Chapita | Golden Retriever | Los Angeles | In- Training

priscillakhoroffle
Jul 26
22 min read

Updated: Aug 16

Meet Chapita, a 4 month old Golden Retriever from Los Angeles, California, here for our Three-Week Puppy Board and Train Program! Chapita is a sweet and social pup who loves spending time with her family, including her three human sisters. Like many young puppies, Chapita is still learning the ropes when it comes to house manners. Right now, her biggest challenges include potty accidents indoors, playful biting and chasing, and jumping up on people. Over the next few weeks, we’ll be focusing on potty training, teaching her how to settle calmly, building her understanding of basic obedience commands, and helping her develop better impulse control. Stay tuned for Chapita’s Three-Week Transformation!

Pupdate 7/26/25

Chapita had a bright and bouncy start to her three-week program! At pick-up, she was full of tail wags and excitement to meet me, but she was also very distracted by her environment. This is totally normal for a young puppy, especially one as social and curious as Chapita. Over the next few weeks, one of our main goals will be improving her engagement with humans, even in distracting or unfamiliar environments. Right now, her attention span is short, and it’s easy for her to get pulled away by everything happening around her.

During our initial session, we reviewed the foundational commands she’ll be learning. From what I saw, she doesn’t seem to have a strong grasp on any obedience cues yet—she’ll sometimes offer a sit, but only inconsistently, and she’s still unsure what’s being asked of her when introduced to new concepts. That’s totally okay—at 14 weeks old, she’s in the perfect window to start learning!

Confidence-building is another big piece of her training plan. Chapita showed some hesitation when it came to navigating new obstacles. She wasn’t comfortable climbing up onto the picnic bench and needed encouragement to try. She also had a hard time climbing into the car trunk, though she did manage to get her two front paws up before stopping and looking confused. With some gentle guidance and repetition, we’ll be helping her feel more sure of herself as she learns to explore and tackle new experiences.

On the way home, she whined a bit in the car but settled after a few minutes. At the park, she went potty—great job, Chapita!—and I marked it with a “good potty” to start reinforcing that outdoor elimination is a good choice. Since coming home, I’ve been taking her out to the backyard every 10 to 15 minutes to give her plenty of chances to go, but so far she hasn’t gone again. That’s pretty typical in the first 24 hours—new environment, new routine—so we’ll stay consistent and keep encouraging her.

Chapita is sweet, curious, and ready to learn. With structure, patience, and a little bit of puppy fun, we’ll help her build the skills and confidence she needs to become a well-mannered family companion!

Pupdate 7/27/25

Today’s focus for Chapita was all about impulse control, especially around doorways and holding her commands in real-world scenarios. We zoomed in on sit and place, two foundation skills that help young puppies like her build self-control and confidence.

Each time we headed outside for potty breaks, I had Chapita sit by the door and wait, even as I opened it and stepped through. At first, she really wanted to pop up and follow me, but she’s learning that my movement doesn’t mean she should move too. With gentle reminders, she’s starting to stay put, and when she does break position, she’s quick to correct herself. This is a big win for a 14-week-old puppy!

We also introduced her to the place command—teaching her to settle calmly on a designated bed or platform. Because Chapita is still building confidence, this kind of structure will be key for her in busy or new environments. Over the next few weeks, we’ll take her place work into public settings to help her work through uncertainty and distractions. Building this emotional stability now is a critical part of helping her grow into a calm, confident adult dog.

She’s making steady progress already, and we’re excited to see her continue to grow!

Pupdate 7/28/25

Today’s pupdate is about Chapita’s place command! I demonstrate in the video above what a few repetitions of the place command look like during an early training session.

To guide them onto the place object, I use gentle leash pressure in the direction of the object and reward any effort they make toward it—whether that’s looking at it, sniffing it, or placing a paw on it. Each step toward the object is a confidence-building moment. For puppies or underconfident dogs, this process helps them feel more secure exploring new surfaces and responding to guidance.

When they get onto the place object—either sitting or lying down—I offer praise, “good place!” to reinforce both their position and the command. This helps create a clear connection between their actions and your expectations.

There are four simple rules to remember when teaching place:

The place object must have clearly defined edges (like a dog bed, towel, or bench).
Only use place objects that they are allowed on. Don’t use your bed or couch if they’re normally off-limits.
Always follow through and get the “win.” If they are hesitant or struggle to climb onto an object, assist them. Helping them succeed builds both confidence and reliability.
Build duration slowly. Start with just a few seconds and gradually increase the time over multiple sessions.

Once they are on the place, we work on three main things:

Duration: how long they stay in place
Distance: how far away we can move while they remain in place
Distractions: how many things can happen around them while they stay in place

In the video, I’m working on all three. You’ll see them staying on place even when I move away, which takes practice and trust.

When we’re done with the command—or any command—I release them with the word “Break!” which lets them know they’re free to move about again.

Pupdate 7/29/25

Today, Chapita joined me for a trainer meet-up at the park—a great opportunity to practice her growing skills around other trainers and their dogs. This kind of environment is full of distractions, which made it the perfect setting to work on her impulse control, especially in her sit and place commands while I moved around her. Like any young puppy, she found it tough at times to hold her position with so much going on, but with a few gentle leash reminders, she was able to settle and stay in place.

We also continued working on her confidence with climbing, using the place cot as a stepstool to help her onto the picnic bench. Right now, she still needs more encouragement—so we’ll be switching to a different approach to help her learn how to jump. This will not only help with climbing onto place objects but will also be important for things like jumping into the car on her own.

Despite it only being day four of training, Chapita is already showing impressive progress. Her heel is coming along beautifully. As we walked through the park, she stayed close to my leg the majority of the time. While she occasionally gets excited and forges ahead, she responds quickly to leash guidance and remembers to stay with me—keeping her head behind my knee, just like we want.

We still have plenty to build on, but for a young puppy, Chapita is off to a very strong start!

Pupdate 7/30/25

Today’s pupdate is all about Chapita’s sit command! I demonstrate in the video above what a few solid repetitions of sit should look like.

To ask for the sit, I simply say the word “Sit” and follow up with a gentle leash pressure upward to help guide them into position. As soon as their butt touches the ground, I praise with “Good sit!”—this reinforces the command and lets them know they got it right.

Once they’re in position, we start to build three important skills:

Duration: how long they can hold the sit
Distance: how far away I can move while they stay in position
Distractions: how well they can stay sitting while things happen around them

In this video, I’m focusing on distance and duration. You’ll see me walking around them, gradually getting farther away and extending the time they hold their sit. This helps teach them to stay put until they’re told otherwise, even if things get exciting around them.

If they get up from the position before I release them, I go back to using the leash pressure and a verbal “sit” to correct them.

As training continues in busier environments, we’ll naturally get more opportunities to work with distractions—helping them become even more reliable in their sit.

When we’re ready to end the command—or any command—I use the release word “Break!” to let them know they’re free to move around.

Pupdate 7/31/25

Today’s pupdate is about Chapita’s field trip to the garden section of Home Depot! We kept our visit limited to the outdoor area since she refused to potty beforehand, and we didn’t want to risk any accidents inside the store. She’s still learning to generalize the potty command and seems to only feel comfortable going on grass or gravel. Recognizing appropriate potty spots—and the command itself—will be a continued focus for her as we build consistency in different environments.

Even with that hiccup, she made great progress during our outing. As we worked around the garden section, her sit and down commands really stood out. She held her positions nicely, even with people, carts, and distractions moving around her. Her impulse control has come a long way in just a few days, and it showed today in her ability to stay calm and focused, even in a busy environment.

We also practiced a lot of obedience work right in front of the store entrance, where foot traffic was high. This gave her the chance to learn that just because people are walking by, it doesn’t mean it’s time to jump up and say hello. With every repetition, she’s learning to stay grounded and make better choices around distractions. It was a short trip, but a productive one—and a great step forward in Chapita’s training journey!

Pupdate 8/1/25

Today’s pupdate is about Chapita’s come to sit! I demonstrate in the video above what a few repetitions of the command should look like. The key to this exercise is how they make a U-turn behind me and finishes in a sit at my left side—the same place where the heel command begins.

To guide them through the motion, I use clear verbal cues along with gentle leash pressure to help shape their U-turn behind me and guide them into the sit position. If they slow down or become distracted on their way in, I simply repeat the “Come” command to keep them on track.

You’ll also hear me say “Sit” once they arrive in the correct position. Over time, that reminder will be phased out so they understand that “Come” means to come all the way in and sit by my side.

When they finish the command correctly, I praise with “Good come!” to reinforce the behavior and help them associate the word with the whole pattern.

As they build confidence with the U-turn motion, we’ll start practicing recalls from farther distances and in more distracting environments.

When we’re done with the command—or any command—I release them with their word “Break!” and give them lots of love.

Pupdate 8/2/25

Chapita had a great training outing to the pet store today! Before heading in, she successfully went potty right outside—making the rest of our visit smooth and stress-free. Once inside, we focused heavily on her heel work, weaving through aisles and practicing staying close by my side even with all the distractions of toys, smells, and people.

We came across a few benches, which gave us a great opportunity to practice her place command on new surfaces. At first, she needed a little encouragement—just a gentle lift under her back end to help her get up. But after a few tries, she was stepping onto the bench with only a bit of leash guidance. She’s still hesitant, but it’s clear her confidence is growing. Moments like these are key in helping her learn to navigate new surfaces and environments with more trust in herself.

We also worked on her sit and down commands throughout the store, practicing having her hold position while I stepped away. This is a skill she’s really starting to shine in. Staying in one spot without me right next to her not only helps with obedience—it builds independence and confidence in young puppies like her.

As we trained, we saw several dogs coming in and out of the grooming salon. Chapita was definitely a little unsure of them at first, watching quietly, but she stayed calm and never tried to bark or lunge. She’s learning how to observe without reacting, and that’s a huge win. Overall, it was a productive, positive trip and another step forward in her development!

Pupdate 8/3/25

Today’s pupdate is about Chapita’s down command! I demonstrate in the video above what a few repetitions of the command look like.

To guide them into the position, I give the verbal cue “Down” and apply gentle downward leash pressure to help them understand what I’m asking. As soon as their elbows hit the ground, I praise with a cheerful “Good down!”—reinforcing the command through positive feedback.

Once they’re in their down, we begin building three essential skills:

Duration: how long they can hold the down
Distance: how far away I can move while they stay in place
Distractions: how well they can stay focused even with movement or noise around them

In the video, I’m working on all three. I walk around them, gradually increasing my distance and adding attention-grabbing movements like squatting or waving my arms—things that might tempt them to break position. The goal is to teach them that the down command means stay there until they hear the release word.

If they do break the position early, I gently guide them back into the down with leash pressure and calmly repeat the command. This repetition and consistency helps build reliability and focus, even in the face of distractions.

As we begin working in more public or busy environments, their ability to stay in a down will continue to improve.

When we’re done with the command—or any command—I release them with their word “Break!” which lets them know they’re free to move and be themselves.

Pupdate 8/4/25

Today, Chapita joined me for another trainer meet-up at the park, where she got to work around other dogs in a focused, structured setting. We introduced a new tool today—a prong collar—which helped her better understand the guidance I was giving through the leash. This kind of collar allows for clearer communication with less leash pressure, making it easier for her to respond and more comfortable for both the handler and the dog. Right away, we saw that she was quicker to follow direction and less likely to pull or strain in another direction, allowing us to move together more fluidly.

Working around other dogs, Chapita showed great focus. Like any puppy, she’s still curious, but with a quick leash reminder, she’s doing a solid job redirecting her attention back to the task at hand. Her impulse control continues to improve, and it’s clear she’s starting to understand that being near other dogs doesn’t always mean playtime.

We’ve also made more progress with her potty training. During high-energy play sessions with other dogs, I’ve been taking her out every 15 to 20 minutes to give her plenty of opportunities to relieve herself. When she’s napping or lounging inside, I extend that window to about every 2 to 3 hours. This schedule has been working well—no accidents during crate time, and we’re using those crate sessions as both a rest period and an opportunity to build her ability to hold it until we get outside.

One big win lately has been in the mornings, when she’s most eager to go. She’s learning to walk through the house and wait at the front door until I open it before going potty outside. That’s a huge step in teaching her the routine. While she does still have accidents from time to time, I can now more easily read her signals. When she starts disconnecting from play, lingering by the door, circling, or sniffing the ground, it’s her way of letting us know she needs to go out.

All in all, today was another great step forward in both her obedience and her house manners. Chapita is growing more focused, more confident, and more in tune with her routine every day!

Pupdate 8/5/25

Today, Chapita had a big training outing to the mall! Right from the start, we had a win—she went potty on the grass outside before heading in. Since she’s still working on going potty on command, this was a huge success and gave us peace of mind for the rest of the trip.

The mall was bustling with people, making it the perfect environment for distraction training. We focused heavily on her heel, which she generally does well, only needing the occasional reminder to stay close. Sometimes, when people walked past, she tried to veer over for a sniff, but with a quick leash cue, she returned to her position.

Chapita’s friendly nature drew a lot of attention—many shoppers stopped to ask about her and give her some pets. This gave us great opportunities to practice her greeting manners. She caught on quickly that if she stayed sitting, she’d get all the attention she wanted. The moment she stood up, the interaction would pause, so she made the choice to stay seated and soak up the love.

We also worked on distance with her sit and down commands. She did very well with sit, holding it confidently even when I stepped away. Down was a bit more challenging—she seemed a little tense and hesitant to stay in that position for long, especially in such a busy place.

For confidence building, we practiced jumping to place. She approached a water fountain, put her front paws up without hesitation, and only needed help getting her back paws on it. This was a great sign of progress, as the water fountain can be intimidating for many dogs. Her willingness to engage with it shows she’s gaining trust in herself.

We’ll continue working on her jumping skills so she can get onto place objects more independently—and eventually hop into the car without hesitation. Overall, today was full of wins and growth moments for Chapita in both her obedience and her confidence!

Pupdate 8/6/25

In today’s video, we walk through all of Chapita’s commands while working around several other dogs, creating a great opportunity to build her focus in a distracting environment. While she’s still naturally curious—watching other dogs, people, and movement—she’s doing a great job following direction and staying engaged with me.

You’ll see her practicing her extended sit and down commands, and she’s holding position nicely, even while I’m standing and talking to other people. If she does break her command, putting her back in it is quick and easy. These moments show her growing ability to stay calm and steady, even when the world around her is busy. Her heel is also coming along well—she’s not pulling hard or darting off in different directions. She stays in my general vicinity, and while she still needs some occasional leash direction, that’s perfectly normal for her age and stage.

At home, Chapita’s potty training is continuing to progress. One exciting development is that she has begun to signal when she needs to go out by hovering at the door and looking at me. This signal is especially clear when she needs to poop, which she has been doing very consistently outside—huge win! When it comes to peeing, she’s still needing to go every 20 minutes or so due to her activity level. If we push much beyond that, she’s more prone to having accidents. We’ve been gradually increasing her time between potty breaks—from 10 minutes, to 15, and now to 20—and we’re working toward extending that even further to 25 minutes and beyond.

All in all, Chapita is showing great growth—both in her obedience and her house manners—and we’re proud of the progress she’s making every day!

Pupdate 8/7/25

Today’s pupdate is about Chapita’s heel command! I demonstrate in the video above what a few repetitions of heel look like in action.

The heel command is different from most other commands because it’s a moving position—the dog is joining your motion rather than holding one spot. The heel position I’m teaching is right next to my left leg, with their face not going past my knee. That’s the “safe zone” we want them to consistently stay in.

The dog should start and end the heel command in a sit by my left leg. To begin, I say “Heel” and step forward, using gentle leash guidance to help them find the correct position. If they drift too far forward, lag behind, or move away from my side, I simply guide them back into place with the leash and repeat “Heel” as a reminder.

It’s important to praise while they are in position, so when they’re walking nicely by my side, I mark it with a cheerful “Good heel!” to reinforce the correct spot.

When it’s time to stop, I give them a heads-up by saying, “And Chapita, sit,” then stop walking on the word “sit.” This allows them to predict the stop and smoothly transition into a sit at my side.

As we progress, we’ll practice heel around more distractions—like other people and dogs—and eventually transition to off-leash heel once they’re ready, following the same pattern we built on leash.

Pupdate 8/8/25

In this video, I’m working with Chapita on jumping up onto a ledge—an exercise that might seem simple, but is incredibly important for her overall confidence as a puppy. These kinds of challenges teach her how to problem-solve, trust her own body, and navigate new or intimidating situations. By practicing now, we’re setting her up to approach obstacles with curiosity and courage as she grows into adulthood.

Jumping isn’t something that comes naturally to Chapita yet. She tends to hesitate and overthink the movement, so I’m giving her a bit of help with a gentle hand under her back end to guide her upward. At first, she’ll lift one leg onto the ledge, then slowly work the other up, using the boost I give her. Each repetition helps her realize that she can do it, even if she’s unsure at first.

The exciting part is that she actually managed to jump all the way up completely on her own once during this session—and we celebrated that moment big time! Positive, enthusiastic reinforcement like that is key to making her feel proud and motivated to try again.

Over time, with patience and consistent practice, Chapita will start jumping up with little to no hesitation. Eventually, she’ll be able to tackle ledges, benches, and even the car completely on her own. The goal isn’t just the physical skill—it’s building the mindset that she can face challenges and succeed.

Pupdate 8/9/25

Today’s video is all about teaching Chapita how to run and jump over obstacles—an important skill for both her physical coordination and her confidence. Since Chapita has shown some hesitation when it comes to jumping onto or over things, this exercise is designed to help her learn the motion step-by-step: lifting her front paws first and then pushing off strongly with her back legs.

At the start, you’ll see that she struggles a bit with the “front paw” portion of the movement, often hesitating or trying to walk over instead of jump. However, when I join in and physically run and jump over the object with her, she catches on much more quickly. Running together gives her that extra boost of excitement and shows her exactly what I want her to do.

To keep challenging her, I gradually increase the height of the boundary so she can learn to jump at higher and higher intervals. We’re not rushing the process—my plan is to repeat this exercise daily, in short bursts with plenty of breaks, so that she has time to rest and process the skill without getting overwhelmed. Over time, this repetition will help her master the jumping motion and carry that confidence into other activities.

A fun and unexpected bonus happened during this session—Chapita got to practice her greeting manners! We ran into a local friend of mine at the park, and she stayed sitting the entire time we chatted. The best part? I never even cued her to “sit”—she made that choice herself. Naturally, I gave her lots of praise for making such a polite decision on her own.

As the session went on, she did start to get a bit more tired, which is perfectly normal for a puppy her age. That’s why our training sessions are always broken up into short, focused lessons with rest in between. This way, she can stay engaged, avoid frustration, and continue making steady progress toward becoming a confident, capable jumper.

Pupdate 8/10/25

Today, Chapita kept up the momentum with her jumping practice—this time from the comfort of home, away from the summer heat. She’s making fantastic progress! Her confidence really shines when I reward her for clearing lower jumps, and that little boost of success helps her tackle the higher ones with more enthusiasm. I introduced a fun twist by tossing treats to opposite sides of the rope, which turned the exercise into a game. She had an absolute blast leaping back and forth, tail wagging the whole time. It’s clear she has the physical ability to jump—it’s just about building the mental confidence to tackle any obstacle in front of her.

Outside of jumping, Chapita is also excelling in her heel work. Every single potty break is now a training opportunity, and she heels the entire way there with her head right beside my leg, not creeping ahead. She’s very consistent in maintaining that position, which shows she’s really grasping the concept.

One small detail we’re still refining is her automatic sit at the end of our heel. When I cue her with “And Chapita, sit,” she sometimes takes a second to process and often needs a gentle leash pop as a reminder. It’s coming along, but it’s not quite muscle memory for her yet.

All in all, she’s doing wonderfully—both in building her confidence over jumps and sharpening her obedience on the ground. With steady practice, I’m confident she’ll be soaring over higher obstacles and sitting on cue in no time.

Pupdate 8/11/25

In today’s video, we focused on walking through several of Chapita’s key commands—extended sit, down, heel, and come to sit. She started off a little more distracted than usual, scanning her surroundings and taking in all the sights and sounds, but as the session went on, she settled into the work and her focus improved noticeably. That’s one of the benefits of consistent training—she can shake off the initial excitement and get into a groove.

Her heel continues to be a strong point for her. Every time we walk anywhere, whether it’s to the potty spot or just across the yard, I have her in heel position. This constant reinforcement has made it second nature for her to stay right by my side without pulling ahead. She understands her place well and holds it without needing constant reminders.

On another exciting note, our jumping exercises are clearly paying off! Today, Chapita jumped into the car on her own both times we went out. While it did take a few tries each time, I gave her the chance to figure it out for herself rather than lifting her up. With encouragement and repeated attempts, she not only made it in, but she also gained confidence in the process. By letting her work through it instead of doing it for her, she’s learning that she can accomplish these physical challenges and that she’s expected to try.

Little wins like this—both in obedience and confidence—are exactly what will help her grow into a well-rounded, capable pup.

Pupdate 8/12/25

On our trip to the park, we met up with the other trainers and their dogs, which gave Chapita an excellent opportunity to practice her obedience around plenty of real-life distractions. She was definitely curious about the other dogs, watching them with interest, but she never lunged, barked, or tried to pull toward them to play or interact. This is exactly what we want to see—calm, neutral behavior in a social setting—which is a sign of a confident and well-socialized dog. Teaching her to remain composed around other dogs in public is key for keeping her safe and avoiding unexpected interactions with strangers’ pets.

We worked on her general obedience throughout the outing, but one moment really stood out: the picnic benches. When I asked her to go to “place” on top of them, she was very hesitant. She wouldn’t jump up or even place her front paws on the surface. Even when I lifted her onto the bench, she froze in place, laying down and staring at me with the saddest eyes. The benches were quite narrow, and it’s possible she felt unstable and unsure about her footing. I didn’t want to create a negative association, so I kept the exercise short and didn’t push her too far past her comfort level.

On other, larger surfaces, however, she’s making great progress—jumping up more consistently and with less hesitation. She does tire out after a few jumps, which is completely normal for her age, so we keep training sessions short but frequent. By mixing in plenty of breaks and multiple sessions throughout the day, we can help her build both skill and confidence without overwhelming her.

Pupdate 8/13/25

Chapita is making steady progress with her jumping skills, especially when it comes to getting into the car. She’s not quite at the point where she hops in without thinking about it every time, but she’s starting to understand that she can do it. Sometimes, she gets a little stubborn and stands there sizing it up, but a small running start gives her both the confidence and the momentum she needs to make the leap. Interestingly, after a field trip or a training session where she’s worked hard, she becomes very eager to jump into the car—so eager that she’ll hop right in without me even prompting her.

On lower place objects—like the ones shown in the video—she’s able to get up with ease once she takes that little running start. You’ll see that she occasionally hesitates, but with some encouragement and guidance, she works through it and becomes much more willing. In fact, her pattern is pretty predictable: the first time she sees a new place, she’s hesitant and unsure, but after successfully getting on it once, she’s happy to repeat it multiple times without hesitation.

We’ve been practicing this on our field trips, placing her on different surfaces and objects—each with varying heights, widths, and textures. She’s been consistently able to jump onto these platforms, and every successful repetition builds her confidence. This variety also helps her understand that she can handle new and unfamiliar surfaces, not just the ones she already knows.

Chapita is following my lead well, trusting my direction, and working through her moments of stubbornness. With each new jump, she’s not just improving her physical skill, but also developing the mental confidence that will help her tackle new challenges with a “I can do this” attitude.

Pupdate 8/14/25

Today’s video highlights one of Chapita’s biggest victories so far—successfully jumping into the car! This has been one of her toughest challenges, as the car is much higher than most of the obstacles we’ve worked with, and its size can feel intimidating for a puppy. Watching her accomplish this milestone is incredibly rewarding, because it shows just how far she’s come with her confidence and jumping abilities.

To prepare for this, we built up her skills in small steps. First, we practiced jumping over low obstacles, then gradually moved to higher ones, always pairing the motion with the verbal cue “jump.” Once she was comfortable clearing those, we began transferring the skill to the car. I gave her a running start to give her both momentum and confidence, then cued “jump” and encouraged her toward the car.

In the beginning, she still needed a little help—sometimes I would give her a gentle boost to show her it was safe and possible. That small assist worked as a confidence builder, helping her realize she was capable of making the leap herself. As you’ll see in the video, once she understood the motion and the goal, she began attempting it on her own.

It’s perfectly normal for puppies to go through short “fear periods” where certain challenges seem overwhelming. What matters is helping them work through those moments without creating negative associations. By practicing consistently and making the experience positive, Chapita is already overcoming her hesitation. With more repetition, she’ll not only master jumping into the car every time, but she’ll do it with excitement and confidence.

Pupdate 8/15/25

Chapita has developed excellent manners that make her a pleasure to work with both at home and out in public. One of the clearest examples of this is her car manners. Before we head anywhere, I can put her in a sit in front of the car and open the trunk without her breaking position. There’s no rushing, jumping, or trying to get in early—she remains in that sit until I give her the release command. Only then does she jump into the car with confidence and control. This routine keeps her safe and helps start every trip in a calm, focused way.

Her food manners are just as polished. When it’s mealtime, I can have her sit or down while I place her bowl and tell her “leave it.” She stays put until I release her with “break,” resisting the temptation to rush toward the food. This habit not only reinforces her impulse control but also makes mealtime calm and structured rather than chaotic.

At the door, Chapita shows the same level of patience and discipline. Before we step outside, I can put her in a sit, open the door, and even step out to put on my shoes without her moving from her spot. She stays there until I give her the cue to come. These manners keep her from rushing out unexpectedly and ensure every transition from inside to outside happens under control.

Through these routines, Chapita has shown she can follow through with commands in different situations, no matter the distraction. Her manners are now a consistent part of her everyday life, making her safer, more reliable, and a joy to take anywhere.