Coco | Havanese | Los Angeles, CA. | In Training.
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Mar 2
- 14 min read
Updated: Mar 14
Meet Coco!š¾
Fresh from Los Angeles, Coco the two-year-old Havanese has officially joined us for our Two Week Urban Board and Train Program ā and we couldnāt be more excited to have this fluffy little lady in our care!
Coco has been lovingly described as a bit of a ānervous nelly.ā She struggles with separation anxiety and isnāt shy about announcing her feelings when she spots other pups out and about. Add in a dash of selective hearing (she can sitā¦ when she feels like it), and youāve got a tiny dog with a big personality.
Over the next two weeks, weāll be working closely with Coco on her basic obedience and polishing up those house manners. Our goal? To help her become a more confident, reliable listener and give her the tools she needs to feel braver both on her own and out in the world.
We can already see the sweet, sensitive heart behind those expressive eyes ā now itās time to help her shine with confidence. Stay tuned for Cocoās transformation!
3/2/2026
Today was Miss Cocoās very first day with us, and we made sure to keep things nice and easy. We started with a calm introductory walk so she and I could get better acquainted ā and so I could see what this sweet girl already has in her training toolbox.
Coming all the way from Los Angeles, this little Havanese arrived understandably a bit nervous. At the start of our walk she was trembling and unsure, but she still showed me she has some good foundations! Coco naturally falls into a heel position, which is wonderful, though she does like to veer off if a scent or something interesting catches her attention. We began tightening up that heel, and she handled the direction beautifully.
She also knows āsitāā¦ however, much like her sister, it seems to be on a when-I-feel-like-it basis. So we worked on building a bit more consistency there too. By the end of our walk, I was so happy to see a noticeable shift ā the trembling had eased, and she seemed far more relaxed and comfortable with me.
After our park session, it was time to load up. Coco wasnāt thrilled about the crate at first, but once she realized it was part of the plan, she went along with it. There was a little initial whimpering, but it didnāt last long at all, and she handled the car ride home very well.
Once we arrived, I let her explore her home away from home for the next two weeks. She was curious and took everything in, though she definitely noticed her sisterās scent and wasnāt too pleased not to find her. Even so, after settling in, she appeared much calmer than when she first arrived in my care. Sheās still a touch nervous, but already making progress ā and I have no doubt that with a little time, sheāll relax fully and start to shine.
Coco is such a sweet little lady, and I canāt wait to see those adorable hops Iāve been told about! Stay tuned ā this is just the beginning of her journey. š
3/3/2026
Today Coco and I kept things close to home, working around my neighborhood to give her a calmer environment to relax and focus. Sometimes lowering the distractions is exactly what a sensitive girl needs to really settle in and learn.
We focused on heel, sit, extended sit, and come to sit ā and no, she wasnāt just sitting around all day. š The extra emphasis on āsitā was intentional. While Coco clearly had an idea of the command, she initially gave me that classic blank little stare when asked. So we worked on turning it into a true sit on command rather than a sit when she feels like it. By the end of our session, she was responding much more consistently, which was wonderful to see.
Her heel is already pretty solid. She naturally likes being near her handler, which is such a great foundation. Extended sit was a bit more challenging at first. When I stepped away, she wanted to scurry right back to me ā which makes sense given sheās still building confidence being away from home. With a few gentle corrections and repetitions, she began to understand that staying seated was the assignment, even if I created distance.
Her come to sit is progressing nicely as well. Occasionally she gets a little confused about where to finish or pauses behind me, but more often than not she follows through correctly. She really is such a smart little lady.
Coco is still a bit anxious being away from home, but her personality started shining through more as the day went on. Those little glimpses of confidence are exactly what weāre building on. And I have to say ā her tiny snuggles are absolutely the sweetest. šš¶
3/4/2026
Today Coco and I headed out to the park to continue practicing all of the commands sheās learned so far ā and to introduce something new: down!
When we first started working on ādown,ā she gave me just a tiny bit of resistance. (New things can be questionable in Cocoās world!) But that hesitation didnāt last long at all. After about two repetitions, she was laying down on command like a little pro. Once it clicked, it really clicked ā and I love seeing that lightbulb moment for her.
The rest of her commands looked great overall. The only one that gave her a bit of trouble today was come to sit. A few times she stopped just behind me instead of completing the full follow-through into position. We slowed it down, helped guide her through the finish, and she started understanding that extra step. Sheās very close ā she just needs a bit more consistency with that final movement.
At the start of our session, Coco did show some initial anxiety since there were lots of kids running and playing at the park. The extra movement and noise had her a little unsure, and she was shaking at first. But once we began working, her focus shifted from the environment to her tasks. As she settled into her commands, the shaking stopped and she visibly relaxed. By the end, she even gave me a few sweet tail wags when praised for being a good girl ā which was such a nice confidence boost to see!
All in all, Coco had a wonderful day of training. She worked through new challenges, pushed past her nerves, and showed great progress. By the time we got home, she was absolutely tuckered out ā a sure sign of a productive day! Iām very proud of her.
3/5/2026
Today Coco and I headed over to The Home Depot to continue practicing her commands around distractions. When we first arrived, Coco was visibly anxious as she tried to take in all the big, noisy things happening around her. The sounds of carts, people moving through aisles, and the overall bustle of the store were a lot for her at first.
Because of that, we took things slow and started with a structured heel. This allowed her to observe everything around her in a calm and controlled way without overwhelming her more than she already was. Once she began to relax a bit, we gradually started adding in some of her commands as we moved through the store.
What gave Coco the most difficulty today were her extended commands. Anytime I asked her to sit or lay down and then stepped back, she immediately wanted to scurry back to me. When this happened, I would calmly guide her back into position and we would start again. The goal here is to help her build trust in her handler and understand that she is safe, even as the big world moves around her.
As we continued practicing, holding those positions became a little easier for her and her confidence grew more and more. By the time we were getting ready to leave, Coco was noticeably calmer. While she still had a slight shake here and there, the heavy panting from earlier was goneāand I even got a few kisses from her when I released her from her commands.
All in all, I feel like todayās outing was a big confidence booster for Coco. After all, if you can do it at The Home Depot, you can do it just about anywhere! Iām very proud of Coco for being such a brave girl today and for trusting me as much as she did. š¶š
3/6/2026
Today Coco and I headed back to Home Depot to continue practicing her commands while working around distractions. Compared to yesterday, Coco seemed a bit less anxious overall. She was still aware of everything going on around her, but she handled it much better. At one point a forklift even passed right by us, and instead of scurrying away or trying to hide, Coco stayed seated and simply looked over at me as if to check that everything was okay. That was really great to see and shows that her confidence is starting to grow.
Coco was feeling a little cheeky today though, especially when it came to her extended commands. When I would step away from her during extended sits and downs, she broke position a few times. She definitely knows sheās supposed to stay put, but today it seemed like she wanted to test those boundaries a bit. This kind of testing is very normal for dogs in training as they begin to understand the rules and try to see what they can get away with.
Aside from that, Coco did very well with her heel and come to sit commands. She stayed nicely with me while we walked through the store and was quick to come into position when called.
Outside of our Home Depot trip, Iām also happy to report that Coco is now willingly going into her crate at night with very little coaxing, which is wonderful progress to see.
All in all, Coco is continuing to make great progress. Even with a bit of boundary testing today, she is learning and improving each day, and Iām very proud of the effort sheās putting into her training. š¾
3/7/2026
Today Coco and I headed out to the park to continue practicing her commands while working around distractions. Overall, she did a great job today! She was much more consistent about holding her extended commands, and her heel continues to look very solid.
The only command that gave us a bit of trouble today was come to sit. What made it a little funny was that during the first few reps she performed it perfectly. Then suddenly it seemed like she decided the command was no longer her jam, and she started stopping and sitting behind me again instead of finishing the command properly.
Each time this happened, we calmly worked through the command together until she followed through correctly. By the end of our sessionāwhether a little reluctantly or notāCoco began completing the command on her own again, which was great to see. Smart girl! She clearly understands whatās being asked of her; sometimes she just likes to voice her opinion about it. š
Needless to say, Coco got a little cranky with me today for making her practice something she wasnāt thrilled about, but we made sure to end the session on a positive note. When I asked her to break for some well-deserved affection, she happily came over and gave me her little finger smooches, which made it clear there were no hard feelings.
All in all, Coco made great progress today and learned an important lesson about consistency. Iām very proud of how hard she worked and also how calm she was at the park. After a couple of recent outings to Home Depot, the park probably feels like a piece of cake in comparison! š¶āØ
3/8/2026
Today Coco and I headed back out to the park to continue practicing her commands with distractions, and she did well! The park was quite busy today, which gave us plenty of opportunities to work through different sights, sounds, and activity around us.
Cocoās heel is looking great, and her come to sit has improved quite a bit! Sheās doing a much better job understanding where she should end up and is becoming more confident with the command.
Her extended commands were a bit more challenging today. With the park being so busy, there was a lot going on that made her a little nervous. When I moved farther away than she was comfortable with, she sometimes chose to come toward me instead of holding her position. Each time this happened, we simply reset by bringing her back to her original spot and starting again. Staying consistent like this helps her understand that the expectation doesnāt change, even when things around her feel a little overwhelming.
We also practiced her place command on a bench. Watching Coco jump up there was quite silly and honestly so fun to see! Getting her to stay up there was the real trick, though. After a few repetitions she started to understand the assignment, and at one point she even corrected herself when I stepped closer. Thatās a great sign that sheās beginning to think through the command on her own.
I was also really impressed that she stayed on the bench even with a woman sitting right next to her. That took some bravery and self-controlāway to go, Coco!
All in all, Coco is making very nice progress, and Iām proud of how brave she was today while working through such a busy environment. Sheās continuing to build confidence and understanding with every outing! š¶āØ
3/9/2026
Today Coco and I headed out to a park in Rosemead for a weekly meet-up with fellow trainers and their pups so we could practice her commands around some real-life distractions. This was a bit more of a drive than Coco and I usually take, so I was a little nervous she might get carsick. Thankfully, she handled the trip well! She did a bit of occasional panting, but whenever she started to get worked up I simply reassured her that she was okay and left it at that. Sometimes the best approach is to let dogs work through these feelings on their ownāmaking a big fuss can sometimes unintentionally teach them that there is something to worry about every time we go somewhere new. Itās not a perfect science, but with time and practice it should continue to improve.
Once we arrived at the park, we got right to work practicing her commands while using the other trainers, their pups, and even a kiddo as distractions. For one exercise, I placed Coco in an extended place command while everyone walked around her. Some even approached to say hello and give her a few pets while she held her position. Coco did very well with this! The only moment she got a little nervous was when a couple of off-leash pups decided to join the fun. She gave a little shake and looked over to me to check in and make sure everything was okay. Once she saw that it was, she settled right back into her command. Smart girl!
We also ran through the rest of her commands and she did a nice job overall. At one point she broke her place command while I was working on undoing a knot in the leashāshe thought she was being summoned. That one was more operator error than anything on Cocoās part! Her extended sit and down commands were mostly solid as well. The only times she broke those were when she started anticipating what the next command might be. While I appreciate that sheās thinking through her work and beginning to understand the flow of commands, Iād still prefer that she waits until I actually give the next cue.
All in all, Coco had a great day of training and handled a lot of new experiences very well. Iām very proud of the effort she put in todayāsheās really starting to get the hang of things! š¾
3/10/2026
Today Coco and I headed out to Westfield Topanga & The Village to practice her commands with plenty of distractions, and she did very well today!
Our main focus was on her extended commands, since she has been a bit prone to not holding them for very long. The busy environment gave us lots of opportunities to work on patience and consistency.
Her heel and come to sit are both pretty strongāunless, of course, she manages to get herself tangled in the leash. In those moments I get the classic Coco blank stare, which honestly is pretty fair!
We also spent time working on her place command. She did well overall, but the blue box gave her a bit of pause. It took a few tries, but we still got it! And once she made it up there, she stayed put like a good girl.
I also really loved the energy she brought to todayās session. She did show a little anxiety at first while taking in the busy environment, but overall she was a very happy little lady today, which was so nice to see.
All in all, Coco did a great job. She was brave, worked through the distractions, and showed a solid understanding of her commandsāeven if we had to do a few extra reps for things to really click. Iām very proud of this little lady! š¾
3/11/2026
Today Coco and I headed out to the park to continue practicing her commands with distractions, and she did really well today! Not only is she showing a great understanding of her commands, but sheās also starting to come out of her shell quite a bit.
One of the biggest improvements I noticed was how much more confident she seemed. There was a lot less shaking while we were out and about, which was really wonderful to see. Coco is slowly learning that the world around her isnāt so scary, and that confidence is beginning to show.
She also had a really nice moment with another pup today. The two greeted each other nose to nose as they passed, and Coco handled it beautifullyāno scurrying behind me and no trying to flee the scene. I just wish I could have gotten my phone out fast enough to capture the moment!
All in all, Coco had a great day. Iām so happy to see her feeling more comfortable, gaining confidence, and not shying away from things. Sheās making wonderful progress and itās been really rewarding to watch her grow. š¾
3/12/2026
Today Coco and I headed out to Santa Monica to continue practicing her commands with distractions, and Coco absolutely knocked it out of the park today! Iām so proud of the understanding she showed with her commands and how well she handled this new environment.
We worked on asking her to place on a variety of new objects today, and she did a great job. With just a smidge of encouragement, Coco was very willing to hop right up and give it a try. Itās always great to see a pup build confidence with new challenges, and Coco really stepped up today.
She showed a little bit of anxiousness when we first arrived, which is completely normal in a busy new setting. But once we got moving and started working, that little tail got going too! From there she really settled in and focused on the job.
Overall, today was a wonderful training day for Miss Coco. She showed great understanding of her commands and handled the new environment beautifully. Iām so stinking proud of her and the progress she continues to make! š¾
3/13/2026
Today Coco and I headed back out to Santa Monica to continue practicing her commands with distractions, and once again she did a wonderful job. When we arrived, Coco was very eager to get out and explore, which was great to see. There was very little anxiety today, and she seemed much more comfortable in the environment. Itās been so rewarding watching her grow more confident compared to when we first started this journey together.
Throughout our outing, Coco performed each of her commands just as weāve been practicing. She stayed engaged with me and did a nice job working through everything even with the activity going on around us. Her growing confidence really showed in the way she carried herself and how willing she was to move through the environment.
During our walk, Coco also had the opportunity to meet a couple of larger dogs. She didnāt shy away from them, though she did pause and look up at me at first as if to ask, āIs this okay?ā Once I reassured her that she was fine, she calmly made her introductions. After a few polite sniffs and satisfying her curiosity, she happily returned right back to my side when she was ready to move on.
All in all, Coco had a great outing today. She handled the environment beautifully, followed her commands well, and showed just how much her confidence has grown. Iām so proud of the effort she continues to put in each day. What a brave little lady! š¾
3/14/2026
Today Coco and I took one last trip out to Santa Monica to continue practicing her commands and to film her finalāand she did a great job, of course! She was so eager to get to work today, which was absolutely delightful to see. There was no shivering or shaking, just a happy, bouncy girl ready for the day.
Coco performed each command just as weāve been practicing over the last two weeks, showing how much she has learned and how far her confidence has come. She also did a really nice job with all of her manners while we were out and about, which was wonderful to see in such a busy environment.
Iām so proud of this little lady and the progress she has made. It has been incredibly rewarding to watch her slowly come out of her shell while in my care. Seeing her light up for a Charlie Bear or two has honestly become the highlight of many of my evenings.
My hope is that the foundation weāve been laying together will provide you both with the tools to continue her training so that you can keep building her confidence and enjoy a life thatās just a little more calm and stress-free together.
Iād also like to take a moment to thank you for trusting me with Cocoās care and allowing me to be part of her training journey. It has truly been an honor. She is the sweetest little lady, and she has definitely earned a special little place in my heartājust like her sister Chanel. š¾š
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