog to put even one paw on it. Mark it with GOOD. Reward.
If he puts two paws on? GOOD. Reward.
All four paws? GOOD. Reward heavily.
Now say "PLACE" right as he's about to jump on. He jumps on. You mark it. You reward.
You're associating the word "PLACE" with the action of getting on the bed.
The Recall Loop Game (Like Episode 2):
Once your dog understands that the place is valuable, we're going to use the same recall loop we used in episode 2.
Here's how it works:
Dog is on place → say GET IT and toss a treat away
Dog runs to get it
Call him back with PLACE
He jumps back on the place
Mark with GOOD and reward
Repeat.
GET IT (dog runs off) → PLACE (dog jumps back on) → GOOD (reward on place).
This solidifies the command. The dog learns: "When Oscar says PLACE, I jump on my bed. When I do, I get rewarded."
If your dog goes into a down on the place? Pay extra for that. Eventually, you want place to mean: "Get on your bed and relax."
Real-World Applications:
I worked with Chevy, a 1-year-old Ridgeback who belongs to Mike Epps. This dog is very athletic, very strong-willed. Hasn't been the easiest to work with. But you know what? It's part of dog training. Not every dog is easy.
With Chevy, place training became his off-switch. When he's amped up (which is most of the time), I send him to place. He settles. It gives him structure.
That's the beauty of this command. It works on high-energy dogs, anxious dogs, dogs who can't settle on their own.
I'm way more intentional about only rewarding calm behavior on the place
Common Mistakes I See:
Rewarding the dog off the place. You only want to reward ON the place. Otherwise, the dog doesn't understand why the place is special.
Adding the cue too early. Don't say "PLACE" until the dog is already voluntarily jumping on it. Otherwise, the word means nothing to him.
Not using the recall loop to proof it. The recall loop makes the command solid. Without it, your dog might only go to place when he feels like it.
What I'd Do Differently Now (6 Years Later):
I used to teach place in one session and expect it to stick.
Now? I take 3-4 sessions and make it bulletproof.
Session 1: Just luring on and off. High reward rate. Build value.
Session 2: Dog starts jumping on by himself. I reward that heavily.
Session 3: Add the cue. Start the recall loop.
Session 4: Proof it in different locations. Kitchen, living room, backyard.
I also learned that place becomes a relaxation cue if you do it right. Dogs actually WANT to be on their place because they've learned it's a safe, rewarding spot.
So now, I'm way more intentional about only rewarding calm behavior on the place. If the dog is on place but anxious, I don't reward. I wait for him to settle, then reward.
That teaches him: "Place = calm down."
Your Action Step This Week:
Grab a bed, mat, or elevated cot. Start luring your dog onto it.
Lure on → GOOD → reward → OKAY → release off
Do 10-15 reps
Only reward when your dog is ON the place
After 2-3 sessions, he'll start jumping on by himself. That's when you add the word "PLACE."
This is one of those commands that makes your life so much easier. Trust me.
That’s it for now.
NEXT WEEK:
Next week is the final episode in this series. I'm breaking down [Video 5 topic]. This is where everything comes together.
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- Oscar Mora