Next Level Moves: Teaching Your Dog 'Back', 'Around', and 'Place'
Published on: 5/7/2025
Expanding Your Dog's Skillset: Back, Around, & Place
Once you and your dog have a good grasp of the basics, it's incredibly rewarding to explore more advanced commands. They aren’t just fancy commands — messages such as “Back” (move backward), “Around” (circle around an object) and “Place” (go to a specific area) are super useful for daily life and are all about building our dogs’ “thinking skills.” They’re enjoyable to teach while adding to your understanding of each other. I love the lightbulb moment of when my dog solves a new challenge
These cues are the natural progression of building your dog’s response to cues, supporting your dog’s body awareness, and providing you with another option to maneuver your dog safely and politely in any given situation. As with all training, we’ll focus on positive step-by-step methods.
Why Teach These Advanced Commands?
Beyond the fun factor, these commands have real utility:
"Back" for Space & Safety
Politely moves your dog away from doorways, out from underfoot in the kitchen, or back from a threshold.
"Around" to Navigate
Useful for directing your dog around obstacles on walks, in dog sports like agility, or even for fun "go find" games.
"Place" for Calm & Management
Sends your dog to a designated mat or bed, teaching them to settle calmly. Great for when guests arrive or during mealtimes.
Foundations First!
Before tackling these, ensure your dog has a good understanding of basic obedience cues, solid focus and eye contact, and knows that good things happen (like treats!) when they respond to your guidance.
Teaching "Back" (Move Backward)
The goal is for your dog to take steps backward in a relatively straight line on cue.
Lure or Shape
Luring: Hold a treat near their nose and slowly move it towards their chest, encouraging them to step back. Mark ("Yes!") and reward any backward movement, even one step.
Shaping: You can also use a narrow hallway or space between furniture. As you step towards them, they may naturally back up. Mark and reward this.
Add the Cue
Once they're reliably taking a step or two back, start saying your verbal cue (e.g., "Back," "Scoot") just before you lure or encourage the movement. Pair with a clear hand signal (like pushing your palm towards them).
Increase Steps & Fade Lure
Gradually ask for more backward steps before rewarding. Start reducing your lure, relying more on the verbal cue and hand signal. You can learn about extending duration and distance in our other guides.
Teaching "Around" (Circle an Object)
This teaches your dog to circle an object (like a cone, tree, chair leg, or even you!).
Choose an Object & Lure
Start with a clearly visible object. Hold a treat and lure your dog in a circle around the object. Reward when they complete the circle.
Add the Cue & Fade Lure
As they understand the motion, say "Around!" just as you start the lure. Use a sweeping hand signal around the object. Gradually make your lure less obvious until they respond to the cue and signal alone.
Generalize
Practice with different objects, in different locations, and sending them both clockwise and counter-clockwise around things.
Teaching "Place" (Go to Mat/Bed)
The "Place" command teaches your dog to go to a specific mat or bed and stay there until released. It's incredibly useful for management and teaching calm.
Make the Mat Valuable
Start by tossing treats onto the mat. When your dog steps on it to get the treats, mark ("Yes!") and add more treats. Build a positive association with the mat.
Lure and Add Cue
Lure your dog onto the mat. As they step on, say "Place!" (or "Mat," "Bed"). Reward them on the mat.
Build Duration & Distance
Gradually ask them to stay on the mat for longer periods. Start sending them to the mat from a short distance away, then increase the distance. This is similar to boundary training.
Add a Release Cue
Teach a release word (like "Okay!" or "Free!") so your dog knows when they are allowed to leave the mat.
Tips for Success with Advanced Commands
Keep Sessions Short & Fun: Always Finish with a Positive Note. Remember why short sessions are most effective and think about incorporating playtime. Don't risk overtraining.
High-Value Rewards: Especially at first, take advantage of treats your dog can’t resist.
Break it Down: If your dog had trouble, make the step smaller. Check out our guide on dealing with setbacks.
Stay Consistent: Use the same commands and signals, every time. Consistency is key!
Proof in Different Locations: Once solid at home, practice in new environments with managed distractions.
Closing Words – How to Build a Jack Of All Trades Dog!
Teaching your dog advanced commands like "Back," "Around," and "Place" does more than add several cool tricks to her toolbox — it also enhances the way you communicate with one another and the bond you share. These cues provide useful problem-solving opportunities and can be an awesome way to keep training interesting and fun for you both. Just hang in there, keep a positive attitude and celebrate the little victories along the way!
Back, Around, Place = Handy!
These commands are all about safety, control, and your dog's ability to move through the world politely.
Positivity & Consistency Wins!
Dissect each command, give explicit cues, reward frequently, and use persistence for success.
