Benny | Old English Sheep Dog Mix | Rosemead, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Mar 1
- 18 min read
Updated: Mar 14
Meet Benny! š¾
Benny is a one-year-old German ShepherdāSheepdog mix from Rosemead, CA who has just joined us for our Two Week Community Board and Train program. Benny is a sweet, spirited young guy who loves people and other dogsābut sometimes his excitement gets the best of him. When he spots new friends, his enthusiasm often comes out as lots of barking, which can give the wrong impression even though his intentions are friendly and full of joy.
With all that excitement, it can be challenging for Benny to stay focused, respond when called, or follow through with commands. Over the next two weeks, weāll be working closely with him on building strong basic obedience skills and improving his house manners. Our goal is to help Benny learn how to channel his energy into calm, confident behavior, make thoughtful choices, and become a more attentive, reliable listener.
Weāre excited to help Benny grow and canāt wait to share his progress along the wayāletās get started!
3/1/2026
For todayās training, Benny and I took things easy with a walk through the park so we could get better acquainted and so I could assess what he already knows and where we need to focus. We also used this time to introduce the heel commandāand wow, this guy is strong!
As expected, whenever Benny spotted another dog, he became very excited and would start barking and lunging. This gave us a great opportunity to begin teaching the off command, which means to disengage and stop the unwanted behavior. At first he was unsure of what was being asked, but by the end of our walk he was already making progressāwalking more calmly at my side and showing less interest in reacting to passing pups.
After our walk, we headed back to the car. Benny wasnāt overly enthusiastic about the crate at first, but he willingly hopped into the car, and we made our way to my home so he could check out his home away from home for the next two weeks. He settled in nicely and didnāt seem to have any objections! He did give my cats a few barks initially, but a quick correction with the off command helped him disengage, and he was quick to leave them alone. Smart boy!
Overall, Benny is off to a great start for his first day. Heās already showing that heās capable of learning quickly, and Iām excited to see his progress over the next two weeks!
3/2/2026
Today Benny and I headed out to the park to continue sharpening up his commands while introducing a new layer of accountability with the e-collar. Our main focus was tightening up his heel, improving his āsitā so itās truly on command (not on Benny time), introducing ācome to sit,ā and reinforcing his ādownā as a consistent, immediate response.
When we first arrived, Benny was very much Benny ā excited, alert, and barking at passing dogs like it was his full-time job. This time, however, he was met with a clear āoffā command paired with an e-collar correction. He stopped barking, but quickly redirected that frustration into jumping up at me for correcting him. Rather than escalating, I calmly used the leash to guide him back to four paws on the floor. He tested this boundary a few times, but I stayed consistent. Once he realized the jumping wasnāt getting him anywhere, he settled and we were able to move forward productively.
From there, we got to work.
His heel is still a bit touch-and-go. Heāll walk nicely at my side until something interesting catches his attention, at which point he tries to make executive decisions. Each time, he was met with a reminder and correction, and by the end of our park session, his consistency improved significantly. Thatās a big win for day two!
His sit is also becoming much more reliable and on command ā and we love to see that progress. āCome to sitā is brand new, so it definitely needs more reps, but heās beginning to understand the motion and whatās being asked of him. As for ādown,ā he offered a little pushback. Knowing he already understands this command, I calmly applied steady leash pressure downward and held it until he made the choice to lay down ā immediately releasing the pressure as soon as he did. Clear guidance, clear reward. By the end, he was much quicker to comply.
For only his second day, Benny did well overall ā even with his focus wanting to be everywhere else and a few moments of protest when he couldnāt do as he pleased. The good news? He learns quickly, and thatās a huge advantage. Heās already making solid progress and starting to understand that consistency and structure are the name of the game.
Iām confident that in no time, Benny will really start putting all the pieces together. Stay tuned ā this smart boy is just getting started! šŖš¶
3/3/2026
Today Benny and I kept things close to home and trained around my neighborhood. The goal was to dial back the big park distractions and give him a better opportunity to really focus on the work at hand.
We started with a structured walk, practicing his heel along with sit and down. While Benny definitely knows these commands, weāre refining them so they happen on cue ā not just when he feels like it. By the end of our walk, he was heeling much more consistently and responding to his sit and down when asked, which made for a really enjoyable stroll.
A few neighbors were out with their dogs, and Iām happy to report Benny made a wonderful choice by not barking at them. It was so nice to experience a calm, controlled walk with him ā a big improvement from earlier sessions!
Once back at the house, we worked on adding distance and duration to his sit and down, turning them into extended commands. Overall, he does well with this. The main thing heās working through is resisting the urge to pop up and turn toward me. That will improve as he continues building trust and understanding that he doesnāt need to micromanage my movements.
We also practiced his come to sit. Heās making solid progress! Occasionally he tries to shortcut the full motion by heading straight to my left side instead of coming around from the right first, but heās starting to grasp the full sequence more clearly with repetition.
Beyond commands, Benny is also improving in his manners. Heās beginning to understand that polite behavior earns attention much faster than jumping and making a big fuss ā and thatās a huge step forward.
All in all, Benny had a great training day and continues to make steady progress. Heās a very smart boy, and Iām really proud of the effort heās putting in! šš¶
3/4/2026
Today Benny and I headed out to the park to continue polishing all the commands heās been working so hard on ā and to introduce something brand new: the Place command!
The goal with āPlaceā is to eventually have Benny confidently hop onto any safe, appropriate surface, lie down, and remain there until released. For today, we kept it simple and started with my place cot ā and Benny absolutely crushed it! He had zero hesitation hopping up, settling into a down, and staying put. It was wonderful to see how naturally he took to it.
We also continued reinforcing his other commands. His sit and down are becoming much more reliable and on command, which is great progress. His extended sit and down are coming along nicely as well ā heās doing a great job holding position while I step away, showing increased understanding and impulse control.
We had a small hiccup with come to sit where he got a little mixed up and came to the wrong side once or twice, but we worked through it. By the end of the session, he was consistently finding the correct position. That kind of problem-solving and adjustment is exactly what we want to see!
As for barking at other dogs, Benny did pretty well overall. There was one dog that caught both of us off guard, and he barked briefly, but he responded well to the āoffā command and quieted down quickly. When I see a dog approaching, I allow him to acknowledge it. If I notice heās starting to think about reacting, Iāll give the āoffā command and follow through with an e-collar correction if needed. Heās responding very well to this structure and guidance.
All in all, Benny had a fantastic day at the park. He put in a lot of effort, showed great progress, and earned himself a well-deserved nap afterward. Iām so proud of how quickly heās picking things up ā he truly is a very smart boy!
3/5/2026
Today Benny and I headed over to The Home Depot to work on his commands around some real-world distractions. When we first arrived, Benny wasnāt quite sure how to take in everything going on around him. Between the new sights, sounds, and peopleāand the fact that he seemed to wake up today feeling like listening was optionalāwe had a bit of a rough start. That said, this is totally normal for a pup at Bennyās stage of training as they test boundaries and process new environments. Even so, we werenāt going to let that get in the way of having a productive training session.
To help him settle in, we started with a nice structured heel around the store so he could check things out in a calm and controlled way. As he began to relax a bit, we started sprinkling in some extended sits and downs, along with practicing his come-to-sit command.
At first, the extended commands were a bit challenging for him. Benny really likes to keep his eyes on everything happening around him, so if someone popped out of an aisle unexpectedly it would startle him and heād hop up and try to scurry away. When this happened, I would calmly guide him back to his original position and weād simply try again. After a few repetitions, he began to understand that he still needed to hold his position despite the surprises around him, and he started doing a great job maintaining his extended commands.
By the end of our trip, Benny was much more relaxed and was performing all of his commands just like weāve been practicing. It was really great to see, especially because today definitely pushed him outside of his comfort zone. Even though the start of our outing was a bit rocky, Benny finished strongāand Iām very proud of him for that! š¶š
3/6/2026
Today Benny and I headed back out to Home Depot to continue practicing his commands around distractions, and overall he did well. At the start of our session Benny decided he wanted to be a little hard-headed about listening. You may notice in the video that he occasionally shakes his head when being correctedāhis way of letting me know heās not a fan of being told what to do! Despite his protests, we continued with our work and reminded him that listening isnāt optional.
Benny held his extended commands fairly well today. There was only one moment of confusion during his come to sit command where he tried to cheat a little by going straight to my left side instead of completing the full command properly. With a bit of guidance, he was able to work through it and get it right.
His heel is also coming along nicely. Benny still has moments where he gets excited and wants to pull ahead, but he is becoming much more responsive when reminded to stay in position, which is great progress.
I also got to witness Bennyās demand barking today. I asked another trainer who joined us on the outing to hold Bennyās leash, and the moment I stepped away he immediately started barking loudly for me. To address this, I told him āoffā and waited before taking the leash back. I didnāt return until Benny made the choice to quiet down and sit nicely on his own. Once he made that good decision, we continued on with our training.
All in all, Benny is making good progress and learning a lot about being more polite and patient. It may not be happening in huge leaps just yet, but thatās completely normal and part of the learning process. Heās putting in the effort, and Iām proud of the work heās doing. š¾
3/7/2026
Today Benny and I headed out to the park to start working toward one of the next big milestones in his training: leash dragging, which is an important step toward reliable off-leash work. This stage allows us to begin practicing off-leash behaviors while still keeping a bit of a safety net in place. If Benny decides to drift away or make a poor choice, I can simply step on or grab the leash to guide him back. However, for the most part we are now relying on the e-collar for communication and corrections.
As always, we started our session the usual way with the leash in hand. As we walked, I gradually gave Benny more and more slack until eventually he was moving nicely beside me with the leash simply dragging behind him. For his first day working this way, Benny did well! There is definitely some room for improvement, but thatās completely normal as he adjusts to having less physical guidance.
Whenever Benny seemed a little unsure about what was being asked of him, I calmly worked him through the command and praised him when he made the right choice. This helps clearly mark the moment he does the correct behavior so he understands he made a great decision.
We did run into a bit of trouble when we passed a few other dogs. Benny just couldnāt help himself and gave some of his very loud greetings across the park. When that happened, he was met with the off command along with an e-collar correction. After a few reminders, Benny was able to settle down and we continued on our way. By the end of the session he was doing a much better job simply acknowledging the other dogsā presence without reacting, which was really nice to see.
Iām very confident that as we continue practicing both leash dragging and reactivity training, Benny will develop the reliability he needs to handle himself off leash like a true gentleman. He is a very smart boy, and Iām incredibly proud of how much better he did by the end of our session today.
Benny definitely learned a lot today! š¶
3/8/2026
Today Benny and I headed back out to the park to continue working on his commands while leash dragging, and overall it went pretty well! The park was quite busy today with lots of people, dogs, and activity going on, which can definitely be a bit overwhelming for a pup. Even with all those distractions, Benny made some nice efforts.
There were a few moments where Benny decided he didnāt really feel like heeling nicely by my side and would have preferred to wander off and do his own thing. He definitely tried! But we worked through those moments together and continued practicing until he got back on track.
He is still having a little bit of trouble with his come to sit when he doesnāt have the extra guidance of the leash. Sometimes heāll stop in front of me instead of coming all the way around to sit next to me. That said, as you can see in the video, he does understand the commandāwe just have to guide him through it when he gets a little confused.
On the bright side, Benny is doing very well with his extended commands, which has been really nice to see. Heās showing great patience and understanding there. His place command is also coming along nicely! At one point I decided to give both of us a little break and asked him to place on a bench. I was even able to sit right next to him and he stayed put like a good boy!
Another big win today was that Bennyās barking at other dogs at the park was non-existent. Anytime he started to fixate on another dog, I reminded him to mind his business with the off command, and he did just that.
All in all, we still have a few areas to tighten up, but Benny clearly understands his commands and is capable of doing them well. Now itās just about continuing to communicate that listening isnāt up for debateāespecially as we move toward more off-leash reliability. Iām really proud of the effort he made today, not only with his commands but also with keeping his opinions to himself around the other dogs and even the small children at the park! What a good boy.Ā
3/9/2026
Today Benny and I headed out to a park in Rosemead for a weekly meet-up with other fellow trainers. Todayās training wasnāt just about practicing commandsāwe also incorporated a couple of exercises designed to challenge Benny with real-world distractions. These distractions included other dogs and their handlers, and even a kiddo!
Our first exercise focused on teaching Benny that even when the world around him is busy and exciting, he still needs to remain in position when given a command. I placed Benny in an extended place command while fellow trainers, their pups, and the child walked around him. Bennyās job was simply to hold his position and remain calm. For the most part, he handled this very well. The only time he struggled a bit was when some off-leash pups that were hanging around decided to get involvedāthey seemed like very exciting characters to Benny! Anytime he broke command, I calmly guided him back into place and we continued the exercise.
Next, we worked on Bennyās greeting manners. The goal here is for Benny to sit nicely beside me and allow people to approach, whether to say hello to him or chat with me. During this, Benny is expected to stay seatedāno jumping or overly enthusiastic requests for attention. This was a bit challenging for him, and he definitely wanted to get all up in the business of the people approaching. However, he didnāt jump and he was very respectful of the small child, which was great to see.
We also continued practicing his commands with the leash dragging. Once we fine-tune his heel, I fully intend to remove the leash entirely. Right now, Benny tends to try walking slightly ahead of me, while I prefer his head or shoulders lined up with my side. This position keeps him in the correct working spot and also allows me to easily reach over and hook the leash back on if neededāwithout having to chase him down.
For his come to sit, Benny understands the motion of the command, but sometimes his excitement gets the better of him and heāll sit in front of me instead of next to me. Weāre actively working on refining that positioning. On the other hand, his extended commands and place command are fairly solid, and he typically does a great job holding them.
We also had an opportunity to address his jumping today. When I told Benny to break from command, he got very excited and started jumping. When this happened, I immediately stopped interacting with him until he chose to stop jumping. Once he settled himself, the fun and attention resumed. This helps him learn that calm behavior keeps the interaction going.
Benny is a very smart boy and he truly knows his commands. The only thing that sometimes gets in his way is that heās still a young, excitable big guy. As he continues to matureāand as long as his handlers stay consistent with his trainingāthese things will continue to improve.
All in all, Benny had a very busy day and learned a lot. Iām very proud of the effort he put in today! š¾
3/10/2026
Today Benny and I headed out to Lanark Park to work on tightening up his off-leash heel and come to sit commands. While Benny definitely understands both commands, he can sometimes get a little excited and try to stay ahead of me, which is less than ideal for a proper heel. That said, he did very well todayāeven with the goofy personality he brought to the session, which honestly makes the work so much more fun!
Even though it might look like there wasnāt much going on around us, there was actually a very lively game of kickball happening on the other side of the fence. With all that excitement nearby, Benny still chose to keep his focus on me, which is exactly what we want to see.
For todayās practice, I chose to work inside the tennis courts since it was Bennyās first time working off leash. I wanted to see what choice he would makeāwould he stick with me, or decide, āForget that, Iām going to do my own thing!ā Thankfully, Benny truly surprised me in the best way. He stayed engaged and worked right alongside me.
Because he did so well, I decided that a fun game of fetch was in order, and Benny definitely agreed! The fenced court gave us the perfect safe space to play without having to worry about anything else going on around us. As you can see, he had an absolute blastāand honestly, so did I! I love watching him run around and just act like the big silly guy he is. After all, all work and no play makes Benny a dull boy, and we definitely donāt want that!
All in all, we had a great balance of work and play today, and Iām so proud of the focus and understanding Benny brought to our session. Heās really starting to show just how well he understands his commands, just like the smart boy I know he is. I truly love this big goofy guy! š¾
3/11/2026
Today Benny and I headed back out to the park to continue practicing his commands, and he did a great job! When we first arrived, we started off with some leash-dragging exercises to gauge how well Benny would do with a little more freedom. He handled it wonderfully, so we decided to take the leash off completely and walk around the park while practicing all of his commands.
Benny did very well overall. He still gets a bit excited at times and will try to walk ahead of me, but with a quick reminder and a small e-collar correction he was quick to check himself and return to his proper heel position. Itās great to see him learning to regulate that excitement and stay more in tune with where he should be.
His come to sit command was also pretty solid today. He did sit a little ahead of me once or twice, but for the most part heās really understanding the positioning and is coming in nicely.
Benny also did well with his extended commands. He only broke an extended down once, and that was because he was anticipating what I was going to ask for next. While we love seeing him think things through, weād just rather he wait for the cue before making a move!
Another area Benny has been improving in is greeting people. Heās gotten much better about not jumping up when he gets excited. Occasionally he still needs a reminder, but heās beginning to understand that people will come to him for affectionāhe doesnāt need to jump up and demand it.
All in all, Benny did very well today. Iām very proud of the progress heās making, and itās been wonderful to see how much heās starting to enjoy the work! š¾
3/12/2026
Today Benny and I headed out to Santa Monica to practice his commands while leash dragging with plenty of distractions around us. Benny did a wonderful job! The reason we practiced leash dragging today was because of our location. In settings like this, pups are typically required to stay on leashāand technically, we were. š
Benny showed some nice focus and stayed engaged with me throughout our training, which I was really proud to see. He was definitely excited about the busy environment, so he had a couple of goofy moments with his commands. On one repetition of his come to sit he got a little ahead of himself, and when I asked him to place, he initially had a hard time settling into a down. However, on the very next attempt he corrected himself and performed it nicely.
What I love seeing is that Benny clearly understands his commands. As he continues to mature and we keep his training consistent, that excitement he feels in busy environments will interfere less and less with his responses. For now, patience and consistency are the key ingredients to his continued success.
Benny also did really well with passing dogs today. He was able to sit calmly and observe them without needing to loudly say hello. Thatās a big improvement for him and shows just how much progress heās making.
Overall, Benny had a wonderful day of training and handled the new environment very well. Iām very proud of him and the progress he continues to make! š¾
3/13/2026
Today Benny and I headed back out to Santa Monica to continue practicing his commands around distractions.Ā Benny was a little familiar with the environment, but he still had some initial excitement when we first arrived that made it a bit difficult for him to focus. We took a few moments to work through a calm heel together, and once he settled into that rhythm he was able to walk nicely beside me while still calmly observing everything going on around him.
Benny did very well while leash dragging today. Giving him that extra bit of freedom is a great way to see how well he understands his commands, and he showed that heās really starting to grasp whatās being asked of him. As we continued working, he did a nice job maintaining his heel and staying engaged with me even with the distractions around us.
During our outing Benny also had the opportunity to meet two other dogs. He handled the interaction very well and showed great manners. There was no excessive barking or roughhousingājust some calm, polite sniffs before everyone went on their way. Moments like that really show how much progress heās making with his self-control and social skills.
Overall, Iām very proud of the effort Benny put in today. Not only is he showing a stronger understanding of his commands, but heās also doing a great job managing his excitement and making good choices even when he has a little more freedom while leash dragging. Heās continuing to make wonderful progress. What a good boy! š¾
3/14/2026
Today Benny and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park bright and early to continue practicing his commands off leash and to film his finalāand Benny did a wonderful job! He performed each command just as weāve been practicing over the last two weeks, showing great focus and understanding of whatās being asked of him.
He also did a fantastic job with his greeting manners today. At one point, a woman and her Great Dane approached to say hello. Benny sat very politely for the woman and then calmly greeted the Great Dane with some relaxed sniffs before we were able to go right back to what we were doing. Moments like that really show how much progress heās made.
Benny has also improved quite a bit with his jumping. Every now and then he still needs a little reminder, but heās come a long way in learning how to manage that excitement. Compared to how Benny was when he first came into my care, the difference now is truly night and day. Iām incredibly proud of the transformation heās made. It took a lot of work from both of us to get him here, and with consistency, practice, and a little time at home, I know he will continue to improve.
At the end of the day, Benny is just a big, excitable young man, and his little streak of defiance definitely keeps things interesting! But it has truly been an honor to work with your boy and help lay the foundation for his training journey. My hope is that Iāve provided you and your growing family with the tools you need to continue building on this progress and to enjoy many fun adventures together.
Iād also like to take a moment to thank you for trusting me with Benny and giving me the opportunity to care for and work with him. It truly means the world to me.Ā
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