Blu | Pitt Mix | Marina Del Rey, CA.| In Training.
Updated: Sep 5
Meet Blu!š¾
Ā Blu is a one-year-old Pitt mix from Marina del Rey, California, who has just joined us for our Two Week Community Board and Train Program!
Blu is an energetic young man with plenty of enthusiasm for life, and while his excitement certainly comes from a good place, it has a tendency to get the best of him. His enthusiasm can mean jumping up on people when saying hello, barking and lunging at other dogs while out on walks, and making it quite the challenge to get his attention once he gets worked up. Though Blu means well and is simply excited, his big reactions can easily be misconstrued as something else.
And Bluās list of hobbies doesnāt stop thereāthis handsome guy also has a particular appreciation for helping himself to any food he can get his paws on! Needless to say, Blu is ready for a little guidance and some new rules to help him make better choices.
Over the next two weeks, weāll be working with Blu toward off-leash obedience while also building his house manners. Our goal is to give this enthusiastic young man the structure, boundaries, and listening skills he needs to better manage his excitement and make more thoughtful choices. With the right tools and guidance, weāre looking forward to helping Blu turn all that enthusiasm into a wonderful foundation for happier, more enjoyable adventures with his owners!
Stay tuned for Bluās transformation! Itās sure to be a fun ride! š¾
8/23/2026
Today was Bluās very first day of training, and we kicked things off with a trip to the park! This gave us a chance to get better acquainted with one another while also allowing me to see what Blu may already know and where we have some room for improvement.
So far, Iāve discovered that Blu knows his sitā¦ but itās definitely more of a āwhen I feel like itā sort of thing. š And thatās okay! Weāll be working on building some consistency with that over the next couple of weeks.
We also introduced a few new commands, including heel and come to sit. For heel, whenever Blu tried to pull ahead of me, I would give a small pop on his collar and change direction, continuing this until he made the choice to walk alongside me. It took him a little bit to understand the new expectation, and there were definitely a couple of dramatic sploots in protestalong the way. But we werenāt going to let a little protest stop us! With some encouragement, Blu got back up and moving, and eventually he was walking with me with a little more ease.
We also worked on his sit using gentle leash guidance. I applied light upward pressure toward the back of his ears and held it steady until he sat, immediately releasing the pressure once he did. Blu is slowly starting to catch on to this, and Iām sure it wonāt be long before he has it figured out. Though at one point, I think Blu mistook that pressure as an invitation to jump up and say hello! He was quite persistent about it, too. š I simply disengaged from him as much as possible, and once he realized jumping wasnāt going to get him the attention he wanted, he eventually lost interest. A great little lesson in itself!
Lastly, we introduced his come to sit command. This asks Blu to walk around my right side and come to a nice sit at my left side. He handled the leash guidance for this pretty well, although a passing dog briefly caught his attention and made it take a little longer to get that sit. But considering this was his first day, he did a nice job, and Iām confident this is another skill heāll pick up quicklyāeven when distractions are added.
After our time at the park, it was time to load up and head to Bluās home away from home for the next two weeks! With a little assistance, he hopped right into his travel crate and remained quiet for the entire drive.
Once we arrived, I gave him plenty of time to explore his new surroundings and check everything out to his heartās content. And from what I could tell, Blu didnāt seem to have any complaints! š
One of my cats was even brave enough to come out and investigate our new houseguest. Blu wasnāt quite sure what to make of his feline visitor, but he handled the interaction well, and Iām sure with a little more time heāll figure out that these strange little creatures are just part of the furniture around here.
Other than that, Blu is handling his first day very well! Thereās certainly plenty for us to work on, but thatās exactly what these next two weeks are for. Iām excited to watch him learn, grow, and gain some confidence as we work through his training. Itās only day one, and I already canāt wait to see where this journey takes us! š¾
8/24/2026
Today, Blu and I kept things close to home and worked right in my neighborhood as we introduced his e-collar and continued building the foundation for the commands heāll be learning during his time with me. I chose a familiar, lower-distraction environment intentionally. I know how easily Blu can become distracted by everything happening around him, so I didnāt want to overwhelm him while he was learning these new concepts. Sometimes, starting small is the best way to set a pup up for success!
As we introduced the e-collar, I paired its use with the leash corrections I was already giving him. Anytime I popped the leash to provide a correction, I coupled it with a correction from the e-collar. This helps Blu begin making the connection between the two and understand that the e-collar is simply another form of communication rather than something completely unfamiliar. Heās not exactly a huge fan of it just yet, but once he figures out how it works and what Iām asking of him, Iām confident heāll come around.
Today we also introduced down and place. I quickly discovered that Blu actually does know his down commandāitās just much like his sit, and apparently he prefers to offer it when he feels like it! š Weāll be working on changing that little habit so that when I ask for a command, he understands that I mean right then and there.
His place command, which consists of asking him to hop onto a designated surface and then either sit or lay down, was actually no problem for him! The catch was convincing him that he was also supposed to hop off when asked. Once we worked through that little technicality, things became much simpler, and he started catching on nicely.
Blu is also beginning to understand his heel. Heās starting to get the idea of staying with me and following my direction, though whenever something particularly exciting catches his attention, he still occasionally needs a reminder that he canāt simply take off toward whatever has captured his interest. With a little more time and consistency, Iām sure this will become much more natural for him.
His sit was also a little more prompt today, which was great to see! We did have a moment when someone ran by my driveway and Blu suddenly became very interested in what was happening. It took a little convincing to get him back into his sit, but thatās okayābaby steps! The more exposure he gets to distractions while learning how to remain focused, the easier these situations will become.
I was also able to begin adding both distance and duration to his sit and down commands, turning them into his extended sit and extended down. Blu did a great job with these and only needed one or two reminders to stay put, which was very encouraging for such an early stage of training.
We also continued working on his come to sit, and Blu is starting to put the pieces together! Anytime he became a little confused about where he was supposed to go, I used some gentle leash guidance and took a few steps either backward or forward to help him work through the positioning. By the end of our session, he was able to offer me a very nice come to sit all on his own!
All in all, Blu is proving to be a very smart boy, and he did a fantastic job today. Thereās certainly plenty for us to work through, especially when distractions enter the picture, but heās already beginning to understand what Iām asking of him. With some consistency, patience, and a little more practice, Iām sure this big guy will have these commands down in no time! š¾š
8/25/2026
Today Blu and I headed out to a local park to continue building on his commands with some light distractions around us. And it seemed today was more or less a battle of wills, as Blu made it very clear right from the start that he had a different agenda for the dayāand apparently, that agenda was called āBlu Does Whatever Blu Wants.ā š
We started by working on his heel command, as Blu immediately tried pulling me into the park with the enthusiasm of a dog who had already decided he knew exactly where we were going. Unfortunately for him, I had other plans! It took a little persuasion and some repetition, but after a bit of practice, Blu was able to settle in and walk nicely with me instead of attempting to take me on his own personal park tour.
After spending some time working on his heel, we moved on to the rest of his commands. His extended sit and down were a bit of a challenge in the beginning. First, we had to convince him that getting into position was a good idea, and once we accomplished that, we discovered our next challenge: convincing Blu that staying there was also part of the assignment. š
Anytime Blu decided he had served his sentence and it was time to get up, I simply redirected him back into position and started again. We repeated this until he began making the choice to stay put. It took some persistence, but eventually Blu started to realize that breaking command wasnāt going to get him out of it. With that realization came some really nice progress!
For his place command, I asked Blu to hop onto a table and settle into a down. This went about as well as his other commands did at first, with Blu seemingly wondering why I kept asking him to do something when he had already decided he had better ideas. š But through repetition and consistency, he started to catch on to what I was asking and was able to hold his place much more easily.
His come-to-sit, however, came fairly naturally to him today, which was a nice change of pace! Apparently Blu does have a favorite command after all. š
While our session may not have started out as smoothly as I would have liked, we were still able to accomplish quite a bit. More importantly, we established some good boundaries and continued teaching Blu that no matter where we are, listening to his handler and respecting those boundaries is ultimately the best choice.
I certainly donāt anticipate this being the last time Blu decides to test those boundaries, and thatās okay! Testing limits is all part of the learning process, especially for a stubborn young man like Blu. Weāre not trying to convince him that he canāt have opinionsāweāre just teaching him that they donāt always get the final vote. š
With persistence, consistency, and patience, weāll continue helping Blu understand what is expected of him and become a more mindful and well-mannered companion.
All in all, Blu made some good progress today and definitely left our session with a better understanding of his expectations and commands. Iām very proud of him for working through the challenges with me and sticking with it. Weāre getting there, one stubborn little decision at a time! š¾
8/26/2026
Today Blu and I headed back to Lake Balboa Park to continue building on his commands with distractions, and my goodness, this boy did a wonderful job!
While there was a little initial boundary testingāmostly because Blu was very excited to be out and aboutāwe were able to reestablish those boundaries much quicker today and move right past it. This time, his testing was primarily focused on his extended commands, so we made that our focus. Anytime Blu decided it was time to hop up and move on, I simply redirected him back into his original position and we started again. By the end of his session, he was holding those commands like a pro! š
His come to sit is also just about there. Heās really starting to put the pieces together, and itās been so fun watching him figure it out. Smart boy!
His heel has improved tremendously as well. Not once did Blu try to pull me today, and he was checking in with me frequently as we walked. That tells me heās becoming much more engaged with me and understanding that staying connected to his handler is far more rewarding than deciding where weāre going himself. š
But the most exciting part of our day was being able to continue working even as other dogs passed us. Blu would acknowledge that they were there, but then quickly turn his attention right back to me. No lunging. No barking. Just focus! ššš
And that deserves a serious round of applause because I know that took quite a bit of self-control from this energetic boy! Rather than letting the distraction take over, Blu was able to work through it with me and maintain his calm demeanor.
All in all, Iād say we made some meaningful progresstoday. Iām especially proud of Blu for continuing to work through challenges with me instead of panicking or getting overwhelmed by what I was asking of him. Heās learning that he can trust the process, even when the world around him gets a little more exciting.
Way to go, Blu! Keep up the great work, buddy! š¾š
8/27/2026
Today, Blu and I headed out to Home Depot to continue working on his commands with distractions, and this boy did a fantastic job! š
Now, Home Depot can be a pretty overwhelming place with all the sights, sounds, people, carts, and general hustle and bustle, so Blu started our session feeling a little nervous. We began by working on his heel as we navigated through the store, giving him some time to take everything in and get comfortable in his surroundings. After a little while, he was able to settle in and relax to the point where every once in a while, heād playfully nudge my hand with his noseāas if to say, āOkay, I got this!ā š
Once he was feeling more confident, we moved into the busier areas of the store and started practicing his extended commands. At first, staying put was a little tough with everything happening around him, but with a few repetitions and some resets, Blu began to understand exactly what I was asking of him.
Once we really settled in, I decided it was time to take things up another notch. I held onto the end of his 15-foot leash and allowed the rest to drag behind us as we continued navigating the store. This is our next step toward leash dragging and eventually giving Blu more freedom while maintaining his commands.
At first, Blu wasnāt quite sure what to make of all that extra freedom. But it didnāt take long for him to figure out that just because the leash was no longer being actively held close to him didnāt mean the rules had changed! š He quickly settled into sticking with me and continued working through the store like a pro.
One of my favorite moments was getting to see him execute his come-to-sit command using hand gestures. That may seem like a small detail, but it shows just how much Blu is beginning to understand what weāve been working on rather than simply following the leash. His understanding of his commands is really starting to shine through!
All in all, Blu is one very smart boy, and I couldnāt be more proud of him for working through his nerves, trusting me, and still coming out on top. He started the day a little unsure of himself and finished it looking like he owned the place. What a transformation! š„°
Way to go, Blu Bear! Keep up the great work! š»š
8/28/2026
Today Blu and I headed out to a local park to continue building on his progress with his commands. Our goal was to keep the momentum going with leash dragging, but Blu apparently had a few alternative ideas for how our training session should go. š
We had a minor little setback with his come to sit and heel commands. When asked to come, Blu decided that perhaps the request was more of a suggestion and simply ignored me. And when it came to heel, he much preferred trailing behind meābecause, obviously, the grass at the park was far too delicious to pass up. š±š
So, we made reinforcing his understanding of these commands our priority for the day. For his come to sit, we utilized leash guidance to help Blu with the follow-through and reinforce that once the command is given, he needs to see it through to completion. Each time he followed through effortlessly, he was heavily praised and rewarded with a treat to help build value in coming when called.
For his heel, I utilized the prong collar to help Blu better understand his positioning at my side and reinforce that staying with me is the expectationāeven when there is an entire park full of grass calling his name. š With some repetition and consistency, Blu began holding his heel position much more nicely as we walked together, and his come to sit started becoming easier for him as well.
Throughout the day, we sprinkled in a few additional sessions primarily focused on his recall, and we seemed to make some nice progress there as well.
Since Blu never really saw much value in coming when called to begin with, incorporating treats gives him a reason to want to follow through. Weāre helping him learn that listening to his handler comes with plenty of praise and rewards, making the right choice much more worthwhile than ignoring the request.
On a different note, Blu absolutely crushed his extended commands today! His sit, down, and placewere all looking great, and he did a wonderful job staying put and holding his positions. It was lovely to see him maintaining that understanding even while we worked through the hiccups with his other commands.
Now, we may have had a few bumps in the road today, but thatās completely normalāespecially with a pup who is still learning that ignoring his handler isnāt an acceptable loophole in the rules. š Itās not that Blu didnāt understand what was being asked of him; he simply needed some accountability and reinforcement to help him follow through.
And ultimately, thatās exactly what we accomplished today. We worked through the moments where Blu wanted to do things his way, reinforced the behaviors we wanted to see, and ended up with some solid progress. Iām proud of this boy for sticking with me and learning that cooperation is keyāand that unfortunately for him, the grass buffet doesnāt get to override his commands. ššš¾
All in all, Blu had a productive day, worked through his hiccups, and walked away with a little more understanding than he started with. Thatās a win in my book!
8/29/2026
Today Blu and I headed out to the park, where weāll be spending quite a bit of time this weekend working through distractions. Weekends mean the park is usually a little busier, making it the perfect place to continue preparing Blu for his off-leash work with leash dragging and distractions!
And Iām SO happy to report that Blu did a fantastic job today! As soon as we pulled up, Blu was already vocalizing his excitement, and once I got him out of the car, he was the happiest camper around. He was eager to explore and brought some wonderful energy to our session today!
We started with the leash in hand until Blu was focused enough to really settle into his work. Once we began heeling through the park, I dropped the leash and allowed it to drag. Blu immediately showed me that he understood the assignment! He stuck right by my side the entire time unless he was given a cue to hold a command. Even with other dogs passing us, he remained focused on me and checked in frequently.
Talk about being a good little shadow!
His extended commands were a bit more challenging at first because Blu was feeling especially excited today. He had a little trouble remembering that āstay putā means exactly that, but with a reminder, he settled down and began holding his commands much more patiently.
His place command was another highlight. Blu hopped onto whatever surface I asked him to use without hesitation, which was fantastic to see. Heās becoming much more confident and reliable with this command!
But the star of the show today was absolutely his come to sit! āļø
Blu came right to me and sat neatly on my left, receiving treats and praise each time he followed through exactly as weāve been practicing. Seeing this progress genuinely made me so excited because his come to sitāor, in other words, his recallāhas been one of his shakier commands up until now. Building value in coming when called has definitely been the key, and today Blu showed us just how much that work is paying off!
All in all, I am SO proud of the progress Blu showed today. He demonstrated a wonderful understanding of his work, stayed focused through some great distractions, and showed some seriously exciting progress toward being ready for his off-leash work.
Way to go, Blu Bear! š» Keep it up, buddy! Youāre becoming quite the little superstar! š
8/30/2026
Today, Blu and I headed back to the park to continue building on his progress with his commandsāand this boy did a fantastic job! š„³
We started out with some leash dragging, and Blu showed great focus and understanding throughout his work. After seeing how nicely he was sticking with me, we decided it was time to take things up a notch and unclip the leash entirely and give off-leash a try!š
Now, being Blu, we couldnāt expect him to suddenly forget about all the exciting things happening around him. š We had a few moments where he thought wandering toward the other dogs or investigating a particularly lovely patch of grass sounded like a much better idea. But what was so cool to see was how easily we were able to work through those moments and reinforce the concept that even without a leash, sticking close to his handler is still the name of the game.
In those moments, Blu made some really great choices. Rather than wandering off to investigate every dog, blade of grass, and exciting smell that crossed his path, he was able to redirect back to me and continue working. Watching him actively choose to listen to his handler instead of following every little distraction was such a rewarding moment!
Blu also showed wonderful patience with his commands today and seemed genuinely happy to be out and about, soaking up all the praise for making good choices. And honestly, what better confidence booster could we ask for? š
His come-to-sit continues to get better and better each day as well! Weāre seeing more understanding and much smoother follow-through, which is especially exciting considering how much weāve been working through this command recently.
All in all, Iām incredibly proud of Blu and the progress he continues to make. He has learned so much in just the past few days, and I couldnāt be happier with his ability to stick with me, work through the occasional snag, and keep trying even when something catches his attention.
And yesā¦ a few treats may have lent a helping hand today. š But thatās okay! Heās doing a great job, and weāll happily celebrate those good choices however we can!
Keep up the great work, Blu! Youāre becoming quite the little off-leash gentleman! š¾š
8/31/2026
Today, Blu and I headed out to a park in Rosemead to meet up with some fellow trainers and their pups so we could continue working on his OffLeash progress with some extra distractions. And Blu did a fantastic job!
Of course, having a bunch of other pups around made it a little difficult for Blu to focus at first. There were plenty of furry friends to watch, and I could tell he was very interested in what everyone else was up to! š But once he settled in and remembered that he had a job to do, Blu meant business.
One of my favorite parts of today was watching Blu practice self-control around the other dogs. I asked him to hold his sit and down positions right alongside the other pups, and while I could tell he really wanted to go over and say hello, he made the much more difficult choice to stay put. That was awesome to see! Heās learning that just because something exciting is happening nearby doesnāt mean he has to join the party.
His come-to-sit is also looking pretty solid. Every now and then heāll stop just behind me instead of coming all the way around into position, but heās able to correct himself when asked and is becoming much more consistent with his follow-through.
His off-leash heel is really starting to shine as well! Blu is checking in with me frequently and getting better and better about turning with me instead of forging ahead or getting distracted by whatās happening around him. Itās becoming much more natural for him to stay connected to me while navigating a busy environment.
All in all, Iām incredibly proud of how Blu continues to learn how to handle himself out in public. Heās showing more self-control, confidence, and understanding with every outing, and itās been so much fun watching him blossom throughout his training.
Blu is officially starting to look less like the enthusiastic neighborhood troublemaker and more like a proper gentleman! š©š¾
9/1/2026
Today, we decided to take things a little easier! Blu has been working incredibly hard and making such wonderful progress, so I thought he deserved a bit of a ājust be a dogā kind of day. We kicked off the morning with an early walk around my neighborhood, giving Blu the opportunity to explore, sniff around, take in his surroundings, and enjoy some off-leash freedom while staying close by.
Of course, we couldnāt resist sneaking in a little training along the way, and Blu did an excellent job! He showed a wonderful understanding of his commands, even with some of our neighbors walking by with their pups. He was able to acknowledge the distractions and continue enjoying his walk without letting them pull his attention away from me.
For the most part, though, I let Blu simply roam and sniff to his heartās contentāas long as he stayed nearby, he was free to investigate whatever caught his noseās attention. This also gave us a great opportunity to casually work on his recall. Every so often, I would call Blu back to me, and each time he happily came right over and performed his come to sit at my side. What a smart boy! š„° I would then release him and let him go right back to exploring, which made for a great way to reinforce that coming when called doesnāt always mean the fun has to end.
After our nice, long walk, we headed back to the house where Blu got some well-deserved playtime with my dog, Quinn. These two are already great pals and absolutely LOVE chasing each other around the yard. They had an absolute blast running, wrestling, and being goofy together!
Itās safe to say Blu thoroughly enjoyed his more relaxed day. After all the hard work heās been putting in, sometimes a little time to sniff, explore, play, and simply enjoy being a pup is exactly what the doctor ordered! šš¾
9/2/2026
Today we took Bluās off-leash work to the Home Depot, and this handsome boy did a fantastic job! š¾
When we first walked in, Blu was a little nervous, and honestly, I couldnāt blame him! The store was quite a bit louder and busier than our last visit, so there was definitely more for him to take in. But rather than letting those nerves get the best of him, Blu worked through them and showed me just how much he understands his training. I was so proud of him!
As we navigated the store, we came across a step ladder that I decided would make a great opportunity to practice his place command. When I first asked Blu to hop up, he was understandably pretty uncertain about the whole idea. But we worked through that uncertainty without the leash, and Blu made the decision to trust me and give it a try. Once he warmed up to the ladder, he was hopping up several times and holding beautifully patient sits and downs.
There was only one slightly less-than-graceful dismount when I asked him to come to sit. š Luckily, Blu learned very quickly that the ladder has these handy little things called stairs for a reason! Smart boy!
Aside from that, we had one brief moment where Blu decided sitting directly in front of me was preferable to sitting beside me. While that wasnāt quite what I asked for, it was an easy fix with a quick reset, and he was right back on track.
Otherwise, Blu showed wonderful patience and understanding throughout all of his commands. He walked beautifully at my side throughout the store, even while people made kissy noises at him and stopped to comment on how handsome he is. And every single come to sit was absolutely on point!
Perhaps my favorite part of todayās session was that Blu accomplished all of this without treats. He was motivated solely by praise and his desire to work with me. Now, donāt get me wrongāBlu certainly expectedhis paycheck, because apparently this boy has already reviewed his employment contract. š But it was fantastic to see him working so confidently for praise alone. Of course, I wasnāt going to leave him completely unpaid, so he still got his well-earned treat once we made it back to the car!
All in all, Blu continues to impress me every day. He walked into Home Depot a little unsure of himself, but he walked back out with a little more confidence and a whole lot of success under his belt. Iām so proud of him for working through his nerves and trusting me today!
Way to go, Blu Bear! š»š
9/3/2026
Today Blu and I headed out to a local park to continue working on his commands while off leash, and I am so happy to report that he did a fantastic job! Blu has really been showing us how far he has come, and today was another great example of that progress.
We decided to make our way over to the playground, where there were several children happily playing. Naturally, Blu found this very exciting. With all the running, laughing, and general playground chaos happening around him, he initially found it a little difficult to focus because, in his mind, he had just discovered a whole new group of friends who were clearly there to play with him! š
Even with all that excitement, Blu was still able to listen to his direction and perform each of his commands just as we have been practicing. We even had the opportunity to work on his greeting manners with a couple of the kids, which was especially fun to see.
As the kids approached, I could tell Blu really wanted to bounce around and join in on the excitement, but he showed some wonderful self-control. He remained seated, calmly sniffed their hands, and allowed them to give him some love rather than trying to turn the greeting into a full-blown play session. That was a BIG ask for our energetic boy, and I was incredibly proud of him for making the right choice and practicing those manners.
After such a successful session around the kids, we headed over to another area of the park where people bring their dogs to run and frolic in the grass. This time, I decided Blu had earned some freedom to do exactly thatāand boy, did he take advantage of it!š
Blu immediately took off running, happily sniffing around and enjoying the opportunity to explore. At one point, however, he got a little too excited and took off at full speed toward some of the people in the park.
While Blu was simply thinking, āFRIENDS! LETāS GO!ā I completely understand that having a very enthusiastic dog barreling toward you can look a little intimidating. As soon as I saw what was happening, I called Blu back to me, and he immediately turned around, came barreling right back, and finished by sitting beautifully on my left side. What a good boy!
All in all, we had an absolutely fantastic outing today. Blu clearly enjoyed both the work and the play, and even though he may have given a few of the locals a bit of a scare with his enthusiastic zoomies, everyone was very understanding and incredibly impressed by how well he listened despite being so excited.
And I was impressed too! Blu has come such a long way throughout his training, and seeing him make these choices in increasingly distracting environments is incredibly rewarding. He is learning that he can enjoy all the fun the world has to offer while still listening to his handler and making good decisions.
I couldnāt be more proud of this boy! šš¾
9/4/2026
Today Blu and I started our day with a long walk around my neighborhood, where we practiced his commands completely off leash. He did a fantastic job working through each command just as weāve been practicing, showing me once again how much heās starting to understand and retain!
I also gave him some time to check out all the neighborhood smells and walk a little ahead of me, which gave us the perfect opportunity to work on his recall. Each time I called him, Blu came trotting back with a big smile on his face and finished with a lovely sit right at my side. Of course, he immediately expected his treat taxāand who am I to deny the tax man? š
Not every training session needs to involve treats, but knowing that Blu has had a tendency to occasionally decide that coming when called is more of a suggestion than a requirement, it doesnāt hurt to keep some treats on hand and reward him with something extra every now and again. Down the line, as he continues learning just how important his recall is, he may not need that extra reinforcement as often. For now, though, weāll happily keep the treat pouch nearby!
After our long walk, we headed back to the house to fine-tune some of Bluās house manners. Todayās focus was on door manners, car manners, and food manners.
For his door manners, Bluās job is to sit patiently at the door and wait for his release cue before either going outside or coming inside. Even if his handler were to walk outside and temporarily disappear from his sight, Blu should remain seated and wait to be released. Because nobody wants to get mowed over while walking through a doorway, or be jumped on or dragged around while trying to find their keys! š
At first, Blu was not exactly a fan of this one. In his mind, he should obviously have first dibs on entering and exiting because there are adventures to be had!
But with consistent practice, he has gotten much better about patiently sitting at the door. In fact, heās now starting to sit and wait before I even ask him to, which is exactly the kind of self-control we want to see.
His car manners are relatively similar. Blu is expected to sit patiently beside the car and wait until he is given his cue to load up. Just like with the door, his patience was initially lacking a bit simply because he was excited and ready for another adventure. While I absolutely love that he associates the car and his travel crate with good things, Iād much rather him wait until Iām ready for him to hop in so nobody gets accidentally knocked over in the excitement!
With daily practice, he has become a much more patient boy and now hops right into his crate when asked.
Lastly, we worked on his food manners. This means Blu sits and waits while his handler prepares his meal and places it in front of him. His handler should even be able to step away for a moment, and Blu should remain seated patiently until he is released.
Now, the food preparation portion was definitely a little challenging at first. Blu absolutely LOVES mealtime, and sometimes that excitement still makes sitting perfectly still while his food is being prepared a bit difficult. But he has improved tremendously with practice. As for waiting once the food is actually in front of him, he struggled with that one initially too. However, he caught on pretty quickly to the idea that if he remains seated and waits patiently, he gets fed faster. Pretty clever, if you ask me! š
These manners have been practiced daily, just like his commands, and just like with his commands, Blu continues to make fantastic progress each day. Itās not just about teaching him what to doāitās about building the self-control to make those good choices even when something exciting is happening.
Once our work was finished, Blu headed outside to play with his buddy Quinn, and the two of them had an absolute blast chasing each other around. Itās so fun watching these two get along so well!
All in all, Blu had a fantastic day filled with both work and play. Iām incredibly proud of the understanding he continues to show during his training, but even more so, Iām proud of the ever-growing self-control weāre seeing in his actions. Heās really blossoming into a proper young man!
Good boy, Blu Bear! š»
9/5/2026
Today Blu and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park to continue working on his off-leash progress with distractions, and he did such a great job!
We had one little moment where Blu panicked a bit when someone began setting up a pop-up tent, especially with quite a few people around at the time.
But we were quickly able to work through it and show him that there was nothing to worry about. Once we got over that little hump, Blu was able to lock back in and really focus on his work, and he absolutely shined like the superstar he is!
He performed each of his commands just as weāve been practicing, showing a wonderful understanding of what is expected of him. His self-control really shined through as well when we heeled alongside several different dogs. As much as I know Blu wanted to go say hello and make some new friends, he chose to stick right by my side and continue listening to his commands. That is a HUGE accomplishment for him and really shows just how much growth weāve been able to accomplish in only two weeks!
All in all, I am so incredibly proud of Blu. He has worked hard to get this far, and Iām confident that with continued practice, we will only continue to see improvement. Itās going to come down to consistency and continuing to hold him accountable during those moments when he decides heād rather be a little stubborn. š But I know he is more than capable!
It has truly been such a pleasure watching Blu grow throughout our time together. Iād also like to take a moment to thank you for trusting me to care for your boy and allowing me to be a part of his obedience journey. My hope is that Iāve been able to provide you both with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to continue building on everything weāve accomplished together, so you can go out and enjoy many wonderful adventures together!
Blu has come such a long way, and I couldnāt be prouder of him! šš¾
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