Charlie | Golden Retriever | Santa Monica, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- May 3
- 24 min read
Updated: May 23
Meet Charlie! š¾
Charlie is an enthusiastic 11-month-old Golden Retriever from Santa Monica, California, who has just joined us for our Three Week Old School Board and Train Program! Full of puppy energy and charm, Charlie is in that stage where every new person and pup is instantly his best friendāand where a little bit of mischief tends to follow close behind. From jumping up to say hello to pulling on the leash in excitement, itās safe to say this young man is more than ready for some structure and guidance.
Over the next 21 days, weāll be working closely with Charlie on his off-leash basic obedience and house manners. Our goal is to help him channel all that enthusiasm into more polite behaviorsāteaching him better ways to greet people, make good choices, and become a more attentive listener both at home and out in the world.
Charlie has a wonderful personality and so much potential, and weāre excited to help him grow into the well-mannered companion we know he can be. Stay tuned for his transformation! š
5/3/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to the park for a nice introduction walk. This not only helps us get better acquainted with each other, but also gives me a chance to assess what he already knows and where weāll be building from. Right away, I was able to see that Charlie does know āsitā and ādown,ā but not quite on a reliable command yetāso thatās something weāll be tightening up as we move forward.
We also jumped straight into working on his heel, because wowāthis boy definitely likes to take the lead! Initially, I tried giving corrections with a flat collar, but it didnāt have much effect. So I introduced Charlie to the prong collar. When used properly, itās a very effective communication tool, and in Charlieās case, it was a total game changer. Almost immediately, I was able to get his attention and start guiding him more clearly. It didnāt take long before he began walking nicely at my side and even offering sits when askedāgreat progress for day one!
We also dipped into his ācome to sitā command to see how he handled leash guidance. This exercise has him come around my right side and finish sitting on my left. Charlie responded well to the directional pressure, which is a really good sign and tells me heās going to pick this up quickly.
For heel work, we kept things simple and clearāif Charlie chose to move ahead and lead, I would give a correction and change direction. The goal here is to teach him to stay tuned in to me and follow my lead rather than making his own decisions. Once he understood the expectation, he started walking much more like a gentleman.
After the park, we loaded up to head back to my place so Charlie could start settling into his home away from home for the next few weeks. He hopped into the car willingly, but definitely hit the brakes when he saw the crate. Even so, we got him in, and while he whined for about the first ten minutes of the drive, he eventually settled down once he realized the plan wasnāt changingāsmart boy!
At the house, I gave Charlie some time to explore and get comfortable in his new environment. He seemed to approve overall, though he was definitely curious about my cats and other pupāhe would have loved to go say hello! In time, weāll work up to more structured introductions.
Crate time in the house was pretty similar to the car experience. He wasnāt too thrilled about going in at first, and he cried for a bit, but he did settle down fairly quickly. It may be the calm before the storm, but for nowāso far, so good!
All in all, Charlie is settling in nicely and already showing that he can handle new structure and commands well. Iām excited to see how much progress he makes over the next few weeks! š¶
5/4/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to Rosemead to meet up with some fellow trainers and their dogs. This was a great opportunity to start introducing and practicing almost every command heāll be learning during his stayāand Charlie handled it really well!
Of course, when we first arrived, he was very excited about all the new dogs and people. To help channel that energy, we immediately got to work with his heel command, which has already improved quite a bit since yesterday. Giving him that structure helped him stay more focused while still being able to take in his surroundings appropriately.
A few of the trainers came over to say hello, and we used this as a perfect chance to work on Charlieās greeting manners. The goal is for him to sit politely and allow attention to come to him. This was a bit challenging at first, but he caught on quickly and ended up sitting like the happiest, most polite boyāearning himself plenty of well-deserved pets!
Next, we worked on his down command. While we know he understands it, he was a bit resistant at first. With some gentle leash pressure and encouragement, he worked through it, and once he did, we made sure to celebrate that win. Right now, both his sit and down are still short-lived, so weāll be focusing on building duration and adding distance moving forward.
We also introduced the place command today. Charlie had no problem hopping onto the place cot, but staying there was more of a challengeāwhich is completely normal for a young pup. Weāll continue to build his confidence and consistency with that as well.
His come to sit is improving with practice, though he hasnāt fully grasped the entire motion just yet. That said, for only day two, heās doing a great job learning and trying.
Charlie is proving to be a very smart boy who responds well to direction, even if he has a few moments of protestāwhich is perfectly normal at this stage. Heās already making great progress, and with continued consistency, everything will start to click into place.
To top it all off, Charlie did amazing in his crate! He made it through the entire night without a single peep, and this morning he willingly went right into the crate before our outing without any fuss. What a good boy!
All in all, Charlie had a great outing today and handled the environment like a champ. Iām excited to see his continued progress!
5/5/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to Home Depot to work on all of the commands heās been learning with added distractions. We also met up with some fellow trainers and their pups, which brought an extra layer of excitement to the environment.
Charlie handled everything really well! He stayed polite the entire timeāno jumping on peopleāand walked nicely at my side through the store. It was great to see him able to navigate a busy environment while maintaining his manners.
We spent some time working on distance and duration with his sit and down commands. At first, staying put was a bit of a challenge, but after a few repetitions he began to understand what was being asked of him. Smart boy! Heās also continuing to make good progress on his come to sit. Itās not perfect just yet, but heās improving and building a solid foundation.
One of the best parts of today was being able to calmly walk through the store together while Charlie stayed focused and composed, even with all the activity around him. He also got plenty of complimentsāeveryone loved his outfit today, and he definitely soaked up the attention like the cutie he is!
Iām very proud of the effort Charlie put in today and how well he was able to stay engaged with me instead of getting distracted by everything around him. What a good boy!
5/6/2026
Today Charlie and I headed back out to continue working on his commands with distractions. Our main focus today was his come to sit, as well as his extended sit and down commands. Charlie is definitely starting to understand the come to sit command, and now we are working toward getting him to need less leash guidance before we begin transitioning into off leash work. Heās making good progress and is starting to think through the command more clearly each session.
With his extended sit and down commands, the main goal is teaching patience and helping him build the trust to remain in position when I step away. Heās pretty good at it already, but more often than not he still wants to spring up the second I create distance. The good news is that with every repetition he improved more and more throughout the session. Charlie is a very smart guy, and Iām confident heāll have all of this down in no time!
Inside the home, we are continuing to work on not chasing my cats, which will also help curb his desire to chase smaller creatures outside the home as well. This is still a work in progress, but heās learning. His crate training is also coming along very smoothly. Charlie has started walking into his crate voluntarily more often than not, and he remains nice and quiet once inside, which is awesome to see.
We are also continuing to work on meal manners by having him hold a sit while I place his food down, along with door manners where he remains seated while I open the door and waits patiently for his release command. Both of these are challenging for him because staying put is hard when he gets excited, but he is improving every single day.
Update on wound care: the skin around Charlieās bites is starting to look much less irritated, which is great news. Heās also been such a good boy about letting me clean and treat the affected areas. His potties are starting to look healthier as well, which is another positive sign. It definitely looks like your boy is on the mend so far!
5/7/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park to continue working on his commands with distractions. With this new environment, Charlie found it rather difficult to stay focused on me and the tasks at hand. Because of this, we spent some extra time working on his heel command until he chose to settle a bit and focus more on the work. Once he relaxed, we were able to begin practicing his commands.
Though the joke was definitely on me today because sitting still? Absolutely not. Juking me out with his come to sit? Absolutely! And honestly, this is totally normal for a pup. One day they do everything like a perfect little angel, and the next day itās chaos incarnate. So rather than fighting that frustration, we made it our focus for the day and worked through it together.
By the end of our session, Charlie showed a much better understanding of his extended commands and also improved with his come to sit command, which was wonderful to see. During training, we also had a moment where a man and his dog stopped to chat nearby. I was very happy to see that while the other dog was trying his best to pull his owner closer, Charlie made the choice to settle into a down on his own. Technically, he was supposed to be holding a sit, but I chose not to correct him because he still made a very good decision in that moment. Had he tried running toward the other dog, that would have been a completely different story. Either way, yay Charlie for making good choices!
Once Charlie started showing a solid understanding of our work for the day, we ended the session on a positive note, which is always important. All in all, I think we made a good amount of progress today, and Charlie learned a valuable lesson: listening is always the best policy!
5/8/2026
Today Charlie and I headed back to the park to continue working on all of his commands, and there was quite a bit of improvement today! Charlie is beginning to better understand the motion involved with his come to sit command. Instead of rushing through it like he has in the past, he started taking a little more time and care with each repetition, which was wonderful to see. Heās starting to think through the exercise rather than just reacting quickly.
His extended sit and down commands are also improving steadily, though we are still working on the patience required to hold those positions for longer periods of time. Thatās completely alright because each day gets a little better than the last. Charlie is learning that staying calm and remaining in position is just as important as performing the command itself.
We also spent some time working on his place command. Getting Charlie to hop up onto benches or raised objects is the easy part ā convincing him to stay there is the real challenge! Thankfully, this is improving each time we practice. The biggest thing for Charlie right now is learning how to slow down and think instead of living in that constant āgo, go, go!ā mentality. With time, repetition, and a little more maturity, this will continue getting easier for him.
One thing Iāve discovered that really helps Charlie settle and focus is having a good play session before training. Helping him burn off some of that extra energy makes a huge difference in his ability to concentrate. Iāve learned that this boy absolutely loves to run, so before we start working Iāll throw a ball around for him to chase. Heās pretty good at fetching the ballā¦ bringing it back is another story! But thatās okay ā maybe weāll have him returning it consistently before his stay with me is over!
Overall, we had a really good day filled with both play and training, and Charlie continues to make great progress. Iām very proud of this young man and the effort heās putting in each day.
Wound care update: Charlieās bites are looking much better! There are only very small scabs left, and the skin around them is clearing up significantly. At this rate, we may be able to ditch the jammies and shirt sooner than expected!
5/9/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to the Santa Anita Mall to continue working on all of his commands with distractions. And for the most part, Charlie did a great job! He stayed nicely at my side during his heel command and showed that heās beginning to understand the structure and expectations a lot better in busy environments.
We also spent time working on his extended sit and down commands. Charlie only popped up once or twice as I stepped away, but with a quick reminder he returned right back into position and stayed there until told otherwise. Thatās great progress and shows heās starting to build more patience and understanding with duration work.
With his come to sit command, weāre still working through a few little kinks. Charlie can still get excited or distracted at times and forget exactly how the follow through is supposed to go. But thatās completely alright because heās learning and improving a little more each day! Heās trying hard and itās nice to see him beginning to put the pieces together.
His place command is coming along nicely as well. Charlie is getting much better about staying put on the raised platforms which is wonderful to see. Heās becoming more comfortable relaxing in place and understanding that the command means to stay there until released.
The only command we havenāt introduced yet is under, and weāll begin working on that as soon as Charlie gets a slightly better handle on some of his other commands. Which honestly, Iām sure will be any day now! Charlie is a smart boy and heās doing very well. Iām proud to see how much progress heās already making!
5/10/2026
Today Charlie and I headed back out to the mall to continue working on his commands around distractions. Our main focus for the day was place work and come to sit. Charlie does a great job hopping up onto different surfaces with confidence, so todayās challenge was really about teaching him to stay put once he was there. By the end of the session he started showing improvement and was settling into his place command much more nicely!
His come to sit is also continuing to make progress. Charlie is beginning to understand the motion and positioning of the command instead of rushing through it. Heās also doing very well with his heel command and has learned that staying at my side is the best policy while we walk through busy environments.
Charlieās extended sit and down commands are becoming much more prompt, and heās improving with staying put as I step away from him. All in all, Charlie had a great day of training and enjoyed some playtime in the yard afterwards! Iām so proud of the understanding he is beginning to show with all of his work!
5/11/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to a park in Rosemead to meet up with some fellow trainers and their pups so we could practice all of his commands around distractions! Iām happy to say Charlie is starting to get the hang of things. While the other dogs were definitely exciting for him, he still showed some really nice improvement with his extended commands, heel, and come to sit.
His come to sit is coming along nicely, and the next piece we are working on is his finishing position. Ideally, Charlie should finish sitting neatly at my side, but right now he prefers turning toward me or parking himself in front of me instead. Silly boy! Iām sure as he learns to slow down and think things through a bit more, this will become easier with practice and repetition.
His extended sit and down commands have improved as well. He still breaks position from time to time, but the good news is it doesnāt take much reminding for him to return to position and stay put. We are also continuing to reduce leash guidance little by little to help make the transition to off leash work smoother. That part is definitely still a work in progress, but Charlie is making steady improvements every day.
All in all, Charlie is making really good progress and Iām very proud of this silly puppy!
Wound care update: Charlieās bites are almost completely healed, and we also got a solid potty todayāgood news all around!
5/12/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to the Home Depot to continue working on all of his commands, and he did a wonderful job! Charlie is really starting to show a great understanding of whatās being asked of him. Of course, there are still moments where he gets a little too excited and fumbles through things, but thatās completely normal for a young pup! When those moments happen, we simply slow things down, stay patient, and help him think through the task instead of rushing.
We also had a couple great opportunities to work on Charlieās greeting manners today. With the first person he met, Charlie got very excited and attempted to tackle them with enthusiasm! I quickly asked him to come to sit beside me so we could reset and try again. By the next greeting, Charlie made a huge improvement! He sat patiently and waited politely for attention to come to him instead of launching himself forward. Good boy, Charlie!
Charlieās scabs have also improved greatly, which meant he was finally able to go without his shirt today. I think Charlie was very happy about that as well!
Overall, Charlie is making wonderful progress every single day, and Iām so proud of how hard heās working!
5/13/2026
Today Charlie and I headed back out to Home Depot to continue working on his commands around distractions. Our biggest focus for the day was positioning with his heel and come to sit commands. Charlie is definitely understanding the concept, though he still has a tendency to stay a bit in front of me during heel or turn toward me when sitting in front position.
Today I also introduced more hands-free leash work, which still gave me enough control to help guide him through the correct positioning while encouraging him to think through the commands on his own. After a few corrections and repetitions, Charlie really started to catch on and was walking very nicely at my side. With his come to sit command, a few solid reps helped things click and he began understanding exactly where he was supposed to finish the command.
Charlie also did very well with his extended sit and down commands today. He showed great confidence hopping up onto different surfaces for his place command, and staying put wasnāt much of an issue for him either! Iām very impressed with the amount of effort Charlie put into todayās work and the understanding heās continuing to show with all of his commands. Great job Charlie!
5/14/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to the park to continue progressing with his commands, and today came with two exciting new introductions: the under command and leash dragging! Charlie did a wonderful job working through both and showed me just how much heās beginning to think through his decisions instead of simply reacting to the environment around him.
For the under command, Charlie is asked to go underneath a table or bench, lay down, and patiently remain there until directed otherwise. He actually picked this up rather quickly! Though itās still a work in progress because now benches offer two different possibilities for him to think through, which is honestly great for his learning. Itās one more way to encourage Charlie to slow down, focus, and make thoughtful choices instead of rushing ahead.
Once we spent some time practicing that and Charlie was showing wonderful focus, we moved into leash dragging. This gives Charlie the freedom of being āoff leashā while still allowing me the ability to step in and correct if he decides sticking with me isnāt quite his cup of tea. Luckily, Charlie did a great job staying with me overall! Of course, once he realized I wasnāt actively holding the leash, he did test the boundaries a bit here and there, which was fully expected. The nice thing was it took very little guidance to get him to come back, reset, and refocus on me.
After settling back in, Charlie did very well checking in with me and responded nicely to command combinations and hand gestures to help guide him through each exercise. Iām genuinely so proud of how he navigated around park goers toward the end of our session. While he still has moments where excitement causes him to overshoot his come to sit command, heās still a pup and those little moments will absolutely improve with consistency and continued practice. Overall, Charlie had a really strong day and continues making wonderful progress!
5/15/2026
Today Charlie and I headed back out to the park to continue working on his commands while leash dragging, and he did pretty well! Charlie is showing a wonderful understanding of his commands, though he still has his moments where he wants to test the boundaries or gets a little confused. Thatās all part of the learning process, and overall he continues to make great progress each day.
Our main focus today was his heel command, so we took a nice walk around the lake while practicing staying at my side no matter what distractions came our way. Along the walk we sprinkled in some sits, downs, and recall work, but my biggest concern was making sure Charlie understood that heel means staying with me and not wandering off to investigate every exciting thing around us. There were definitely a few tempting moments where people made kissy noises at him or we passed something especially interesting that caught his attention, and he was very tempted to go check it out. But with a quick reminder, Charlie did a great job choosing to stay with me instead. Good boy!
All in all, we made wonderful progress with our training today, and Iām excited to say that off-leash work starts tomorrow!
5/16/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to the Westfield Century City to continue his progress with his commands off leash, and Charlie did very well even in a brand new environment! There were a few moments of confusion as he adjusted to working without leash guidance for the first time, but thatās completely normal. When those moments came up, we stayed patient and helped Charlie work through what was being asked of him. Before long, he caught on and was performing all of his commands just as weāve been practicing.
Charlie received so many compliments from people throughout the mall on how well behaved he was, and he truly earned them! He stayed right at my side during heel and sat politely anytime we stopped to chat with someone. He was such a gentleman throughout our outing. His greeting manners are still a work in progress, as he can get very excited and wants to crawl right into peopleās laps for affection, but we made sure to get in several practice repetitions during our trip. By the end of the session, he was already showing improvement with remaining seated and waiting patiently for attention to come to him instead.
Overall, Charlie did an excellent job today, even while working through some confusion in a busy new environment. Heās still an excitable young man learning how to slow himself down and think things through, but Iām very proud of the effort he put in today. Charlie is really shaping up to be a very good boy!
5/17/2026
Today Charlie and I headed back to the mall to continue his progress with off leash work, and he did a great job! When we first arrived Charlie was quite excited, so to help him settle in and focus, we spent some time walking around and practicing his heel command. Once he calmed down a bit, we got to work.
Charlie performed each command just as we have been practicing. He only needed one reminder on his finishing position for come to sit, which is a huge improvement! He also did an excellent job with his extended commands, staying put like a very patient boy.
While we were there, Charlie received many compliments from different people, and he definitely earned them! Even when other dogs passed by, he stayed with me nicely, despite clearly wanting to go over and say hello.
Overall, Charlie made really wonderful progress today, and Iām so proud of the focus and effort he put into his work!
5/18/2026
Today we headed out to Rosemead to meet up with other trainers and their pups to continue Charlieās progress with his commands off leash. Our main focus today was helping Charlie slow down and better differentiate between his āplaceā and āunderā commands, as he sometimes gets a little confused about whether he should hop up onto something or go underneath benches and picnic tables. By the end of our practice, he really seemed to catch on and was correctly offering āplaceā when asked for place and āunderā when asked for under. What a good boy!
Another thing Iāve noticed while working Charlieās commands is that itās very important to be firm and precise with whatās being asked of him. Otherwise, heāll try to push boundaries a bit or let that goofy personality of his get him turned around. At this point, Charlie absolutely knows whatās being asked of him ā now itās all about holding him accountable and guiding him when he truly needs it.
For example, while practicing his extended down, Charlie tried to sneak up into a sit as soon as I started walking away. The moment I caught it, he received a reminder and immediately got himself back into position before I even had the chance to walk back over to him. Good choice, buddy!
Aside from some slight boundary testing, Charlie did a great job today. His heel continues to improve, as does his come to sit. Right now, weāre mainly tightening up his finishing position because he likes trying to place one paw either in front of my foot or directly on top of it. This is Charlieās way of showing a little ownership, but unfortunately for him, thatās not how things work, bud!
Other than those small things, heās doing very well. The issues weāre working through are minor, and I have no doubt weāll have them cleaned up in no time. Iām so proud of this young boy ā he put a lot of effort into todayās work and it really showed!
5/19/2026
Today Charlie and I headed to the park to continue his progress with his off leash work, and Charlie brought ALL of the energy to todayās session! We started by walking around the entire lake, giving him lots of opportunities to practice staying engaged and responsive while moving through different distractions and environments.
Along the way we came across a pretty little spot, so we stopped to make a video and work on his under and place commands. Charlie is really doing well with these! When going under the tables he still needs a few reminders about exactly where to stop and lay down, but overall heās really starting to understand whatās being asked of him. One of my favorite things to see today was how he would actually pause and think when we approached the tables, rather than just rushing through the exercise. That kind of thought process is a huge sign that things are starting to click for him.
With all of his excitement and energy today, he did have a few moments where he got himself a little turned around on commands like come to sit, but honestly it was so fun to watch him catch his own mistakes and work to fix them. Heās also beginning to anticipate what comes next, which shows heās understanding the routine and flow of his training. Now we just need him to wait for the actual cue instead of trying to beat me to it!
Overall, today was one of the most enjoyable and rewarding outings weāve had together because it really showed that all of the hard work weāve been putting in is paying off. Charlie is truly starting to understand his commands and gain confidence in his work, and we absolutely love to see it. Iām so proud of this good ball!
5/20/2026
Today Charlie and I headed back out to the park to continue his progress with his off leash work, and he did a wonderful job today! His understanding of his commands continues to grow, and so does his focus. That doesnāt mean heās not still a goofy boy at times with his commands, but honestly thatās part of what makes working with him so much fun.
I was especially proud of how well he handled his commands with all kinds of distractions around us today, including wildlife, other dogs, and plenty of people at the park. What really impressed me though was how focused he stayed on me while we were walking around. Several people tried making kissy noises and other attempts to get his attention, but Charlie stayed tuned in and continued working right alongside me.
This was such a huge win because when we first started, even the smallest bit of attention from strangers would immediately get him excited and wanting to drag his human over to say hello. Seeing him now able to acknowledge those distractions and still choose to stay focused on his handler made me smile. Itās clear Charlie is learning not only his commands, but also how to trust his handler to guide him through different situations.
Iām so proud of the focus, maturity, and progress Charlie continues to show each day. He truly is one smart young man!
5/21/2026
Today we decided to take things a little easier by sticking around my home and focusing on fine tuning Charlieās house manners! We started our day with a nice long walk around my neighborhood where we practiced all of Charlieās commands off leash, and he did very well with each one. He stayed engaged, responsive, and showed great understanding of what was being asked of him throughout the walk.
While house manners are something we work on daily, today we really made them the main focus. Charlie has struggled a bit with holding his sits before eating, going outside, and loading into the car, so we spent extra time reinforcing patience and impulse control in those situations. After a few consistent repetitions, he seemed to understand the expectations much more clearly!
For food manners, Charlie is expected to sit and wait while I prepare and set his food down, and even if I walk away, he should continue holding that sit until released. Door manners follow the same idea ā he should remain sitting calmly at the door, even if I step outside or briefly out of sight before inviting him through. We also worked on car manners, where Charlie is expected to sit politely by the car while I get everything ready before receiving the cue to load up.
All in all, Charlie is showing really wonderful progress in every aspect of his training. Heās learning that patience and self-control are just as important as knowing commands, and Iām so proud of this goofy boy and all the effort he continues to put in every day!
5/22/2026
Today Charlie and I headed out to the Santa Monica Pier to fine tune all of his commands off leash around some big distractions! At first, the commotion of the pier was a bit much and had Charlieās focus all over the place ā and honestly, thatās completely fair! The pier is a very busy and exciting environment with lots of people, smells, sounds, and movement everywhere you look. So to help set him up for success, we started things off on leash and simply walked around for a bit to let Charlie take everything in and get comfortable with the environment.
It didnāt take long before Charlie settled in though, and soon enough he was off leash and showing off all of his commands! And considering heās such an excitable young man, he did awesome! There were a few moments where he got a little confused and needed some reminders on where to go for his come to sit and heel commands, but thatās completely okay. After those reminders, he was able to perform each command flawlessly. All it took was some patience and consistency!
At one point while we were taking a water break at one of the tables, Charlie got a little cheeky and decided he wanted to go after a pigeon. But with a quick āoffā command and a correction, he immediately came right back, laid under the table, and looked at me as if to say, āYeahā¦ Iām sorry.ā It was another great reminder that Charlie absolutely understands the expectations ā heās just still a puppy sometimes!
Charlie was definitely the star of the show today. Lots of people stopped to comment on how well trained and adorable he was, and many were shocked to hear that heās only eleven months old and confidently working off leash in such a crowded environment. That is no small accomplishment!
All in all, Charlie had an awesome outing today, and Iām so proud of the effort he put in out there. The Santa Monica Pier is no easy feat for a pup, but Charlie rose to the occasion and did an amazing job. Go Charlie!
5/23/2026
Today Charlie went on another big outing to the Santa Monica Pier to continue his progress with his commands off leash, and Charlie absolutely blew me away! He performed each and every command just as weāve been working so hard on. He even went as far as laying calmly under a bench with other pier goers sitting on it when asked to perform his under command. It was such an awesome moment to see his confidence and understanding really shine through in such a busy environment.
Of course, there were still a few moments where puppy brain got the best of him and he had to do something a little silly, but it wouldnāt be Charlie if he didnāt! Even with those moments, he did an amazing job staying engaged and working through all of the distractions around him.
We also had plenty of opportunities to work on his greeting manners since Charlie had many fans at the pier today. I canāt blame them ā heās a very handsome boy! With reminders to sit, he did pretty well with staying put and allowing the love and attention to come to him, though I wonāt say this isnāt still a work in progress. Charlie absolutely loves affection from people, but with continued consistency and as he matures a bit more, this will continue to improve.
After our big adventure at the pier, we headed home for a much-needed bath and spent the rest of the day relaxing around the house. Iām so incredibly proud of all the progress Charlie has made over the last few weeks. He truly is such a smart boy, and I hope everything he has learned here with me provides you both with the tools to continue building on his progress and makes it easier for you to go on many wonderful adventures together.
Lastly, I want to thank you for trusting me with caring for your boy and allowing me to be a part of his obedience journey. It has been so much fun having Charlie around the home, and he has always managed to keep every training session interesting and entertaining. Heās a special pup, and Iām excited for all the adventures ahead for him!
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