How to Use a Place Board
Place boards help your dog stay in one place. But why on earth would you need a fancy piece of dog training equipment when you could just teach your dog a solid stay?
Let’s be honest, though; teaching a dog to stay can be hard work. Most of us end up constantly nagging the dog to “stay, stay, stay…” as we slowly back away and pray that nothing super distracting happens.
“Stay” is also a confusing cue for some dogs. Are they allowed to shift from a sit to a down? Can they scratch their itchy ear?
A place board helps you and your dog agree on what “stay” really means: Plant yourself here and don’t move.
Remember in kindergarten, when you had a little square on a carpet that was your spot? A place board is the same sort of assistance for a fidgety dog! It’s much easier to “stay on the red apple” as a kindergartener than it is to just “stay put,” and our dogs apparently feel the same way.
Not only does a place board offer a clearly defined boundary of where your dog is to remain, but it is also elevated. When a dog is extra-wiggly, the extra 3D definition of a place board comes in handy. I used to teach dogs to stay using ottomans, but a portable place board is so much easier!
Having a portable place board allows you to put your dog in a stay while you set up training scenarios at parks, in the basement, or wherever else you find yourself. It’s extra helpful to have a familiar place for your dog to stay while you’re in distracting areas. Once your pup is properly trained, you can turn your back to reset jumps, distractions, or other training tools while your dog stays on the place board.
A place board becomes your dog’s home base for learning whistle and hand cues, rocketing to you for a recall, and much more. You can also use a place board indoors to help your dog stay put while loading groceries, cooking, cleaning, or otherwise moving around the house when an underfoot dog makes things tricky!
Terrain Dog’s Place Board is topped with outdoor carpet to give your dog extra stability and comfort while staying dry. The lightweight aluminum frame is elevated 5″ and has a helpful handle for easy transportation.
Written by Kayla Fratt