How To: Place & Stay

Stay is something owners often ask me to teach their dogs and Place is a skill I recommend to many of my clients because of the practical uses in the home. So why am I including them in the same “how to”? Stay and Place are actually trained in nearly the exact same way. The main difference between the two is that Place has the added step of the dog going to a particular spot, whereas Stay is typically done after the dog has been put in a stationary position such as “down”. 

Sending to Place

Step 1: Choosing a Place

When choosing what you want to use as your dog’s Place, it’s important to take a few factors into consideration. The first being location. You want your dog’s Place to be out of the way so that the dog isn’t underfoot, but easily accessible so that your dog has a higher chance of success when you send them to their Place. I will usually try to pick an area in the living room such as a corner, in front of the entertainment center, or under a window. These areas are typically out of the way but easily accessible for both you and the dog.
The second important thing to consider is what type of Place you’re sending them to. I will usually suggest a raised cot, a bed with well defined edges, or a specific place on the couch. I prefer things with well defined edges so that the dog understands exactly what the boundaries are when on Place.

Step 2: Getting on Place

Grab some treats or kibble and make your way over to the dog’s place. Placing the food directly in front of your dog’s nose, lure them onto the Place. As soon as they have their paws on their Place, reward them in that position then toss a treat away to reset them. Repeat this several times until your dog is no longer relying on the lure to get on to the Place. During this stage, don’t try to add in a cue. It will only frustrate you when the dog doesn’t understand what you’re asking for.

Tip: When you toss the treat to reset, start adding a release cue. This cue will be what you give your dog to release them from their Place. Having a release cue helps avoid any miscommunication between the handler and the dog about how long the dog is expected to remain on Place.

Step 4: Adding a Stationary Position

When teaching our dogs to stay in a spot, it’s easier for the dog to be successful when they’re in a stationary position such as sitting or laying down. If your dog already knows these behaviors, you can simply give them the cue and reward them for the position while they’re on Place. If your dog doesn’t have one of these behaviors, you’re going to use your lure again.
To get your dog to sit, lift the lure so that their nose points upwards. This will encourage their rear to drop towards the ground. As soon as their rear touches the ground, reward them. To get your dog to down, lure their nose down towards the ground between their paws. Reward them as soon as their elbows touch the ground. Some dogs may not be comfortable with laying all the way down right away, so you may have to break it into smaller pieces by rewarding them for any downward motion and gradually build towards getting them all the way down. You don’t have to have either the sit or down solid and paired with a cue to use it in your place training. All you need is for your dog to understand what you’re asking for.
To build these stationary positions on Place, give your dog the Place cue. Once they’re on Place, lure them into the position you want them in and reward. Do this several times in quick succession. Once you feel like your dog has an idea of what they’re supposed to do, send them to Place and count to 3 to give them the chance to try it on their own, then lure if they don’t offer the behavior. Repeat until the dog is going to Place and immediately going into the desired stationary position.

The next steps for Place are the same for Stay.

Teaching Stay

Step 1: Stationary Position

Choose a stationary position to start your dog in. For this, your dog should have a good understanding of the cue and behavior they’re expected to perform.

Tip: Practice using a release cue with your dog to teach them when they’re allowed to leave their stationary position. Give the release cue, then toss a treat away. Having a release cue helps avoid any miscommunication between the handler and the dog about how long the dog is expected to remain in their stationary position.

Step 3: Creating Distance - Walking Away

Once you’ve reached a distance you’re happy with, it’s time to switch to walking away from your dog with your back to them. This is more difficult than when you back away because they naturally want to follow you. By practicing with backing away first we give them a better idea of what the expectation is.
Put your dog in their stationary position and stand beside them facing the direction you want to walk. Take one step forward, then step back to your original position to reward the dog. Gradually increase the amount of steps. When adding distance, if your dog stands or tries to follow, return them to their stationary position and go a slightly shorter distance so your dog has a successful repetition before trying to continue increasing the distance. Always reward your dog in their stationary position and release them after you return to them. Once you feel your dog understands what the expectations are, you can add the cue.

Step 5: Generalize

Once your dog understands the cue in one area, it’s time to try it in other places. Every time you change something about the situation you must start from the beginning. Dog’s don’t generalize well so it’s important to break things down when practicing a skill in a new area. You should also practice sitting in a chair and getting up from a seat to prepare your dog for every day occurrences. Utilize a long line when practicing in an un-fenced area for safety.

Tip: If you want to work on practicing Place or Stay out of sight, do exactly like you did when creating distance. Keep it short and easy, gradually increasing the amount of time you’re out of the dog’s sight before rewarding. Do not release your dog from their stationary position when you are out of sight. Keep it short, keep it fun.