Chico | Saint Bernard/ Poodle Mix | Long Beach | In-Training
- cristianoffleash
- Nov 24, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Nov 30, 2024
Meet Chico! Chico is an 11-month-old Saint Bernard/Poodle mix from Long Beach, CA, who has joined us for a one-week Board & Train program. He’s here to work on issues such as leash pulling, grabbing objects from the ground, and sniffing things without moving, which often leads to him ignoring his owner. Chico is sweet and enjoys playing with both people and other dogs, but his greetings tend to become unstructured within just a few seconds. Over the next eight days, I will focus on teaching Chico obedience and helping him learn how to engage with others in a more controlled and calm manner.
Pupdate 11/24/2024
Today marked my first day working with Chico, so we spent some time bonding at the park. We focused on his engagement by asking for his obedience commands, although he showed little interest in following them. After about 10 to 15 minutes, we headed home to continue training and address these issues. Once we arrived, we took a moment to introduce Chico to my family, and he eagerly greeted everyone without jumping. He also met my personal dog, Hunter, who was inside his crate. Chico sniffed toward Hunter and then looked back at me, appearing slightly confused but content.
Next, we moved to the front of the house to work on his heel command. This took some time, as it required consistent left turns and quick leash corrections to get his attention. After about 10 minutes and a potty break, I started recording our progress. In the video above, you can see Chico engaging well with me, maintaining eye contact, and keeping his head up without becoming too distracted by smells. Chico has a somewhat slow pace, so he needs occasional assistance to ensure proper conditioning.
When giving him a release word, I use "break" and call him over to offer praise and rewards. Afterward, we went inside, and Chico settled into his crate. He cried intermittently, at a low to medium volume, but was manageable. Although he whines when he initially sees me leaving, his reactions improve over time, and we will continue working on this to build his confidence.
Stay tuned for more updates on Chico’s progress as his personal dog trainer!
Pupdate 11/25/2024
Last night, as I was trying to sleep, Chico occasionally cried in his crate. However, I found that simply ignoring him allowed him to eventually settle down and sleep through the night.
This morning, we took a walk around the neighborhood, which went well. Afterward, I planned to take my other dog, Hunter, on a separate walk. As soon as I left the room, Chico began to cry again. I waited outside the house, listening as his crying gradually lessened. After about 15 minutes, the crying stopped, and I was able to go on my walk. About halfway through, I received a call from my mom, who told me that Chico had started barking after I left, but the barking stopped within a minute. When I returned from the walk with Hunter, I took both dogs into the backyard, where they began to bond. Chico was very submissive, rolling over repeatedly for Hunter, and within just a few minutes, they seemed to get along as if they had known each other for years.
Later today, we visited Anaheim Pet & Feed Co. for obedience training, working on improving Chico's ability to follow commands. When we first arrived, Chico tried his best not to get distracted by the smells around him, but eventually, the scents were strong enough to catch his attention. I used the "off" command, or "leave it," to redirect him so he wouldn’t become overwhelmed by his nose. As we spent more time in the store, his focus improved, and he became more willing to follow commands, though still a bit slow. Whenever I created distance after asking for a "sit" or "down," Chico would try to follow me, so I had to redirect him back to his original position to repeat the command. At one point, a mother and her daughter saw Chico and were excited to meet him. With my permission, the girl approached, and Chico greeted her calmly, without jumping or moving around.
Afterward, we worked on recall training, helping Chico learn to come back when called, which is an important skill for us to continue developing.
Pupdate 11/26/2024
Last night, Chico slept soundly through the night without making a sound. When we woke up around 6:00 AM, we went for a walk around the neighborhood with Hunter. The walk went well, with Chico maintaining focus and ignoring Hunter as we continued walking. After returning home, we spent time in the backyard, allowing both dogs to play and socialize.
Later in the day, we headed to the Citadel Outlets in Commerce, CA, for exposure and to continue practicing obedience training. The main focus areas for today were place, recall, heel, and extended down commands throughout the shopping center. In the video above, you can see Chico after completing one lap around the center. We then stopped to work on impulse control, asking him to "down" in a busy area where many people were passing by. Chico remained confident and calm, despite the distractions.
At around the 1:35 mark, a dog passed by, and I immediately gave Chico the "off" command when he made eye contact with it. Upon hearing the command, Chico looked back at me, showing his awareness and maintaining his composure while the dog passed by. After a few moments, I released him with a "break" and praised him for his good behavior. During our visit, several people approached Chico to say hello, and he remained calm without jumping or becoming overstimulated.
Chico’s crate training is progressing, although he still needs to spend random periods inside the crate to help with conditioning, even if it's just for 20 minutes at a time. While he tends to relax when lying down, he starts to whine whenever something exciting happens around him inside the crate. Today was quieter than the first two days, but I will continue to monitor his behavior and provide updates on his progress.
Pupdate 11/27/2024
Today, we visited Home Depot to work on Chico's obedience commands in a real-world setting. When we arrived, Chico had been awake for most of the morning, so he was a bit tired and moved slowly through the store. Despite this, he was still able to perform his commands.
Our first goal was to walk around the entire store, helping Chico become desensitized to the various noises, people, and objects we encountered. For example, when we saw people passing by with forklifts or dollies, Chico showed no fear and remained calm. As we turned into each aisle, we focused on practicing different commands, keeping the exercises engaging but not too difficult, so Chico could focus on improving each individual command.
During our time in the store, several people approached us to say hello, and once again, Chico remained calm and still. If a person happened to walk into him, he would politely adjust himself and sit next to them, enjoying some petting. Later, as we made another lap around the store, Chico began to slide into his "down" position on the smooth floors, so I asked for him to stay in the "down" for the remainder of our visit to reinforce that behavior.
At home, we focused on improving Chico's recall and door manners. When I call Chico to come, he is still a bit slow but shows good awareness, coming around me and returning to his heel position. My goal now is to encourage him to come a bit faster to refine this command. For door manners, Chico has been doing well with waiting when I ask him to sit by the door. However, we still need to work on him being more consistent in waiting before I open any door. Occasionally, he tries to walk through before I ask him to wait, so we'll continue practicing to make sure he stays steady at each door.
Pupdate 11/28/2024
Happy Thanksgiving!
This morning, we woke up around 5:30 AM and went for a 45-minute walk with Hunter before heading home. Afterward, I let the dogs play and relax inside the house. It’s been going well, especially with Chico, who loves rolling over for Hunter, or both of them chasing each other around.
The video above shows one of our morning training sessions. We began with door manners, practicing by using the front door. Since the pathway to the front door is narrow, I wanted to make sure it would be easy to grab Chico's leash if he followed me. I asked Chico to "place" and sit before approaching the door, and he did well by waiting patiently. However, getting him to "place" on his designated pad proved to be more challenging than the door routine itself. We’re continuing to practice this so that Chico becomes more comfortable with each task I ask of him.
In the second video clip, we focus on recall training, which is still a bit of a struggle for Chico. It takes a lot of energy for him to perform this command, but the progress is there. Although the video is brief, you can see that Chico is now able to complete the recall without assistance. Once I ask him to "come," his job is to circle around me and end up in his heel position. I repeat this a few times in each session, and we finish the training with his "break" command.
Later, we celebrated Thanksgiving, and I brought Chico out to meet my family. He did well, staying calm and not getting overly excited when greeting everyone. Chico received plenty of praise and affection while lounging with me and some of my family members!
Pupdate 11/29/2024
Chico has been progressing well with his crate training, and there’s been less crying overall. The only time he tends to get excited is in the mornings when he sees me get up. However, I’ve made a routine of getting myself ready first before letting all the dogs out of their crates.
Today, we visited Cerritos Mall to continue working on his obedience training in a public environment. Chico struggled a bit with his confidence indoors, especially with the high volume of foot traffic. We took our time, focusing on helping him walk comfortably past people. At the start of our session, when I began asking him for commands, Chico seemed distracted and unresponsive. To improve engagement, I gradually increased the stimulation on his e-collar, which helped him focus and respond more quickly. As his confidence grew, his pace picked up, and we were able to record some of our training inside the mall.
In the video above, you’ll see us practicing heeling, both with me and my brother. Once Chico felt more comfortable, even though his movements were still a bit slow, he did well. I then chose a spot to ask him to "down." At this point, he needed some leash assistance to get into the down position, which was understandable since he was still uncertain with people passing by. After he successfully went into the down position, he remained calm and waited while several people walked by.
When it was time for his recall at the end of the video, Chico responded well, and we took a short break on some couches inside the mall. During this break, several respectful strangers came over to greet Chico, and he barely moved a muscle, calmly allowing them to interact with him. We finished the day by revisiting recall and the "place" command, working to perfect these obedience behaviors.
Pupdate 11/30/2024
This morning, we went to a park near my house to demonstrate Chico's obedience. Upon arrival, Chico remained calm and was not overstimulated or overly excited, which was great for training. We immediately began working on obedience on the grass. As I made each turn with him, I would say "heel" and reward him with a "good heel" once he followed through. This method of reinforcing commands with praise is effective for all types of obedience training with dogs. Throughout the session, Chico's focus remained on me. Even if he momentarily got distracted, using his e-collar helped to redirect him back to me or refocus his attention on the task at hand.
The last two clips showcase Chico’s door and food manners inside the house. He did an excellent job maintaining his obedience at the door and when waiting for food. He held his position until I gave the proper release command—"heel" for the door and "break" for his food. One important detail when breaking him for food is to point directly to the bowl, signaling to him that it's okay to proceed. Chico also had more time than usual with Hunter, as it was their last day together. The bond between them grew stronger each day, ever since they first met. It was a pleasure watching them connect and spend time together.
As today marks Chico's last day with us, it's been a rewarding week showcasing his skills and watching him perform commands outdoors. Throughout our time together, Chico has been polite and respectful to everyone he's encountered, and he's learned to stay calm around other dogs through obedience training. He will be missed in our home, and I truly wish I had more time with him. However, he is ready to return to his family, and I’m confident they’ll be pleased with how far he’s come.
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