Why you should add “Go To Place” to your dog training list.
“Go to your place” is a common cue, one type of what trainer’s call “stationing,” which is asking a dog to sit or stand still in a specific spot. The spot can be a mat, a dog bed, or a platform, and you can send a dog there with the cue “Go to your place.” The specific spot you want your dog to be in can even be a position relative to a person; one form of stationing is to simply have your dog stand right in front of you. It’s common to train dogs to perform more than one stationing (or “place”) behavior.
People commonly send their dog to a bed (or mat, blanket, or crate) for many reasons. One of the most common is when people come to the door; this form of stationing positions the dog away from the door and helps her remain calm when visitors come in. It’s also helpful in other contexts. Perhaps the family is having dinner, playing charades with guests, or even cleaning the floor. All of these scenarios are easier and more relaxed if the dog is safely enjoying some quiet time on her bed, which is why “Go to your place” is so popular.
One nice thing about having a dog who knows to go to her place when asked is that the “place” is portable (as long as you train her to do it in multiple locations). So, if you’re in a vet’s waiting room, you can ask your dog to go to her place (a blanket, perhaps) and have her lie down by your feet on her blanket. Or, if you’re in a hotel or visiting relatives, you can ask her to go to her crate, which will be familiar and comforting to her. Being able to send a dog to a place to relax and have that “place” be flexible offers a lot of options to make life simple and easy in a variety of situations that could otherwise be stressful or hectic for both you and your dog.
Chief is learning ‘Go To Place’ right here at Poochie’s in our Lil Scout’s 1on1 program. You can see the difference between session 1 and 2. On session 1 Chief is introduced to the concept for the first time, on session 2, a little more time and distance is introduced to the learned concept of siting and laydown on his bed. With more practice, he should be able to stay on his “place” even if his parents leave the room. Check out Chief’s training videos:
We’d love to help your dog learn a skill and make a video for you too! Only $28 with Boarding/DayCamp Click here to learn all the training offerings at Lil’ Scouts – Poochies (poochiespark.com)