Bear| American Pitbull| Carson, CA| In Training
- Reine Melnick
- Apr 19
- 16 min read
Updated: May 2
Bear is a 3-year-old American Pitbull from Carson, CA, and he’s officially joined OffLeash SoCal for our Two Week Board and Train Program! Bear is a big, strong boy who definitely knows how to use his size—especially when it comes to walks, where he loves pulling his owners around and tuning out commands. At home, he’s got a bit of a mischievous side too, enjoying tearing up his dog bed and getting into furniture around the yard. He also tends to get very excited when meeting people, which often leads to lots of jumping.
Over the next two weeks, we’ll be focusing on building a strong foundation in his basic obedience, improving his listening skills, and helping him develop better manners both inside and outside of the house. We’ll also be working on teaching him how to stay calm and composed when greeting people, so no more jumping when he’s excited. We’re looking forward to helping Bear channel his energy in a more positive way and can’t wait to show you his progress!
Pupdate 4/19/26
Bear’s first day with us is officially in the books! Since it was our first time working together, we headed to a quiet park to let him explore his surroundings and get comfortable with me. He was a very well-behaved pup and extremely curious, taking in all the new smells and sights around him. After about 45 minutes of exploring and decompressing, we transitioned into training and introduced his first important command—Heel.
In the video, you’ll notice we started by walking short distances, and anytime Bear got even slightly ahead of me, I would turn and change directions, gently guiding him to follow along with me. He’s a very smart boy and quickly began to understand the pressure and how to respond appropriately by staying in position. To keep things from getting too repetitive, we mixed in a few Sit commands throughout the session. He did a great job overall! There were a couple of moments where he got up, but with a gentle reminder, he settled right back into position and listened well.
After about an hour of training, I wanted to give Bear some time to relax and decompress, so we headed back home. Since he hasn’t had much exposure to crates before, he was definitely stubborn about going in at first. We spent about 30 minutes working on crate introduction by tossing treats inside to build a positive association and giving him lots of praise whenever he chose to go in on his own.
It’s been a big first day for Bear, but he’s already showing great potential and making awesome progress right out of the gate!
Pupdate 4/20/26
Bear had a productive day working from home as we focused on building his Place command and introducing Come to Sit!
We started the session with Place, and Bear is beginning to understand what’s being asked of him. He’s learning that “Place” means getting onto an object and staying there until he’s released or given another command. He did have a few moments where he tried to step off or avoid the object, but with some gentle guidance and clear reminders, he got back on and settled in. As we continued working, you could really see him start to relax and understand that staying put was the goal—great progress!
After about 30 minutes, we shifted gears and began introducing Come to Sit. Since this is a brand-new command and requires him to come around me to finish in position, it can be a bit confusing for him to understand at first. I used treats to help make it a positive and engaging experience for him. Bear needed quite a bit of help, which is completely normal at this stage, but he showed a willingness to try and stayed engaged throughout the process.
We wrapped up the session on a positive note and gave Bear some well-deserved time to relax. I also wanted to highlight how comfortable he’s becoming with going into the crate at home—he’s doing really well settling in and has had no accidents so far!
Overall, a great second day for Bear with solid progress and a strong foundation being built!
Pupdate 4/21/26
Bear had a great training day despite the rainy weather! We headed over to Home Depot to continue working on his commands in a new environment. Since this was a big change of scenery for him, we started outside in the quieter garden section to ease him in. We focused on his Heel, and he’s really starting to understand where he should be while walking—staying right by my side with little to no veering. I’m very proud of how quickly he’s learning not to pull!
Once he found his rhythm, we made our way inside to introduce him to more distractions like loud noises and carts moving around. Bear handled it all extremely well and stayed composed, continuing to walk nicely next to me without much reaction to everything going on.
Since he was doing so well, I introduced a new challenge by having him Place on a short ladder. He was understandably a bit hesitant at first, but by taking it slow and building his confidence step by step, he began to understand what was being asked and successfully worked through it!
We then moved on to his Extended Sit, finding a semi-quiet area to help him focus. This exercise really tested his patience, and although he got up once or twice initially, he quickly started to understand that he needed to remain in position.
Overall, for Bear’s first big outing like this, he did an amazing job! We kept everything positive and ended the session on a great note.
Pupdate 4/22/26
Bear had a great training session today working around the neighborhood and continuing to build on everything he’s learned so far! We started out with his Heel, and he did an awesome job staying calmly by my side the entire walk. He’s really starting to understand where he should be positioned, and it’s showing in how consistent he’s becoming!
After a few blocks of heeling, we mixed in some reps of Extended Sit. At first, Bear wasn’t too interested in holding his position and would pop up as soon as I created a little distance. In those moments, I applied some body pressure as a reminder, and he quickly understood what was being asked of him. After that small hiccup, he settled in nicely and showed much better consistency.
We then moved on to Come to Sit. He’s still a bit rusty when it comes to coming all the way around into position, which is totally normal at this stage since it can be a little confusing. That said, anytime he made a solid effort, I made sure to reward him! It’s super important to reinforce those small wins as he continues to figure it out.
To finish things off, we introduced his Down command. This can be a more challenging behavior since it puts dogs in a more vulnerable position, so some hesitation is completely expected. Bear was a bit unsure at first, but with patience and consistency, he started to relax into it and made really nice progress.
Overall, it was a very productive day of learning for Bear, and he’s continuing to improve each session!
Pupdate 4/23/26
Bear had an awesome training day today at Lake Balboa, working around higher distractions and continuing to build on all of his commands! We started the session with Heel for about 20–30 minutes, and I am so proud of how far he has come in just a few days. He was walking like a pro past lots of people and other dogs, staying calm and right by my side!
Once he was relaxed and in a good working mindset, we moved on to his Extended Sit. He did really well overall, only needing one or two reminders to stay in position. That’s great progress, especially with all the distractions around him!
After that, we worked on his Come to Sit. Bear had a few moments where he zoned out or seemed to forget what he was asked to do halfway through. When that happened, I simply helped guide him by tapping my side or stepping back to give him another clear opportunity to succeed. Anytime he completed it correctly, I made sure to reward him with lots of verbal and physical praise. He’s still learning, but his effort is definitely there!
We wrapped up the session with his Extended Down. He performed very well here too, only needing a couple of reminders to remain in position. For a command that can be more challenging, especially in a busy environment, he handled it really nicely.
Overall, Bear is doing an amazing job with how quickly he’s learning and his willingness to work through new challenges. He’s making steady progress every day!
Pupdate 4/24/26
Today Bear and I headed to The Promenade in Santa Monica to work around some higher distractions and continue building on everything he has learned so far! We started our session with Heel for about 15–20 minutes while walking past lots of people, busy foot traffic, and even a few dogs. Bear did amazing and stayed right by my side the entire time! This is such huge progress compared to day one when he was pulling like a freight train. I’m so proud of how much he is starting to understand where he should be while walking and how nicely he is settling into the command.
Once he was calm and focused, we moved on to his Place command and decided to have him hop up onto a bench so we could also begin testing more of his impulse control with Extended Sit. He had a few moments where he needed to adjust himself to sit more comfortably, which I allowed as long as he went right back into position. He did an amazing job staying on Place while lots of people walked by him with little to no issues, which shows how much his confidence and patience are improving!
After some time there, we worked on his Come to Sit, and Bear is starting to pick up on this command very quickly! He is beginning to understand how to come around and find that sit position, and each session he gets a little smoother and more confident with it.
To finish our session, we worked on his Extended Down, and he did a great job remaining in position without letting people or dogs break his concentration. Overall, Bear is making amazing progress with everything he has learned so far, and I’m so excited to keep teaching him more!
Pupdate 4/25/26
Bear had a great day at the park working on all of the commands he has learned this week! We started out with a long Heel, and he was sooo amazing. He stayed right by my side and was very focused the majority of the time. There was one moment where he got distracted and struggled a bit, but instead of giving him a bunch of reminders, I simply kept walking and gave him the chance to figure it out on his own. He quickly made the right choice and corrected himself, which was such awesome progress to see!
After some time, we moved on to his Extended Down. Overall, he did really well and stayed calm and relaxed. There was one small moment where he got up, but that was because I accidentally pulled on the leash under his leg and confused him. I reminded him to go back into his Down, and Bear settled right back in and remained there the rest of the time with a calm demeanor.
We then practiced his Come to Sit, and he came nicely to my side! He did get a little excited and tried to jump up to greet my hand, but with a firm “Off,” he settled quickly and understood what was being asked of him.
To finish, we worked on his Extended Sit on Place. Bear was very calm the entire time and held his position nicely. He did want to shift himself to face me and got up for a split second, but with a reminder and slight body pressure, he went right back into position and stayed sitting the rest of the time. We ended the session on a huge win, and I’m so proud of how much Bear continues to improve every single day!
Pupdate 4/26/26
Bear had a great day training at Lowe’s Home Improvement as we continued strengthening all of the commands he has learned so far! We started the session with a very strong Heel throughout the store, and he was so polite even as people walked by with carts and trolleys. He stayed focused, calm, and right by my side, which shows just how much progress he has made with his leash manners and overall engagement!
After some time of consistent heeling, we found a quieter area to practice his Extended Down. Bear was very calm the entire time and remained in the command nicely, with only one moment where he got up and needed a reminder of what was being asked. He quickly settled back in and showed great understanding of the expectation. After a few minutes of solid Down work, we moved on to his Extended Sit. I was so proud of him for holding his sit even as people walked by pushing carts and trolleys!
That is such huge progress for him, especially in a busy environment with so many distractions around.
We also spent some time working on Come to Sit. Bear is still slightly struggling with coming all the way around me, because he would much rather approach my left side and simply pivot into a sit.
Since he has to fully come around and line himself up correctly, it can be a little confusing for him to understand exactly what we are asking. We are continuing to work on it each day to help build that clarity and confidence.
Overall, Bear is making amazing progress and is really enjoying learning, working, and exploring new places! He continues to impress me with how much he is growing each day, and I’m so proud of how hard he is trying!
Pupdate 4/27/26
Today Bear and I took another trip to Lowes to continue building on his training in a more stimulating, real-world environment. The store provided a steady flow of distractions, which makes it an excellent place to proof his obedience and reinforce reliability outside of the home.
We spent time working through his core commands, and I’m very pleased with his progress. His “Heel” is becoming more consistent, with Bear showing a better understanding of staying in position and moving with me rather than forging ahead or lagging behind. His “Sit” and “Down” commands are also sharpening up nicely; he’s responding with more confidence and less hesitation, even with activity going on around him. “Place” continues to be a strong point as well; he’s demonstrating a solid grasp of holding position once asked, which is a great indicator of growing impulse control. He's got a little bit of hops.
“Come” was the main focus and challenge for today. Bear has developed a tendency to drift toward my left side instead of completing the command properly by coming around to my right and finishing in position. This tells me he’s anticipating or defaulting to what feels natural rather than fully understanding the expectation. To work through this, I incorporated a mix of treat luring, leash guidance, and positive energy to help guide him into the correct path. Bear showed some persistence in sticking to his preferred approach, but with consistent repetition and clear direction, he began to make the adjustment. By the end of our session, it became clear he was getting tired and it's always good to give a dog a break from training when you see the signs.
After our outing, we returned home for some well-earned rest and reset time. Bear has been doing a wonderful job with his crate manners, he returns to his crate on command without issue. While he may lumber his way over, there’s definitely a noticeable pep in his step, showing that he’s not only understanding the command but also becoming more willing and comfortable with it.
Overall, Bear had a very productive day. He’s showing steady improvement, though is still resisting his "Come" command. With hopefully a bit more encouragement we'll see better results as the week goes on.
Pupdate 4/28/26
Bear had an awesome day at the park working on all of his commands, with a big focus on his Come to Sit! We started the session with a very strong and solid Heel, and I’m so proud of how much progress he has made. Bear is really starting to understand exactly where he needs to be while we’re out walking and stayed right by my side for about 30 minutes of heeling around the park!
After that, we found a nice shady spot to work on his Extended Sit. Bear has done such a great job learning how to control his impulses and remain calm in position. Even while I was walking back and forth around him, he stayed put and showed great patience and understanding of what was being asked.
We then spent some extra time working on his Come to Sit. He still has a slight habit of wanting to go straight to my left side instead of coming all the way around into position. Each time that happened, I simply backed up to give him more room to keep trying and used a little leash guidance to help him understand. Anytime he got it right, I made sure to give him huge praise and rewards so he knows he’s doing a great job! He’s making steady progress and starting to put the pieces together.
To finish up the session, we worked on his Extended Down, and Bear did absolutely amazing! He stayed in command the entire time and didn’t try to get up at all, even while I was pacing back and forth around him. Overall, such amazing progress and continued growth from Bear—I’m so proud of how far he’s come!
Pupdate 4/29/26
Today Bear and I headed to Lake Balboa to fine-tune all of the commands he has been learning, and I am beyond proud of how far he has come! We started our session with about 30 minutes of Heel, and Bear was incredibly respectful the entire time. He walked so politely right by my side, even as we passed people with strollers, children, and plenty of distractions around the park. He wasn’t trying to veer off at all and stayed focused on where he needed to be. Seeing how calm and reliable he has become on walks has been such amazing progress!
After spending some solid time on walking, we found a nice shady spot to work on his Extended Sit. Bear was very calm and had no issues remaining in position, even as more people and strollers passed by. He seemed perfectly content just relaxing and watching the birds swimming in the lake! It was such a nice example of his growing impulse control and ability to stay neutral around distractions.
We then moved on to his Extended Down on Place near a few parents sitting nearby with strollers. Again, Bear did such a great job staying calm and composed. He didn’t try to scoot closer for attention or break command, but instead remained exactly where he was asked to be. His patience and understanding continue to improve every single day!
We also spent time working on Come to Sit, and I wanted to jump with joy seeing how quickly he figured out the positioning! With some hard work from this morning and last night, it really clicked for him today. Bear has come sooo far and continues to prove just how good of a boy he really is. He is such a joy to train, and I’m so proud of him! Good job Bear!
Pupdate 4/30/26
Today Bear headed back to Lake Balboa to continue sharpening all of the commands he has been learning! Since he has been doing so well these past few days, today was a nice mix of relaxed fun and short work sessions to keep things balanced and enjoyable for him.
We started the session by simply letting Bear be a dog! He got some time to explore the park, watch the ducks and birds swimming in the lake, and even roll around in the grass enjoying himself. Giving him that freedom first helps keep training fun and rewarding, and he absolutely loved it!
Once he had his fun, we got to work with about 20 minutes of Heel around the park. Bear did an amazing job walking politely right by my side with no issues at all, even as people, kids, and plenty of distractions passed by. His understanding of where he needs to be during walks has improved so much, and he looked very confident the entire time.
After that, we moved on to his extended commands like Sit and Down. He was an absolute champ with both! Bear held each command beautifully and didn’t move a muscle, even while I walked back and forth past him. His patience, impulse control, and overall understanding are getting stronger every day.
We also spent time working on his Come to Sit, and wow—what a difference just one extra day of consistent practice can make! He is picking it up so quickly and showing much more confidence in completing the full motion correctly.
Bear has come so far in such a short amount of time, and it is so exciting to watch him really start understanding each command and putting everything together. He should be so proud of himself! Good job Bear!
5/1/26
Today Bear took on the mall and worked through all of his commands with so much confidence! We started the session by walking through the mall in a Heel, and I was so impressed with how well he did. He stayed right by my side, walked politely, and did a great job ignoring all the people passing by and the extra distractions around us. Huge progress from where he started!
After that, we moved on to his Extended Down with Place. We decided to use the water fountain as his Place object, which was definitely a challenge since Bear was a little hesitant about getting close to the water. At first, he was unsure and nervous, but with a few repetitions and some confidence building, he worked through it and eventually felt comfortable enough to jump up and lay down! I was so proud of him for pushing past that fear and trusting the process.
Once we finished there, we spent some time working on his Come to Sit, and Bear handled it like a pro! His recall has become so much more consistent, and he came in quickly and confidently with no issues at all.
We wrapped up the session with his Extended Sit, and Bear did an amazing job. He has become very reliable with staying in command, and today he was happy to remain in position without breaking even once! I’m super proud of Bear and all the hard work he has been putting in—he continues to show so much growth every single day!
Pupdate 5/2/26
For Bear’s last day, we kept things nice and lowkey while still making sure to sharpen all of the great habits he has built! We started our session with a structured walk around the neighborhood, along with a few minutes of sniffing around in the grass so he could relax and enjoy himself. As always, Bear did fantastic staying right in position during Heel, even when a few small barking dogs tried their best to break his concentration! He stayed focused, calm, and showed just how much his confidence and obedience have grown.
After our walk, we headed home to work on perfecting his manners around the house. We started with his door manners, and Bear was super polite! He waited patiently at the door while I opened it and walked out first, showing he understands that he is supposed to hold his position until released. It’s been great seeing how naturally this is becoming for him.
After that, we worked on his food manners during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I placed him in either a sit or down, then set his food a few feet away. Bear knows he is expected to remain in command until released, and he did fantastic every single time! His impulse control has improved so much and he’s really learning patience and respect.
We also spent time practicing his car manners, and wow—what a difference! Bear has gotten soooo much more comfortable getting in and out of the car, and jumping into the crate I keep in my car. What used to be something he was unsure about has now become something he handles with so much more confidence.
I am beyond proud of the respectful, well-mannered pup Bear has become! Watching his growth from day one to now has been so rewarding, and he should be so proud of himself!
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