Dax | Boxer Mix | Palmdale, CA | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- Nov 30, 2025
- 9 min read
Updated: Dec 14, 2025
Meet Dax!
Dax is a two-year-old Boxer mix from Palmdale, California, joining us for our Two-Week Urban Board and Train Program! He’s a sweet, playful boy with tons of love to give, but he often shows that affection a little too enthusiastically. Dax has a habit of jumping all over people, loves to nip when he gets excited, and is easily overstimulated in new environments. On walks, he pulls quite a bit and tends to bark at other dogs he spots along the way.
Over the next fourteen days, we’ll be focusing on building Dax’s obedience skills, improving his manners both inside and outside the home, strengthening his impulse control, and helping him channel all that energy in a calm, polite way. We’re excited to help him become the best version of himself. Stay tuned for Dax’s two-week transformation!
Pupdate: 11/30/2025
After picking Dax up today, we spent some time at the park to get to know each other a bit. During our walk, he pulled quite a bit, barked at one dog, and showed plenty of curiosity toward the people around us, but overall he did a good job following along and wasn’t jumping at all in the beginning.
Once he started warming up to me, though, his playful side came out fast! He began jumping all over me and tried to nip here and there. When he did this, standing tall, keeping good leash control, and calmly ignoring him helped to ease the behavior. However, as soon as I tried to pet him again, he often went right back to jumping. That tells me that physical affection is a bit too stimulating for him in those excited moments. So anytime he jumped or nipped, we simply went back to walking, which usually helped bring his energy level back down.
It was also clear that all of this jumping and nipping was coming from a place of excitement and wanting to interact or play, not out of frustration or any attempt to hurt. He’s been extremely friendly and loving so far, and he just hasn’t learned how to express that energy politely yet. With that in mind, one of our first and most important goals will be teaching him that he can receive affection, or even play, without needing to jump or nip.
After we got home, Dax had some time to sniff around and get familiar with the house. We’ve been keeping things calm and relaxed indoors, and he’s settling in very well so far. He’s already showing me how sweet and eager to connect he is, and I’m excited to help him channel all that enthusiasm into good manners!
Pupdate: 12/1/2025
Dax and I headed to the park today, and we had a really nice session together! We spent most of our time walking the paths and focusing on his Heel command. For Heel, I want him on my left side with his ears lined up at my leg, and he’s continuing to improve. He stayed with me well for the majority of our walk. A few dogs and squirrels definitely caught his eye, and he got excited here and there, but the big win is that he didn’t bark today—just perked up and then got back to work after.
We also put in more reps on his Sit command. Yesterday he responded about half the time, which was a solid start, but he really struggled to hold the position for longer than a couple seconds. Today we worked on increasing his duration, and he did a much better job staying put. He’s still building up his patience, but the progress is clear.
Overall, it was a productive and enjoyable day for Dax!
Pupdate: 12/2/2025
Dax and I spent the day working on his Come To Sit command, which will be his main recall cue. For this exercise, I want Dax to come straight to my right side when called, wrap around behind me, and finish by sitting neatly at my left side with his ears lined up at my knee.
He’s picking up the pattern nicely! He’s starting to understand the path he needs to take, and each repetition is looking smoother and more confident. He still has some learning to do, but the progress is definitely there.
Check out the video above to see how it's looking!
Pupdate: 12/3/2025
Dax and I spent the day exploring downtown Alhambra, and he did very well! We made several fun stops, including the library, the movie theater, and a few outdoor cafés, and throughout it all, Dax gave me some of the best behavior I’ve seen from him so far.
There were plenty of tight walkways and busy foot traffic, which meant we had to pass close by a lot of people and even a few dogs. While a couple of those dogs definitely caught Dax’s attention, a quick Off reminder helped him refocus and continue walking politely by my side. Off is his “do not do” command, whether that’s stopping him from jumping up or breaking his fixation on a distraction, and today he really put that skill to use. Seeing him redirect that energy and maintain composure was a big win.
Overall, this was Dax’s best day with me yet. He handled the environment relatively calmly, listened well, and showed real progress with his manners. I’m excited to build on this momentum and keep pushing forward!
Pupdate: 12/4/2025
Dax and I spent our day exploring the downtown areas, and he continued to impress me with his progress, especially with his Place command. Yesterday I noticed how much more focused and well-mannered he became after practicing Place, and today really confirmed that. For Place, I simply ask Dax to hop onto an object and stay there until I release him or give another command. Out in public, this does wonders for his confidence, which I’m sure is a big reason he’s been performing so well during our outings.
It’s also incredibly useful at home. While I’m cooking, cleaning, or answering the door, Dax has been doing a great job relaxing on his place cot and staying put until I ask otherwise. His ability to settle is improving every day.
One of the highlights today was being able to get a little more playful with him during his breaks—raising my energy without him resorting to jumping or nipping. That’s a huge step forward for him, and I’m really proud of the progress he’s making.
Overall, another great day for Dax!
Pupdate: 12/5/2025
Dax and I spent our day at the park today, and he definitely had himself a good time! We kept up with his commands, which he handled nicely, but the main focus ended up being working around all the distractions the park had to offer. There were several dogs out, plenty of squirrels darting around, and, surprisingly, the birds were the biggest challenge for him. I think because we haven’t spent as much time around birds, they were the most exciting thing in his world today.
Despite all that temptation, Dax did well staying composed and responsive. He got some great practice in while also enjoying a more playful, fun-filled day. Nice job, Dax!
Pupdate: 12/6/2025
Today was all about strengthening Dax’s Down command, and he really stepped up to the challenge! While he’s been performing Down reliably at home, doing it out in public has been a much different story. It’s a vulnerable position for a dog to take, and it requires a lot of trust and confidence, especially with distractions all around.
But today, Dax showed just how much he’s growing. He started settling into his Downs more confidently, even with all the activity around us. Our biggest moment came when a large dog nearby began barking and pulling in our direction. In the video, you can see both of us look over several times, but despite the pressure, Dax still followed through on his command multiple times. His ability to refocus and ignore that barking dog was a huge win and a major milestone in his progress!
Great job today, Dax!
Pupdate: 12/7/2025
Dax and I explored a new park today, and he had such a great time! There were a few dogs running around who weren’t exactly on their best behavior, but Dax stayed polite and composed, a huge accomplishment for him, and I’m really proud of how he handled it.
We also spent time practicing his Place and Down commands on a variety of new surfaces. This kind of practice is great for building both his confidence and his overall consistency, and he took everything in stride.
All in all, it was a fun, productive outing, and I loved getting to take him somewhere new. Great job today, Dax!
Pupdate: 12/8/2025
Dax and I went to a park today where we met up with a few other trainers and their dogs! He was excited to see some new friends, but he did a great job remembering his manners and staying polite.
Our main focus today was extending the duration of his Down command around heavier distractions. With a playful puppy zooming around and several other dogs in the area, it was definitely a big challenge for him, but Dax rose to the occasion. Even with a drone flying right overhead and grabbed his attention, he handled himself well.
Any time he did get distracted, Dax responded nicely to his Off command and settled back into his work. Overall, he stayed pretty calm, focused, and made solid progress. I’m really proud of him!
Pupdate: 12/9/2025
Dax and I had a really pleasant day focusing on his everyday routines and manners. He’s been wonderfully polite no matter what we’re doing, whether we’re out for a walk, practicing commands and household manners at home, or just relaxing alongside my own dog.
It’s great to see how well he does out in public, but it’s just as important (and just as rewarding) to see him carry those same manners into a calm, everyday setting. Today was one of those nice, normal days where he showed consistency, patience, and a respectful demeanor throughout.
Dax continues to mature and impress, and it’s been a joy watching him become such a well-rounded companion!
Pupdate: 12/10/2025
Dax and I headed over to the mall today, and he did a great job navigating all the activity. For the most part he was his usual polite, responsive self, walking nicely, checking in with me, and handling the foot traffic like a pro.
The biggest surprise challenge of the day ended up being the fountains. The sound and movement had him a bit nervous and excited, so we took our time there and used it as a training opportunity. We practiced his Place, Sit, and Down commands right by the fountains, letting him work through the distractions.
Before long, Dax started to perk up again. You could really see his confidence growing as he settled into the environment and followed through on each command. By the end, he was doing well and feeling much more comfortable.
Overall, it was a productive and confidence-building mall trip for Dax!
Pupdate: 12/11/2025
Dax was back at the mall today, and he continues to show solid progress in this busy environment. We focused especially on the areas and skills that challenge him the most, working around the fountains and sharpening his Down command.
The fountain with the turtles definitely grabbed his attention the most, but even with all that excitement and movement, Dax managed to stay composed and follow through. Each repetition helped him settle into the task, and by the end he was doing a great job despite the distractions.
Overall, it was another successful day for Dax! He’s building confidence, maintaining his manners, and learning to work through those tougher moments. Proud of him!
Pupdate: 12/12/2025
Dax and I headed to the park today and had a great training session! For today’s video, I’m highlighting one of the important manners we’ve been practicing at home: calm doorway behavior.
In the video, you’ll see Dax sitting politely in front of the door, waiting calmly before entering or exiting. The goal here isn’t just a sit every time, it’s teaching Dax that the door opening is a non-event. There’s no need to rush, bark, or get overexcited. Instead, we want calm, thoughtful behavior and patience.
As we continue building this skill, the long-term goal is for Dax to remain calm no matter where he is in the home when the door opens, and to only go through with me or when given permission. This same concept applies to all thresholds, including gates, fences, and even indoor boundaries (like my kitchen, which is a dog-free zone).
We work on this a little bit each day, and Dax is making excellent progress. During the video, the neighbor’s dogs are barking nonstop, something that used to trigger Dax into joining the commotion. Now, he’s learning that the doorway isn’t his responsibility. Whether it’s barking dogs, people walking by, or a package being delivered, he’s doing a much better job staying grounded and tuning out the distractions.
I’m also showing Dax’s off-leash recall today to help solidify his Come To Sit command. He’s been very reliable with his recall while on leash, and now we’re making sure that same response carries over when his leash is off in safe environments and at home. He’s doing really well with this and continuing to show consistency and focus.
Overall, a very productive day for Dax! He’s building calmness, impulse control, and reliability, and it’s great to see all that work paying off!
Pupdate: 12/13/2025
Dax and I headed back to the mall today, and it was a bit busier than our last visit, but that didn’t give him too much trouble at all! He handled the extra activity really well and stayed composed as we moved through the crowds.
We even took the opportunity to practice his greeting manners with some strangers. The goal was for Dax to remain polite and calm while receiving attention, and he did a great job with this. It was really nice to see him making good choices and showing off how far he’s come.
Dax will be going home tomorrow, and I’m definitely going to miss having him around. It’s honestly hard to believe how much he was jumping and nipping when I first picked him up compared to the dog he is now. He’s made huge progress in just a couple of weeks, and he should be very proud of himself. I’m so happy with how far he’s come and excited for you to see all the improvement firsthand!
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