Curious George | Black Lab/Golden Retriever | Cypress, CA | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- Oct 19, 2025
- 9 min read
Updated: Nov 2, 2025
Meet Curious George! He's a three year old Black Lab/Golden Retriever Mix from Cypress, California here for our Two-Week Urban Board and Train Program! Curious George can be very playful, and often friendly, but he can also be Skeptical of people and tends to bark upon meeting someone new. He also barks and lunges at certain dogs as well as other critters like cats and squirrels! He's very strong and capable of pulling you over if he gets going! While he knows some commands, he often decides for himself when he wants to listen and follow through with his commands. Once he likes you, he will also jump up to try to get attention, and he tends to be very anxious in a number of situations. Over the next two weeks, we will be working on George's confidence, helping with his obedience skills, building up his impulse control, working on his manners in and out of the house, and helping him become the best pup he can possibly be. Stay tuned for Curious George's two week transformation!
Pupdate: 10/19/2025
After picking up Curious George, we spent a few minutes at the park to get to know each other. He barked at me at first but warmed up surprisingly quickly — soon he was trying to jump up and say hi! George is very strong and definitely loves to pull on the leash. During our walk, he barked at a couple of other dogs and some people, showing that he’s still adjusting to everything around him. One thing he really impressed me with was how well he responds to his name! Every time I said, “George!” he turned right toward me and often came over, even if he didn’t stay put for long. That responsiveness will be a great foundation for his obedience training. When we got home, I let him explore, and he was clearly excited to check everything out — truly living up to the name Curious George! He seems to be settling in well so far and is already starting to like it here.
Pupdate: 10/20/2025
We went to the park today and met several other trainers and their dogs! Our main focus was helping George stay calm and composed around all the people and dogs, and he did a pretty good job overall. When we first arrived, he was a little excited to see the dogs there, but he managed to keep himself from barking, which was great. Interestingly, throughout our session, he sometimes barked a couple of times when he noticed a dog farther away or a squirrel, but he mostly ignored the dogs that were closer to us.
We also began working on his “Off” command today. “Off” is our “don’t do that” command, which we’ll use for behaviors like jumping or fixating on distractions. Using a combination of the slip lead and his e-collar, George started to pick up on the concept nicely and responded well for his first day working on it.
As for last night, George barked a few times every few minutes for the first hour or two while settling into his crate, but he eventually quieted down and had a peaceful rest of the night. He’s adjusting well and showing lots of promise!
Pupdate: 10/21/2025
Curious George had an exciting and productive day today! We went to the park a few times throughout the day, starting early in the morning. He was very eager to get going, so before heading out, we took a few minutes to practice calmness and polite behavior. Once we got to the park, we started finding plenty of squirrels to work around!
We used those moments as great training opportunities, working on his commands while the squirrels were nearby. With some consistent reminders, George was able to stay focused on me about half the time, which is solid progress given the level of distraction. His walking also improved a lot today; while he’s not quite in a perfect Heel position yet, he stayed close and walked with me without pulling for most of our outings.
Overall, George had a fun and fulfilling day, and I’m proud of the progress he’s making with both his commands and his manners!
Pupdate: 10/22/2025
Today we’re showing off Curious George’s progress with his Come To Sit command! Check out the video above to see him in action. He’s really starting to understand what’s being asked of him and is showing great improvement with each session.
Overall, Curious George continues to make steady progress. He’s still his most energetic self first thing in the morning when we wake up—ready to take on the day—but he settles into training nicely once we get going. It’s also worth noting that he’s slept through the night without any issues for the last two nights, which is a great sign of how comfortable and relaxed he’s becoming!
Pupdate: 10/23/2025
We went to a new park today filled with tons of new sights and smells! George was very curious and somewhat excited to explore the area. Our main focus for the day was his Place command, which is a great confidence-building exercise in public settings. He hopped onto all the different objects we used without hesitation, showing lots of enthusiasm and bravery! Staying put once he was on the object was a bit more challenging, but that’s something we’ll keep working on as his impulse control continues to improve.
There were quite a few other people walking their dogs around the park, and George did a good job mostly ignoring them—sometimes letting out a small whine, but refraining from barking. While practicing his Come To Sit command, he’s starting to find his position more consistently and even began offering the auto sit more reliably today! Overall, it was a productive day with plenty of progress and confidence-building moments for George.
Pupdate: 10/24/2025
Today we’re diving a little deeper into George’s Place command and talking about how useful it can be at home! Place is one of my favorite commands for building structure and calmness!
George did a great job practicing staying on Place today, even with some mild distractions around. He’s getting better at understanding that Place isn’t just about getting onto the object, but about staying there until released. This skill is incredibly helpful for things like mealtime, answering the door, or just keeping a calm household routine.
Check out the video above to see George in action and learn more about how you can keep reinforcing this valuable command at home!
Pupdate: 10/25/2025
Curious George had a good day at Home Depot today! It was fairly crowded when we went, but he handled it impressively well—especially for his first time there. He showed no signs of nervousness until we made it to the lumber section, where a loud crack from someone dropping wood startled him for a moment. Even then, he looked toward the sound and immediately fell right back into his Heel position like a pro!
The beeping forklifts took a little getting used to, but after walking by them a few times, George adjusted nicely. Other than those small moments, he did an outstanding job all day. He didn’t bark or lunge at any distractions, even while walking within inches of people in the busier aisles. I’m very proud of how composed and focused he was throughout our trip. We’ll keep building on this progress with continued exposure and practice, but today was a big success for Curious George!
Pupdate: 10/26/2025
Today we’re talking about George’s Heel command! This is his walking command, where I simply want him to remain right next to me while we move — keeping his focus and staying calm even when distractions are around. George is making steady progress with this, learning that walking politely beside me is the most rewarding place to be. Check out the above video to see us in action working on his Heel!
Pupdate: 10/27/2025
We met up with several other trainers and their dogs at the park today! Curious George was a bit excited at first when he saw his friends, but he quickly settled down and showed great composure once we walked up. After that initial burst of excitement, he was calm, focused, and really tuned in to me throughout our session. He worked through all of his commands nicely and maintained great engagement, even with plenty of distractions around. It was a fun and productive outing for George, and he’s continuing to show great progress with his focus and self-control!
Pupdate: 10/28/2025
We went to the mall today! This was definitely the toughest environment for George so far, but he handled it like a champ. He showed a bit more nervousness than usual at first, but he looked to me for guidance and confidence, which helped him settle in nicely. The most challenging spots for him were near the fountains, where the running water and turtles caught his attention, and inside on the upper floors, where being able to see down to the lower levels made him a little uneasy.
For each of these trickier areas, we took our time and hung out for a few minutes until George relaxed and adjusted. By the end of our session, he was walking calmly and responding well to his commands even around the tougher distractions. We’ll definitely plan another mall visit soon to keep building his confidence, but overall George did an excellent job for his first time in such a busy, stimulating environment!
Pupdate: 10/29/2025
Back at the mall today, we spent more time exploring and practicing everything from confidence to basic commands! George was on point right from the start this time and seemed to really enjoy himself, which made training (and just hanging out) a lot of fun for both of us. We spent the most time near the fountain with the turtles, the same spot that had been the most distracting for him before, and he handled it much better today!
Once we got home, George took a quick nap to recharge before we practiced his Place command and some good indoor manners. He’s settling into this balance of work and relaxation really well. Overall, he had a great day today!
Pupdate: 10/30/2025
Today we spent some focused time working on Curious George's household manners, specifically his door manners!
In the video, you’ll see George practicing sitting calmly in front of the door, waiting politely before entering or exiting. The goal isn’t just to have him sit every time, but to help him understand that the door opening is a non-event, no need to rush, bark, or get overexcited.
Eventually, I want him to wait calmly regardless of where he is in the home when the door opens, and only go through with me or when given permission. This concept also applies to other thresholds, like gates, fences, or even indoor boundaries (like my kitchen, which is a dog-free zone!).
We work on this a little each day, and he’s making great progress. In fact, during the video, the neighbor’s dogs are barking nonstop, but Curious George, who used to want to join in the commotion, is learning that the doorway isn’t his responsibility. Whether it’s barking dogs, people passing by, or a package being delivered, he’s starting to tune it out and stay grounded.
Pupdate: 10/31/2025
We headed back to the mall today for another round of real-world practice, and George absolutely crushed it! Between the busy mall crowds and several other dogs passing by, he had plenty of distractions to work through, and he showed up ready to work.
George held his confidence beautifully, nailed his commands, and stayed focused and polite the entire time. At one point, a less well-behaved dog barked at him as we walked by, and George handled it like a total gentleman, simply cruising along without missing a beat. I really don’t have any complaints, and he made the outing look easy today!
Way to go, Curious George!
Pupdate: 11/1/2025
Curious George had a great outing today! We headed to the mall again, but this time spent most of our time inside rather than out on the promenade. Indoor environments can be trickier with tighter spaces, louder sounds, and more movement around us, but George held it together beautifully. While my girlfriend shopped, he stayed patient and polite waiting with me, and that can definitely be a challenge for an energetic pup like him! Really proud of how composed he was in such a stimulating environment.
After the mall, we made our way to the park for some playtime. George gets so excited when it’s time to play, which is can be fun, as long as the excitement stays polite. Just like with jumping, we use the “Off” command to interrupt any behavior I don’t want, and if he gets too amped up, we pause the play so he can reset. Once he's calm again, we get right back to having fun. This structure really helps him be successful, and he continues to thrive with clear guidance and routine.
Overall, a fun and productive day for George! He worked hard, played hard, and showed that he's really learning how to manage that big personality of his in all kinds of environments.
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