Apollo | Pit Bull Mix | Mission Viejo, CA | In-Training
- Scott Hansen
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Meet Apollo! Apollo is an almost three-year old Pit Bull Mix here for our Old-School Three-Week Board and Train Program. Apollo is a nice pup; however, he does display several unwanted behaviors. Apollo has poor leash manners, will not recall, and has unreliable obedience. Apollo can perform a command or two with proper motivation; however, he lacks structure and performs tasks inconsistently. Over the next twenty-one days, Apollo is going to learn to be an obedient pup through consistent, clear communication and balanced training at home and by discovering new people and places. Apollo will learn to perform all these things on and off leash through a positive and balanced training environment. Through structure and consistency, Apollo will demonstrate how great a pup he can be! Stay tuned for Apollo’s three-week transformation!
Apollo | Pit Bull Mix | Pupdate 05/03/26
Today, Mr. Apollo joined me for his Three-Week-Old-School Board and Train Program. On the way home, we stopped at a local park to see what commands Mr. Apollo could perform. He did ok but not great! He kept trying to pull me everywhere, but I held on for dear life. He did poop almost immediately out of the car, likely due to stress. I think you know all that, and that's why he's here. After I tested his skills, we had a mini photoshoot for his profile picture for his blog. I don't know if you know this, but as soon as dogs see a phone or camera in front of their face, you are now invisible to them, and they must ignore you at all costs. Once we got what we needed, we loaded up and headed to Mr. Apollo's temporary residence for the next three weeks. Overall, Mr. Apollo had no issues with the car ride. He did whine a little bit, but by the time we were on the freeway home, he was fine.
Once we got home, I let Mr. Apollo smell Ms. Toji and Mr. Wayne through the front gate. Ms. Toji and Mr. Wayne were excited to see Mr. Apollo. Mr. Apollo showed a happy interest in the pups. More skeptical interest if anything. Mr. Apollo had no problems coming to the house. I let him explore each room and meet everyone. Throughout the introductions, Mr. Apollo showed no adverse reactions. He was apprehensive of the new environment if anything. I took Mr. Apollo outside to meet Ms. Toji and Mr. Wayne. Mr. Apollo was apprehensive about the introductions, but he let the pups check him out. I think Mr. Apollo and Ms. Toji will be fine hanging out with each other.
We then went on a long walk around the block so that he could get used to the sights, sounds, and scents of his temporary new neighborhood. He had no issues with walking around the block. He was super interested in all the usual dog spots around the neighborhood. He made sure to smell every bush, tree, and item he could. He pooped again on this walk, but once again, likely due to the stimulation of the new environment. He ignored all the other dogs in the houses that barked at us as we went around.
I expect to see him work well with the structure and positive reinforcement. We will be using the prong collar with him, and this should help make it clear that those behaviors are unacceptable. With clear, persistent communication and expectations, he will learn to be a well-mannered pup!
I gave him dinner and observed how much he ate. He didn’t eat it, but I’ll leave it for him to eat later. I keep track of his weight and will ensure that he maintains his weight while he is with me.
I've attached the e-collar familiarization video. Please review the video a few times before Mr. Apollo's turnover. We'll practice together to make sure you are comfortable with the system before using it with Mr. Apollo. I will introduce the prong collar and e-collar for tomorrow’s training.
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