Bailey | Husky Mix | Alhambra, Ca | In-Training
- wendyoffleashsocal
- Jan 11
- 12 min read
Updated: Jan 24
Meet Bailey! Bailey is a 3-year-old Husky mix from Alhambra, California, and he’s here for our Two-Week Board & Train Program.
Bailey is a sweet pup who already knows a few basic commands, but he tends to pull on walks and gets easily distracted—especially by squirrels! Over the next 14 days, we’ll be focusing on building better leash manners, improving obedience, and strengthening his ability to stay focused around distractions.
Through consistent guidance, clear communication, and balanced training—both at home and while exploring new people and environments—Bailey will be working toward becoming a well-mannered, obedient companion. With structure and consistency, Bailey will get the opportunity to show just how great of a pup he can be.
Stay tuned for Bailey’s two-week transformation!
Pupdate 1/11/26
Welcome to Bailey’s First Pupdate!
Today, after pick-up, we spent some time walking and getting to know each other. Bailey is a very mellow pup, but I did notice that he likes to pick up items from the ground. I immediately introduced the “off” command to let him know this is an unwanted behavior, and we’ll continue reinforcing that moving forward.
Bailey has a nice walking pace and doesn’t tend to pull excessively, though he does try to get away with it at times. We’ll be focusing on polishing his heel to help him maintain better structure and consistency on walks.
After our walk, I spent some time assessing the commands he already knows. Sit and down are familiar to him, so we’re already ahead of the game. I’ll be working on keeping him focused on these commands and gradually extending the duration.
When it was time to head home, Bailey had no issues getting into the crate—outstanding job, Bailey! During the car ride, he relaxed and enjoyed the trip with no issues at all.
Once we arrived home, I attempted to introduce Bailey to my 1.5-year-old Golden Retriever, Dottie. He wasn’t too happy with her initially, so we’ll give them some time and allow the relationship to develop gradually and appropriately.
Today will be all about letting Bailey acclimate to my home and family while keeping things calm and structured.
I’m really looking forward to training with Bailey and watching his amazing progress over the next two weeks!
Pupdate 1/12/26
Today we took a trip to Whittier Narrows to meet up with the Off Leash Pups and trainers for a structured group training session. For safety, I decided to have Bailey wear a muzzle during our meetup. I’ve noticed that Bailey can be a bit skittish in new environments and may become uneasy, which can lead to reactive behavior.
During our walk with Dottie on night one, there was a small scuffle, so for the safety of both pups, the muzzle was the best choice. Bailey was not thrilled about it at first, but with time and exposure, he began to tolerate it well. When Bailey is resting in his crate, Dottie is able to be around him, and they remain calm and civil. For now, I will continue to ensure there is no direct contact between them while I closely monitor their interactions. During training sessions, I will remove the muzzle whenever there are no dogs nearby.
While at the park, we had several of the Off Leash Pups run around Bailey, and I’m happy to report that he did not react to their movement, which is a great sign. This helps me understand that Dottie’s high puppy energy may simply be a bit too overwhelming for Bailey at this stage (oh, Dottie). I’ll continue keeping a close eye on this and adjust as needed.
During today’s training session, I introduced the “Place” command using a raised cot as Bailey’s designated location. He is really enjoying this exercise and is picking it up quickly. The primary goal of the Place command is to teach self-control and encourage a calm, relaxed state—even around distractions.
Unlike the “Stay” command, which can be used anywhere and typically requires holding a specific position (sit or down), Place is tied to a specific object or area with clear boundaries, such as a dog bed, cot, or mat.
This command is extremely versatile and useful in everyday life, including:
When guests arrive at the home
During family mealtimes
Keeping Bailey out of the way while cooking or cleaning
In public, pet-friendly settings such as cafés
Aside from the reactivity observed the night before, Bailey is doing well overall. He slept through the night, ate well, is taking his breaks without issue, and is bonding nicely with me.
Very proud of his progress today!
Pupdate 1/13/26
Today we introduced the E-collar and were able to determine Bailey’s working level of stimulation. I properly fitted the collar to ensure it sat comfortably on him and made good contact. Bailey showed that he begins working at level 9, so we will be training between levels 9–14.
Bailey responded well to the E-collar when paired with positive reinforcement and treats. I made sure to pair verbal commands with the press of the black “S” button simultaneously. We started by practicing “place,” which he caught onto very quickly. Not shown on video is “heel,” which we also began introducing to help Bailey understand that we want him walking at arm’s length.
I did notice that he becomes very distracted by cats. At one point I had the stimulation as high as 50 and he still did not break focus, remaining completely fixated. I maintained leash control the entire time; he didn’t feel like he was going to run, but he was definitely not releasing his focus. This is something we will continue to keep an eye on.
Aside from that, Bailey is understanding his commands well. He is eating normally and resting comfortably in the house.
Also - take a moment to review the E-collar tutorial to familiarize yourself with the e-collar Bailey will be returning home with.
Pupdate 1/14/26
Today we took Bailey to a semi–low distraction environment where we practiced all of his obedience commands. Bailey is showing great understanding and knowledge of each command—what a good boy!
As we continue our work, we’ve identified that his biggest challenge is his hyperfocus on cats. During our session, a cat did catch his attention, but I was able to successfully redirect him using the e-collar. We will continue to monitor and work through this behavior as training progresses.
Bailey did an excellent job maintaining a proper heel position at my side while on leash. With continued progress and consistency, we will work toward off-leash reliability when appropriate.
Bailey is enjoying his time in my home. He’s definitely more of a chill guy—high energy isn’t really his thing. He’s eating well, going on nightly walks, and taking good breaks throughout the day.
Great training session today, Bailey!
Pupdate 1/16/26
Today’s training focus: Door Manners & Food Manners
We’ve been working on these skills since day one, and Bailey is doing great! There are moments when he gets a little over-excited, but we simply reset, rest, and start again—and that’s all part of the learning process.
Door Manners
We practice two different types:
Everyday entry/exit
Bailey is asked to sit and give eye contact at the door, calmly waiting for his next command. Once he’s settled, I give an enthusiastic “OK” and we move forward together.
Guests, mail, and distractions
For these situations, Bailey is placed in a sit, place, or down a few feet away from the door. He remains there calmly until he’s released.
Food Manners
Bailey almost nailed this on the first try but got a bit excited. We readjusted, reset, and he was able to hold his sit until I said “OK.” Progress over perfection!
Great job today, Bailey! Keep up the hard work.
Pupdate 1/17/26
For today’s training, we took a trip to the park where Bailey was exposed to busy weekend parkgoers. There were lots of distractions, and Bailey definitely showed a bit of his stubborn side.
On our walk to the training spot, Bailey managed to find himself a slice of pizza 🍕. He tried to enjoy it, but I quickly made him spit it out. Oh, Bailey… Later on, we actually used that very slice as part of his training, which you’ll see in the video.
Although Bailey knows his commands well, there were moments where he chose not to listen. With all the distractions around—and likely some frustration over losing the pizza—we had to elevate the stimulation level at times. We took our time working through the commands until we saw success.
We also specifically trained around the pizza slice. I made sure Bailey saw that I had it, then tossed it. As he went for it, the Stim was applied. This was repeated several times, and Bailey caught on quickly. We were eventually able to walk past the slice multiple times without him picking it up—yay, Bailey!
This is major progress, especially since you mentioned that he tends to pick up food or items from the ground. He’s learning and beginning to understand that this behavior is not acceptable.
Today was definitely a challenge, but we ended on a positive note. Great job today, Bailey!
Pupdate 1/18/26
For today’s training session, we focused on cleaning up Bailey’s heel and come-to-sitcommands. During the session, Bailey showed great progress and was responding well to direction.
While working on heel, I placed Bailey into a sit. At that moment, my neighbor and his dog appeared on the other side of the fence. I kept Bailey in a sit to help him remain composed; however, this was unsuccessful. Bailey became reactive and lunged in the direction of the other dog. I responded immediately by placing him into a sit/down to regain control.
Bailey’s body language afterward indicated that he was aware the behavior was inappropriate. This reaction was unexpected, and it is important to note that Bailey has begun showing moments of unpredictability in certain situations. I gave him time to decompress and then restarted the session. At that point, his responsiveness had decreased compared to earlier, so we ended the session appropriately.
Later in the day, we restarted training with Bailey working on heel and continuing to practice come-to-sit. He is currently finding the positioning of the come-to-sit challenging, but with continued repetition and consistency, I’m confident he will continue to improve.
During other training sessions, Bailey has worked around other dogs at a distance without reacting. I have noticed that his reactivity increases when training near my home environment. Due to this behavior, Bailey will continue training on leash for safety and to prevent any further incidents.
When on leash, Bailey is doing very well and enjoys engagement and affection during training.
Pupdate 1/19/26
For today’s Pupdate, we took a trip to the Citadel Outlets in Commerce. During our window-shopping adventure, we walked around the mall where Bailey was extremely curious about his new surroundings. We made our way around the entire property as people stopped to admire his majestic size and striking eyes. Bailey definitely gained a lot of fans today.
As we strolled along, we practiced our commands and heel work. During our place training, Bailey made it very clear that he did not want to jump onto the cement ledge located in the middle of the courtyard. It was pretty funny to see his little (big) pouty attitude come out. With plenty of positive reinforcement and treats, Bailey eventually complied with the place command I asked of him. Oh, Bailey… you’re a big dog, but definitely a big baby sometimes. Gotta love it!
Throughout our time at the Citadel, we encountered a few small dogs and continued walking past them. Bailey was not vocal, but he did notice them. When I saw his ears perk up, I gave him the “off” command, and he immediately relaxed and continued walking calmly.
Overall, our field trip to the mall was a success. Bailey was exposed to a new, busy environment filled with distractions, and he handled it very well. Job well done today, Bailey!
Pupdate 1/20/26
For today’s Pupdate, we took a trip to the park to place Bailey in a busy environment with evening joggers and dog walkers out and about. I chose a spot between a volleyball court and the children’s playground, which created plenty of distractions around him.
During our session, I noticed Bailey was paying a lot of attention to the volleyball court and became quite distracted. He had a few good moments but was stubborn at times, so I adjusted our training plan. When we tried heeling, he completely put on the brakes—he clearly did not want to be near that court. I moved us just a few feet away, and what a difference that made. His body language relaxed immediately, and he began responding beautifully to all the commands I asked.
Wow, Bailey—moody and picky, big guy! He is such a curious pup. He’s been a bit mysterious, but little by little I’m figuring him out. Just the other day, I discovered he hates popping sounds. Poor guy. It really makes me wonder what kind of history he had before coming into your loving home.
Once we changed locations, he did outstanding! I was so proud of him. We practiced his recall countless times, even with a few dogs at a distance. He would perk up slightly, but I recalled him right away, and he came straight to me. We worked on both stationary recalls and moving recalls, and he did great. We will continue building his recall by increasing distractions and distance.
We also practiced heel walking, and he is doing very well in this area. Whenever he overcorrects himself, I press the black “S” once with the “heel” command, and he immediately corrects. Great job today, Bailey—I am very proud of him!
Pupdate 1/21/26
For today’s Pupdate, we returned to the park where Bailey was exposed to squirrels and dogs playing in the area. He did very well holding his “down” command during moments of distraction. Great job, Bailey!
Today, Bailey was not very motivated to work on his recall—he was definitely having a day. He had some good recalls on the extended leash and some not-so-great ones. We made sure to hold him accountable by restarting the command when needed. He was a bit sensitive and pushed back during training today. His working level was at a 3.
After a few successful moments, we gave him a break.
Overall, Bailey did a great job staying non-reactive around distractions, but he was not interested in cooperating with recall work on the longer leash. We will continue to focus heavily on this command over the next few days.
Pupdate 1/22/26
Today we followed up on Manners, which is something Bailey practices daily. This time, I extended our duration at the door and stepped completely out of his line of sight. Bailey did a great job patiently waiting for me to return without breaking position. Great job, Bailey!
Another area where Bailey continues to excel is Food Manners. He is consistently waiting patiently for his release during mealtime. Today I added a challenge by moving away from the bowl, and he did amazing—keeping his gaze on me and holding his position until released. Outstanding work, Bailey!
Bailey is progressing at his own pace and, like any dog, has good days and bad days. Today was a successful day. We worked on his recalls, which are definitely his kryptonite, but we are addressing this command daily. With consistent and continued practice of his come-to-sit, he will gain confidence and understanding.
I’ve learned that this is a command we can’t drill for too long, as Bailey will start to shut down. Keeping the reps short and ending on a positive note sets him up for success—so that’s exactly what we did.
I’m very proud of him.
Pupdate 1/23/26
Today we took Bailey back to the park to continue working on his come-to-sit command. We experienced both good and challenging moments. Although Bailey understands all of his commands, he does have moments where he prefers to follow his own agenda. Because of this, we adjusted our training plan by increasing the value of his reward, making the end result more motivating for him.
On a positive note, Bailey did a great job working through the surrounding distractions at the park, which is a big win for him.
During our second training session using the higher-value reward, we saw a noticeable improvement. Bailey was much more engaged, followed my hand gestures closely, and quickly learned that completing the command correctly resulted in a reward. This led to much better results overall.
Yay for progress and movement in the right direction!
Pupdate 1/24/26
For our final Pupdate, we took a trip to the Citadel Outlet Mall, where Bailey was put to the test by practicing all of his commands in a high-traffic, high-distraction environment. He did very well executing his commands, and I was incredibly proud of him.
Bailey does have moments of distraction, but he is learning every day how to be more disciplined and consistent with his commands. He is definitely a pup who requires lots of praise and high-value rewards for a positive outcome. We are still using the stim to help hold him accountable; however, if it is used too much, he tends to shut down. During my two weeks working with Bailey, I focused on identifying what best motivates him to comply with what is being asked. Going back to basics and implementing a variable reward system has proven to be what works best for him.
I am extremely proud of Bailey’s progress. We experienced quite a few ups and downs, but we ultimately moved in the right direction—especially with commands he initially did not enjoy. He has successfully executed the come-to-sit from 15 feet away, and with continued and consistent training with you, he will be able to extend that distance and master it in no time.
It has truly been a pleasure working with Bailey. I challenged him, and he challenged me as a trainer intern, helping me grow and learn throughout the process. Thank you again for entrusting us with your pup. Bailey is an absolute sweetheart, and I am truly proud of him.
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