Charlie | Old English Sheepdog | Altadena, CA | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- Mar 23
- 10 min read
Updated: Apr 6
Meet Charlie! He's a three year old Old English Sheepdog from Altadena, California here for our Two-Week Board and Train Program! Charlie is very sweet, but he gets extremely nervous in unfamiliar environments and around unfamiliar people. He can also be reactive to certain dogs if he is uncomfortable. While at home, he can be quite good with his basic commands, but struggles immensely when anywhere else due to his nerves and anxiety. Over the next fourteen days, we'll be working on building Charlie's confidence, showing him the world isn't as scary as he thinks, working on his obedience commands, and helping Charlie become the best pup he can possibly be! Stay tuned for Charlie's two week transformation!
Pupdate: 3/23/2025
Charlie and I spent some time at his house to help him get more comfortable with me. At first, he barked a bit but settled down after a while. When it was time to leave, he walked with me to the car without hesitation but pulled back when I opened the door. After a moment of pulling away from the car, he hopped in and went into the crate fairly easily.
On the drive home, he whined for the first few minutes but calmed down for about half of the drive. Once we arrived, we took some time to get him used to my home. It took him a little while to settle in, but he gradually became more comfortable.
We went for a short walk around the neighborhood, and while he was very nervous, he liked me enough at this point to where he wanted to stick with me. We didn’t encounter any people or dogs this time, which made it easier for him to remain calm. Later, we visited the park and found a quiet spot with minimal distractions. Despite the calm environment, Charlie was extremely nervous, so we kept things low-key. At home, he was able to Sit and Come for me, but at the park he was too nervous, which we expected, so we only stayed for a few minutes and we didn't push him to perform commands yet. We’ll keep working at home, then try the park again tomorrow or the next day.
Back at home, he seemed much happier and continued settling in well. He wasn’t interested in his dinner at first, so I hand-fed him a little, which encouraged him to eat the rest on his own. Overall, it’s been a good first day, and he’s been a pleasure to have so far!
Pupdate: 3/24/2025
Charlie and I headed to the park today, where we met up with some other trainers and their dogs. I was initially unsure about attending due to Charlie’s nervousness, but after seeing his progress yesterday, I decided to take him. While he was still on edge, he showed noticeable improvement compared to the previous day.
In the video, you can see that Charlie is still scanning his surroundings, but he did a much better job maintaining a Sit position and walking in a Heel. For Heel, I ask that Charlie walks beside me on my left side, with his ears near my leg, without pulling forward, lagging behind, or veering off to the side. He’s making solid progress with this. There were moments when sudden noises or movements startled him, causing him to stand up and turn, but those instances were much less frequent today. I focused on staying calm and neutral while walking him near distractions, hoping he would pick up on that energy, and it seemed to help.
At the park, Charlie’s nerves got to him a bit, resulting in a runny poop. However, later in the evening, his stool was back to normal.
As for bedtime last night, Charlie barked a few times and whined briefly in his crate, but he settled down quickly and appeared to sleep well for most of the night. All in all, today was a step in the right direction, and I’m happy with his progress!
Pupdate: 3/25/2025
Charlie and I went to the park today, and with fewer distractions, he was able to open up a little more quickly. He seemed to have slightly more fun this time, though he’s still a bit unsure about being out in the open. On the bright side, he’s becoming friends with the other dog I currently have, and we all enjoyed our walks together.
For training, we focused on his Place command. This is an excellent confidence-building exercise, which Charlie can definitely benefit from. It’s also useful at home when I need him to stay put while I cook or clean. He seems to like the cot, though he struggled with staying on it whenever I walked away. With some repetition, he started to get the hang of it, and by the end of the session, I was able to walk several feet away while he remained on the cot. We’ll continue working on building his confidence with this command.
Last night, Charlie took a little longer to settle in his crate at bedtime. I believe this is because he’s growing more attached to me, which is sweet, but I want to ensure he feels secure even when I’m not right next to him. To help with this, we played a crate game today, where he was rewarded and praised whenever he voluntarily went into the crate and laid down. The goal is to make the crate a positive and relaxing place, rather than something that feels like a time-out.
After our park trip, Charlie got a much-needed bath—his bright white fur doesn’t stay clean for long! He’s known for being a perfect gentleman at the groomer, and he was just as cooperative with me. He lifted each paw without hesitation and stood calmly the entire time.
Pupdate: 3/26/2025
Charlie and I headed to Almansor Park today to continue working on his commands. He’s still finding his Heel command much more challenging in public than in the neighborhood, but he’s making progress. With more exposure and practice, his focus is improving.
We also worked on his Come To Sit, which is his recall command. For this, I want Charlie to come to my right side, circle around behind me, and sit on my left with his ears lined up with my leg. It’s a more advanced movement, but he’s starting to understand the flow. He still hesitates at times and gets distracted by things in the distance, but as we continue practicing, he’s gaining confidence. Each session brings small improvements, and I’m excited to see his progress!
Pupdate: 3/27/2025
Charlie had a big day today with a visit to Home Depot! Before heading inside, we took our time getting him comfortable with the new environment, giving him a chance to settle before walking through the doors. We spent most of our time in the garden center, allowing him to adjust before exploring some of the indoor sections.
Though he was clearly nervous throughout the trip, Charlie remained polite. He stuck by my side instead of trying to pull ahead or away, though there were a few moments when he wanted to check behind us if someone was walking nearby. He still scanned ahead more often than not, and didn't approach any distractions without at least giving them a quick look. I'd like him to start ignoring distractions at some point, but we're taking things nice and slow with Charlie. I also noticed him fixating on exits as if he was ready to head out. Even with his uncertainty, no less than three people complimented his polite behavior!
To keep things manageable for him, we avoided the loud lumber section and steered clear of moving forklifts, but I’d like to bring him back to slowly introduce him to those challenges.
Once we got home, Charlie settled in right away and was happy to be back. He’s really starting to love the place cot at home—he even goes to it on his own to relax without needing to be asked! A great step in the right direction for him.
Pupdate: 3/28/2025
Charlie had a good day at the park! His confidence in environments like this has grown tremendously, and I think walking with Hazel has played a big role in that boost. While he still struggles in higher-distraction areas like Home Depot, a simple park outing now feels much more manageable.
What was especially great to see today was that Charlie seemed to genuinely enjoy himself—a rare sight for him outside the home! He walked well next to me for most of our outing, with some well-earned breaks to sniff and explore.
I also tried out a new camera for today’s video. I’m still getting used to it, but it gives a nice perspective on where I want Charlie to be during our walks. Overall, a great day for Charlie!
Pupdate: 3/29/2025
Charlie and I went back to Home Depot today! He wasn’t too thrilled about it, but he still made progress compared to last time. This time, we ventured into the lumber section—the busiest and loudest area, especially in the morning when people are loading up materials for the day.
Despite all the distractions, Charlie did an okay job with his commands. However, he was much more likely to break position when people or carts came close, or when sudden loud noises occurred. To work on this, we focused on shorter durations, always ending with either a recall or a break to keep him engaged. By the end of our session, he managed to hold a Sit for almost two full minutes without breaking—a big win for him!
Since this was a challenging session, we wrapped up by heading to the park to continue practicing in a slightly easier environment. Great job, Charlie!
Pupdate: 3/30/2025
Charlie had a big challenge today with a trip to Santa Anita Mall! He was extremely nervous at first, visibly shaking and yawning anxiously. He stayed as close as possible to either me or Hazel, the other dog with us, clearly looking for comfort in an unfamiliar environment.
To help him adjust, we stayed in the outdoor Promenade area, where it was slightly less crowded. For the first hour, we mostly sat on a bench, giving Charlie time to take in his surroundings and settle down. Once he relaxed a bit, we started moving and working on some commands. His Heel was pretty solid once we got going, but he struggled with some of his other commands.
Since it was a tough outing, we made a stop at the park on the way home so Charlie could decompress and have some fun. He made it through a challenging day, and I’m proud of him for sticking with it!
Pupdate: 3/31/2025
Charlie returned to the mall today and settled in faster than yesterday. It seemed a bit more crowded, likely due to our timing around lunchtime, but he handled the environment with relatively more ease. While he wasn’t shaking like before, he was still noticeably nervous throughout.
To help build his confidence, we spent a lot of time placing on benches and other objects. He had very little hesitation hopping onto most benches, which was a great sign. We used certain benches in quieter areas as a sort of “home base,” giving him breaks between more challenging exposures. We would venture closer to crowds, stay there briefly, and then return to the bench to regroup.
Even on these objects, Charlie wasn’t too keen on me stepping away from him, but he improved over time. While the mall remains a tough setting for him, today was a step in the right direction—he did better than yesterday!
Pupdate: 4/1/2025
Charlie had a more relaxed day today after a couple of difficult days at the mall! He also had some loose stool last night and this morning, so I think an easier day was the best for him. We went to the park, where he was much more comfortable and able to succeed! Most of our session focused on his Place command, using different objects to continue building his confidence. We also dedicated a lot of time to his Down command.
At home, Charlie has been solid with his Down, but in public, it’s a bigger challenge since it puts him in a vulnerable position in unfamiliar environments. Today, we made great progress on this! He’s starting to build trust and settle into the command more confidently, which is a big step for him. Looking forward to continuing this work and seeing him grow!
Pupdate: 4/2/2025
Charlie had a full day of training today! We spent most of the day at the park, focusing on his Place and Down commands. He’s slowly getting more comfortable holding his positions, even with distractions around. At home, we worked on door manners, which is what I’m highlighting in today’s video!
For door manners, my goal is for Charlie to wait politely instead of trying to rush out when the door opens. In the video, he’s sitting right in front of the door, but ultimately, I want him to remain calm whether he’s near the door, on his Place cot, or just lounging around. This skill is important for safety and impulse control, and Charlie is making good progress!
Proud of his work today—he’s getting better every step of the way!
Pupdate: 4/3/2025
Today was Charlie’s most challenging adventure yet! We took a trip to Santa Monica Pier, and he knew right away that this wasn’t one of our usual spots. Despite sensing the change, he stayed fairly calm on the walk up. However, once we stepped onto the pier, the sheer amount of distractions began to make him nervous.
To ease him into the environment, we started off slowly, finding a more quiet spot where he could sit and observe. Much like his first time at the mall, he was visibly shaking at first, but after a few minutes, I began asking for his commands. Though hesitant, he made an effort to follow through, though he struggled with holding positions and often broke towards me for comfort. We worked through this, gradually increasing the duration of each command, and by the end of our session, Charlie was able to hold his Sit, Down, and Place positions for about a full minute at a time!
Charlie also had a special opportunity to work with a different trainer, the owner of Offleash SoCal, for a few minutes. While he was willing to perform commands, he quickly broke them to pull toward me, seeking reassurance. Still, the fact that he was able to follow instructions from someone else in such a highly stimulating environment was a big win!
Overall, today was a major test for Charlie, but he made great progress.
Pupdate: 4/4/2025
Charlie had another great day! We went to the park today and focused on continuing to build his manners and boost his confidence. He did really well in the environment, so we took the opportunity to really fine-tune his commands. As his confidence grows, so does his responsiveness—he’s getting better and better each day!
For today’s video, I wanted to share more from our time in Santa Monica yesterday. It was a big outing for Charlie, and you can really see how far he’s come.
Pupdate: 4/5/2025
Charlie has been doing a great job continuing to work on his commands and manners both at home and out at the park! In addition to practicing his obedience skills, we’ve also been introducing and strengthening some more specific manners, like food manners and car manners.
For food manners, I want Charlie to practice patience and impulse control by waiting calmly when food is placed in front of him, rather than rushing in to eat right away. This not only makes mealtimes a little smoother, but it also helps reinforce good habits to prevent him from grabbing food off the ground without permission!
We’ve also been working on Charlie’s car manners. I want him to sit politely when I open the car door, wait to be invited in, and then go straight into his crate once inside. Now that Charlie’s confidence is growing, he’s actually started looking forward to some car rides, which makes this practice even more valuable!
Charlie is continuing to build great habits and show off his progress with these little everyday routines, and I’m so proud of how far he’s come!
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