Charlie | Yorkie Mix | Toronto, ON | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- Jun 28
- 10 min read
Updated: Jul 12
Meet Charlie! He's a sixteen-month-old Yorkie Mix from Toronto, Canada, here for our Two-Week Urban Board and Train Program! Charlie is a sweet and loving little pup, but he can become very nervous around people, especially men, which sometimes causes him to growl and bark. He also tends to pull on the leash during walks and could use some work on his obedience skills, particularly when distractions are present.
Over the next fourteen days, we'll focus on building Charlie's confidence, improving his obedience commands, teaching him better leash manners, and practicing polite behavior both in and out of the house. Our goal is to help him feel more comfortable navigating the world while becoming a happy, confident, and well-mannered companion. Stay tuned for Charlie's two-week transformation!
6/28/2026
Today was Charlie's first day with me! After picking him up, we spent some time at the park getting to know each other. He was definitely a little skeptical of me at first, which is completely understandable, but he was mostly willing to walk alongside me as we started building some trust. When it was time to get into the car, he pulled back a little, but after a moment he allowed me to pick him up and help him inside without much trouble.
From there, we headed to another park where we spent more time together outside. Charlie pulls on the leash a bit and is still very nervous, but throughout the day I could already see him starting to relax. He became more comfortable with me handling him, allowing me to pet him and pick him up more easily as we spent time together.
Once we got home, I gave Charlie plenty of time to sniff around and explore at his own pace so he could start feeling comfortable in his new environment. He gradually began opening up a little more, although he's still understandably timid around me. We're taking everything nice and slow and letting him build confidence at a pace he's comfortable with. So far, I think he's making good progress, and I'm excited to continue earning his trust and helping him come out of his shell over the next couple of weeks!
6/29/2026
Charlie had a pretty good first full day with me! He really started to open up today, and we were able to have some fun while getting started on his training.
Today we worked on his Place command, which I think was a great confidence-building exercise for him. For Place, I want Charlie to hop onto a raised object, such as a place cot, and remain there until I either release him from command or ask him to do something else. After spending a little time warming up and walking around, Charlie began hopping onto the cot much more confidently and reliably. We're still building duration, as remaining on the cot while I move away is the more challenging part, but I'm very happy with the progress he made today.
The Place command is also a wonderful tool to use at home because it provides structure and teaches dogs to relax while things are happening around them. I often use it while cooking dinner, eating, or taking care of household tasks, and it's a great way to help dogs learn to settle calmly.
Overall, today was a good day for Charlie. He's becoming more comfortable with me, and I'm excited to see his confidence continue to grow. I'm also happy to report that he has not had any reverse sneezing or coughing episodes, and he hasn't had any potty accidents either. Great job today, Charlie!
6/30/2026
Charlie had another great day with me today! He continues to gain confidence every day, and I wanted to take the opportunity to show you how we've been working on one of his most important obedience commands: Come To Sit. Be sure to check out the video above to hear me explain it in more detail!
For Come To Sit, I want Charlie to come all the way to my right side when called, walk around behind me, and finish sitting neatly at my left side with his ears lined up with my knee. This command builds a reliable recall while also teaching him to finish in the correct position so he's ready for whatever we do next. We're taking everything at Charlie's pace, making sure he feels comfortable and confident while learning. He's been catching on nicely, and with continued practice, he'll become faster and more confident each day.
Overall, Charlie had another successful day, and I'm excited to watch his confidence and obedience continue to grow!
7/1/2026
Charlie had another good day today! We spent most of our time hanging out at the park, continuing to take advantage of the nice weather while getting in some training and enjoying the outdoors together.
Today's main focus was Charlie's Heel command. For Heel, I want Charlie walking politely beside me without pulling ahead or wandering off to sniff everything that catches his attention. He still loves stopping to investigate all the interesting smells around him, so staying focused during walks is something we'll continue practicing consistently. Even so, he is making progress and is becoming more responsive each day.
Charlie has also been eating his meals much more consistently for me, which is great to see. Since he's been eating better, I also haven't noticed him shaking much afterward, and overall he seems to be feeling good. He still hasn't had any episodes of reverse sneezing or coughing while he's been with me, and I'm happy to report he also hasn't had a single potty accident. Charlie is continuing to settle into the routine nicely, and I'm looking forward to another fun day with him tomorrow!
7/2/2026
Charlie had another great day with me today! We visited a new park to continue building both his obedience skills and, more importantly, his confidence. New environments can be a little intimidating for Charlie, so giving him positive experiences in different places is a big part of helping him become a more confident pup.
We spent a lot of time practicing his Place command on a variety of objects, including benches and other raised surfaces around the park. Asking Charlie to hop up onto different objects and remain there until released encourages him to work through uncertainty while also reinforcing his obedience. He did a nice job throughout our training session and became more comfortable as the day went on.
Not only was today productive for Charlie's training, but I also think we made some great progress with his confidence in a new environment. We had plenty of fun exploring together, making it another successful day, and I'm excited to continue building on this progress tomorrow!
7/3/2026
Charlie and I had a great training day in Downtown Alhambra! We lucked out because there was an event/grand opening going on, so a particular storefront was full of people waiting in line. It turned out to be the perfect opportunity to continue building Charlie's confidence in a busy environment.
We made our way through the crowd, passing lots of people and even a couple of other dogs. Charlie stayed calm, attentive, and did a great job sticking with me despite all the activity around us. For a dog who can be a little unsure in new situations, this was a big accomplishment and a great confidence-building exercise. He handled the busy atmosphere very well, making today another successful step forward in his Urban Board and Train program. I'm really happy with the progress he's making!
7/4/2026
Charlie and I had another great day together! Today we practiced training alongside another dog, working on staying calm, focused, and responsive even with another dog performing commands right beside us. We also spent time walking politely together, which can be a difficult exercise since it requires a lot of self-control and attention.
Charlie did a fantastic job today and showed me just how much his confidence and obedience have improved. He stayed focused on me, responded well to his commands, and handled the extra distraction much better than he would have at the beginning of his program. I'm really proud of the progress he's making, and today was another successful step toward him becoming a calm, well-mannered companion!
7/5/2026
Charlie had another productive day of training! Today we focused on his Door Manners, which are a great way to build patience, confidence, and impulse control. The goal is for Charlie to remain calm and wait at a doorway instead of trying to rush through as soon as it's opened. I want him to understand that he should only go through once he's been invited.
Charlie did a nice job with this exercise today. He started off a little hesitant and curious, but after a few repetitions he became much more comfortable waiting calmly and looking to me for direction before moving through the doorway. This helps reinforce that I'm making the decisions and encourages him to stay focused on me, even when something exciting is on the other side of the door. Charlie continues to gain confidence every day, and it's been great to see him becoming more relaxed and responsive during our training sessions. Great work today, Charlie!
7/6/2026
Charlie and I had another nice full day together! We spent our time practicing each of his commands and manners, taking things at a pace that kept training fun while continuing to build his confidence. Charlie is really starting to come out of his shell, and it's been great to see him becoming more comfortable and engaged each day. He's responding well to his commands, behaving respectfully, and showing much more confidence out on our walks. I think the foundation we've been building will carry over well as we begin working in more challenging environments, and I'm confident he'll be ready to handle those new distractions with success. Great job today, Charlie!
7/7/2026
Today Charlie and I had our first trip to the mall together! We took our time exploring, giving Charlie plenty of opportunities to get comfortable as we moved through the different areas of the mall. New environments can be a little overwhelming for him, but he did a great job settling in and became more confident as our outing went on.
Throughout our visit we practiced his Heel along with his other obedience commands, and Charlie stayed engaged with me despite all the new sights, sounds, and people around us. We also passed a couple of other dogs while walking through the mall, and Charlie handled the encounters very well, remaining calm and continuing to focus on me. I was really happy with how he handled his first mall adventure, and it was another great confidence-building day for him!
7/8/2026
Charlie had another successful day at the mall today! We started our morning out on the promenade before moving inside once it began to warm up. The mall was busier than it was yesterday, with plenty more people walking around, giving Charlie lots of opportunities to practice staying focused in a distracting environment. He did a good job remaining calm, responsive, and attentive to his commands throughout the day, despite the extra nerves. It's been great watching his confidence continue to grow, and he handled the extra activity much better than he would have when we first started. Overall, Charlie had another fantastic day and continues making steady progress!
7/9/2026
Charlie and I headed back to the park today for another productive training session! We spent our time working on his off-leash recall, using the same Come To Sit command he's been practicing throughout his program. Since he already understands the command, today's focus was on making sure he responds just as well without his leash attached.
It's important to remember that Charlie's off-leash recall should only be used in safe, controlled environments such as your home or securely fenced areas for now. He's becoming more confident with the exercise and is learning that coming back when called is always rewarding.
Charlie made great progress today and really started putting all the pieces together. I'm very happy with how he's doing, and it was another successful day of training for him!
7/10/2026
Charlie and I headed back to Downtown Alhambra today for another fun training outing! He handled the busy, noisy environment very well overall. There were a few loud fountains that made him a little uncomfortable at first, but we spent some extra time around them, allowing him to build confidence. Before long, he was barely paying them any attention, which was great to see!
We also had a couple of opportunities to work on Charlie's greeting manners. Charlie has been known to be very nervous when meeting new people, especially men, so we've spent a lot of time building his confidence in these situations. The goal is for Charlie to be able to calmly greet and be gently touched by a friendly stranger without barking or trying to hide behind me. He did a great job today, showing much more confidence and better manners than when he first met me!
Another big success today was Charlie's potty training. While he hasn't had any potty accidents during his stay with me, he also did an excellent job going potty when asked before we left and then again later while we were out after I found him a grassy area. He's developing a great understanding of when it's time to take a potty break. An equally important part of this is learning not to break out of a Heel to sniff or go potty on his own. Instead, I want him to continue walking politely until I find an appropriate spot and give him permission. Charlie is doing a wonderful job understanding both sides of this concept, and I'm very happy with the progress he's making!
7/11/2026
Charlie had his best day yet at the mall today! Since it was the weekend, there were many more people out and about, making it a much busier environment than we've experienced before. Charlie rose to the occasion and handled all the extra activity incredibly well. It was great to see how much his confidence has grown throughout his program!
We spent our time exploring different areas of the mall, practicing his commands, and working on staying focused despite all the distractions. Charlie was much more comfortable walking through crowds, passing people, and taking in all the sights and sounds. He even showed off his fun personality, happily exploring while still checking in with me and responding to his commands.
I'm so proud of the progress Charlie has made. The nervous little guy I first met has become much more confident and willing to take on new environments. Today was a huge milestone for him, and he proved that with the right guidance, he can handle busy public places like a champ!
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