Meet Elsie! She's a nine month old Lagotto Romagnolo from Los Angeles, California here for our Three-Week Board and Train Program! She's a super sweet pup, but she loves pulling on her leash, has trouble with some commands, and she can be fairly nervous in certain situations. She loves to demand bark, and has some separation anxiety. She also constantly tries to eat things off the floor and steal things like socks. Over the next twenty one days we will work with Elsie to build her confidence, and impulse control, and help her with her obedience skills, mitigate her demand barking and help her become the best pup she can possibly be! Stay tuned for Elsie's three week transformation!
Pupdate: 2/2/2025
Today was Elsie’s first day with me, and we spent some time getting to know each other! After picking her up, we headed straight to Almansor Park to give her a chance to move around and take in a new environment. She’s definitely a leash puller—full of energy and eager to go—but overall, she handled the trip well. While she sometimes gets a little nervous, it was clear that she was excited and happy to be at the park. Her tail was up, she was engaged, and she seemed to enjoy exploring.
Throughout our time there, I started introducing some basic commands to see where she’s at. She gave me a few good Sits, but she struggled to hold the position for more than a second before popping right back up. That’s something we’ll be working on, especially to help with her impulse control.
Once we got home, I walked her through my place to help her settle in and get comfortable in her new surroundings. She took everything in stride, sniffing around and getting familiar with the space. She already seems to like me quite a bit, which is a great sign for our training moving forward. Overall, she’s adjusting well so far, and I’m looking forward to helping her build confidence and work on her skills in the days ahead!
Pupdate: 2/3/2025
Elsie had her first full training day, and we took her to Whittier Narrows Park to meet with a few other trainers and their dogs. Her demeanor was a mix of excitement and nervousness, so we started by keeping some distance from the other dogs. She did an okay job staying mostly focused on me in this setting. However, when walking right next to the other dogs, she was much more interested in them and had a harder time keeping her attention on me. Even a dog walking far in the distance caught her eye—she didn’t bark or pull, but she completely turned around to watch.
In addition to beginning her exposure to other dogs, we worked on holding her Sit position for longer periods. Yesterday, she was willing to sit but struggled to hold it. Since we use an implied stay—meaning she’s expected to remain in position until released or given a new command—this is an important skill for her to learn. She did better today than yesterday, though she’s still a bit wiggly.
We also introduced her Heel command, which asks her to walk politely at my left side with her ears at my knee, without pulling or veering off. She loves to pull, so this was definitely a challenge for her. But with practice, she’s already starting to make some improvements.
Overall, it was a solid first full day, and I’m looking forward to seeing how she continues to progress!
Pupdate: 2/4/2025
Elsie had a good training session at Almansor Park today and seemed to enjoy herself! We continued working on her Heel, which is improving nicely. She’s staying with me much better now, though she still has a habit of wanting to turn and face me instead of staying in line.
A big focus today was her Come To Sit command. This recall exercise requires her to come to my right side, walk around my legs, and Sit at my left side with her ears in line with my knee. While it’s a bit more challenging than a standard recall, it helps transition smoothly into Heel. Elsie picked up on the motion quickly but struggled with getting distracted on the way to me and occasionally trying to face me at the end rather than aligning with my direction. That said, she’s making steady progress.
Distractions were fairly light today, and while a few things caught her attention, she did a much better job staying focused compared to yesterday. Overall, Elsie is improving, and I’m happy with her progress!
Pupdate: 2/5/2025
Today, Elsie and I went to Home Depot to get some training in while avoiding the rain. She was pretty timid at first, so we started in some of the quieter areas to help her ease into the environment. Home Depot can be a challenging place for a dog—it’s full of different sights, sounds, and activity in relatively tight spaces. While she generally did a good job, certain unfamiliar noises, like the sound of lumber being moved, caught her off guard.
Despite these distractions, Elsie performed her basic commands well. The biggest challenge for her was Down—which makes sense in a busy place like this since it puts her in a vulnerable position. At first, she was hesitant, but with patience and encouragement, she started improving by the end of our time there. It was great to see her gaining confidence as the session went on!
Once the rain stopped, we took a short break before heading over to the park for a longer walk. It was a nice way for her to decompress after the structured training and get some extra exercise. Elsie is making progress, and with more exposure to new environments, she’ll continue to build confidence!
Pupdate: 2/6/2025
Elsie tackled a tough training environment today at Del Amo Mall! At first, she was quite distracted during our warm-up walk, but as we continued, she started focusing more on me, which was great to see.
Originally, I planned to film her working on her Heel and Come To Sit, but we ended up getting an even better training opportunity. A friendly group of people wanted to pet her, so we shifted focus to practicing her greeting manners instead! Elsie had the urge to raise her paws multiple times, but the group was fantastic about pulling back their hands and resetting whenever she did. She got plenty of praise whenever she stayed grounded while being touched, and by the end, she was doing well!
This was a great experience for Elsie, helping her build impulse control and confidence in a busy environment. She’s making solid progress, and I’m excited to see how she continues to improve!
Pupdate: 2/7/2025
Elsie had another training session at the mall today, and she did slightly better than yesterday! We focused a lot on her Place command, which is all about having her hop onto an object—like a bench or a cot—and remain there until released or given another command.
This command is a great confidence builder, and it’s also extremely useful at home. I use Place whenever I need to cook or clean and want my canine friends to stay out of the way while still being part of the environment. Elsie is picking up on it fairly quickly, which is great to see!
Overall, today was another step forward for Elsie, and I’m happy with her progress.
Pupdate: 2/8/2025
Elsie had a great training session at the park today! We started working on her commands with the leash dragging, which helps gauge how she might perform off-leash while still allowing for control if needed. She practiced her Heel, Place, Down, and Come To Sit commands, and overall, she did fairly well with each one.
The biggest challenge of the day was her Heel command—staying in the perfect position while moving was tough for her, but she put in a solid effort. The park was full of distractions, but she managed to stay mostly focused on me. One of the best moments of the session, which you can see in the video, was when a ball rolled toward us. It caught her attention, but she did a great job coming back to me when asked and quickly getting back to work.
Elsie is making steady progress, and it’s great to see her learning to work through distractions!
Pupdate: 2/9/2025
Elsie and I headed back to Almansor Park today for another training session. As usual, the park was full of activity—soccer games, volleyball matches, and plenty of people walking around. With all these distractions, it was a great opportunity to challenge her focus and responsiveness.
This time, we continued practicing her basic commands with the leash dragging, but I switched to a smaller leash to further simulate the feeling of being off-leash. At first, Elsie was pretty distracted by everything going on around her, especially when people or other dogs passed by. However, after some repetition and redirection, she started tuning in more and following commands with better consistency.
Even though there were moments where she needed reminders, she showed some great progress by the end of the session. She’s learning to work through distractions, and I’m excited to keep building on her confidence and control. Looking forward to seeing how she continues to improve!
Pupdate: 2/10/2025
Elsie had a great training session at the park today! We started with a warm-up to help her get into the right mindset, and she settled in nicely. Once she was focused, I began incorporating short off-leash sessions, taking her leash off for a few minutes at a time. With fairly low-level distractions around us, she handled it well, staying engaged for the most part. There were a few moments when something caught her attention, but she quickly refocused when I called her back, which was great to see.
One of our main focuses today was her Send Away To Place command. The goal is for her to go to a designated object from a distance without me having to walk her all the way up to it. At first, she needed some extra guidance, but as we practiced, she started getting the hang of it. She showed some real progress, which is exciting!
I found a lump/wart near Elsie's eye while cleaning her today. It doesn't seem to bother her at all, but I will be adding a picture of it and keep my eye on it.
Pupdate: 2/11/2025
Elsie had a great training session at Whittier Narrows Park today! We met up with some other trainers and their dogs, giving her a chance to practice focus and engagement in a more dynamic environment. We started on-leash to help her settle in, and once she was more comfortable, I took the leash off.
She showed curiosity about the other dogs, especially when they barked or made noise, but she remained responsive and stayed close to me. As the session progressed, she became more relaxed and confident. By the end of the meeting, Elsie was holding her Down position nicely, even while near the other dogs. This was a great step forward for her, and I’m proud of how well she handled the challenge!
Pupdate: 2/12/2025
Elsie had a productive day at the park, making the most of the dry weather in between the rain. She did well with her commands, showing nice responsiveness, and I was able to give her longer off-leash time. She handled it well, staying engaged and making good choices, which is a great sign of progress.
The main focus of our training today was her Under command. She’s already fairly willing to go under benches and picnic tables when asked, which is a great start. However, the challenge comes when I sit down—she tends to shift out of position rather than staying tucked under, trying to keep line of sight with me. Since the goal is for her to remain calmly in place, we spent a lot of time reinforcing this. By the end of the session, she was starting to hold the position a little better, but it’s still a work in progress.
Overall, Elsie did a great job today! She’s showing improvement, and with more practice, I’m confident she’ll get even better at holding Under consistently. For her eye, the wart looks a little smaller, but still present.
Pupdate: 2/13/2025
Today, Elsie and I took a trip to Home Depot to get some training in while trying to avoid the rain. Unfortunately, we still got pretty wet, but I don’t think she minded too much! She was in good spirits throughout the session and handled the environment with confidence. She navigated the aisles well, stayed engaged, and didn’t seem overly concerned about the hustle and bustle of the store.
The only thing that gave her pause was a loud vehicle she wasn’t familiar with. It wasn’t a forklift, but something even larger and louder. When it passed by, she got a little unsure and hesitated for a moment, but she didn’t panic. I gave her a second to take it in, and after a little encouragement, she was able to move past it and settle back into work mode. It was a good moment to help her build confidence around unexpected noises.
We started the session with a few laps around the store on-leash, allowing her to warm up and get comfortable. Once I saw that she was relaxed and responsive, I decided to take the leash off. She did well off-leash, staying close and following along without much issue. She was attentive, checked in with me often, and made good decisions. That being said, she did the best when I was verbally reminding her to Heel with me, or patting my leg to show her where to be.
Overall, I was really happy with how Elsie handled herself today. She’s showing more confidence in new environments and doing well with her off-leash skills. Even with the rain and that unexpected loud noise, she stayed engaged and worked through any uncertainty quickly. I’m excited to see how she continues to progress!
Pupdate: 2/14/2025
Today, Elsie took a trip to Santa Anita Mall for some training and exposure to a busier environment. At first, she was a little nervous, taking in all the sights, sounds, and movement around her. Rather than pushing her too quickly, we spent some time just walking around and letting her adjust at her own pace. As she started to settle in, her confidence grew, and she became much more comfortable navigating the mall.
We did some leash-dragging work today, using a smaller leash to simulate an off-leash experience while maintaining control if needed. She also got a few minutes completely off-leash, which was a great test of her focus and responsiveness. Though she wasn’t quite as quick to settle in as she has been in other environments, once she found her rhythm, she did really well!
Overall, today was a great step in Elsie’s progress. She showed that even when she’s unsure at first, she can work through it and come out more confident on the other side. Excited to see her continue improving!
Her wart still looks the same, but she still isn't scratching it or bothered by it.
Pupdate: 2/15/2025
Elsie had an awesome day today! We headed to the park, where she was off-leash for most of the time, and she did a fantastic job handling all the distractions. Since it was the weekend, the park was full of activity—dogs on walks, people playing sports, and families having picnics. It was a great environment to test her focus and responsiveness. Compared to the mall, where she’s had to work harder to stay on task, she found the park setting more manageable. She kept close, listened well, and made good decisions throughout our session.
The weather was perfect, so we made the most of it and stayed out for quite a while. She got plenty of exercise, which left her good and tired by the time we headed home. Once we got back, she went straight to her place cot for a well-earned nap while I cooked dinner.
One thing we’ve been working on is her staying on Place while I cook, since she sometimes wants to come over to see what’s going on. In the past, I’ve had to remind her to go back, but today, she held her position the entire time without needing any reminders! Of course, she was curled up asleep for about half of that time. She’s making great progress, and I’m really happy with how she’s coming along. Looking forward to more days like this!
Pupdate: 2/16/2025
Elsie made great strides today in holding her position at increasing distances, even with distractions around. We started in a quieter field to build her confidence before transitioning to a more active area where people were playing soccer and other sports. My goal was to get her as close as possible to the activity without interfering, helping her learn to stay put despite movement and noise around her.
Elsie was eager to return to me early a few times, especially when the environment became more stimulating. However, with patience and repetition, she started to understand that staying in place until released was the right choice. As the session progressed, her confidence grew, and she held her position for longer durations, even as people moved nearby. She managed to stay focused and composed, proving she’s capable of handling the exercise!
One of the best parts of the session was seeing how much she enjoys the reward of being released. After a few solid reps, when I gave her the Break! command, she would scurry over with enthusiasm, often placing herself right between my legs for affection. This little habit is something we can shape into a structured Center command, giving her another fun skill to build on.
Elsie is showing great progress in impulse control and confidence, and with more practice, she’ll only get better. Proud of the work she put in today!
Pupdate: 2/17/2025
Elsie had a good day today! We went to the park, where she did well as usual. She's getting more comfortable and consistent with her training in different environments.
For today's video, we're focusing on an important skill for Elsie—leaving things alone that aren't hers. She has a history of chewing and even eating socks, so it's crucial to reinforce that she cannot do this. If she tries to grab something she shouldn't, we use the Off command, just like we would if she jumped or did any other unwanted behavior.
Elsie has learned the Off command pretty well and responds to it quickly. This isn't just useful for socks and slippers at home but also for keeping her safe outside if she tries to pick up something from the ground. Today, when a few tempting items were placed in front of her, she didn't go after them—she already understands that my things aren’t for her! Still, regular practice helps reinforce this, and she did a great job staying focused.
I'm also adding a picture of her new E-collar contact points! Elsie has been responding well to very low numbers on her normal contact points, but is pretty sensitive, so I'm trying these new ones, as they disperse the stimulation across a wider area.
Pupdate: 2/18/2025
Elsie had another great outing at Santa Anita Mall today! It wasn’t too busy, so she didn’t have many distractions to work through. We started with the leash, but her warm-up was quick, and she spent most of the time off-leash—which she handled really well!
One thing that caught her interest was the turtles in the fountain, but she showed great impulse control. Instead of trying to get closer, she simply observed them while holding a Down position, which was great to see.
We also got in some greeting practice after someone complimented how cute she is (they’re not wrong!). Elsie did well keeping her paws on the ground but initially wanted to scoot forward and snuggle their ankles. After a couple of resets, she was able to hold a polite Sit while receiving affection.
Pupdate: 2/19/2025
Elsie had a solid training session today, continuing to do well with all of her usual commands. Since she naturally gravitates toward a centered position in front of me during breaks, I decided to introduce a more structured Center command. In the video, I demonstrate a few different ways we’re practicing this skill, and she’s starting to pick it up!
One important aspect of this training is ensuring she still defaults to her Heel position unless asked otherwise. You'll notice that I consistently ask her back to Heel to reinforce that expectation. This prevents her from assuming Center is the new go-to position and keeps her responsiveness sharp.
Another key detail in teaching this command is maintaining clear distinctions between Center and Come To Sit. When calling her to Center from a distance, I guide her to the left, whereas I direct her around my right side for Heel. This distinction helps prevent confusion and ensures each command remains separate and precise.
At the end of the video, I included a short demonstration with my own pup to show what this command can look like with more practice. Elsie is picking it up quickly, and with continued work, she’ll become even more fluent in transitioning between positions smoothly!
Her wart is still there, but it looks like it's starting to crumble and flake off.
Pupdate: 2/20/2025
Elsie had a big adventure today at the Santa Monica Pier! We started off on leash, and she impressed me by settling into the busy environment pretty quickly. It wasn’t long before we transitioned to working off-leash, and she handled it well!
The biggest challenge of the day was her Send Away To Place command. She wasn’t too sure about the blue benches—they were a bit slippery, and she needed some confidence-building to get comfortable with them. But after plenty of practice and encouragement, she started getting the hang of it!
To top it all off, Elsie had the opportunity to try her Canine Good Citizen test today… and she passed! It was a long and challenging day, but Elsie really rose to the occasion. Proud of her progress!
Pupdate: 2/21/2025
Elsie had another great outing today as we returned to Santa Monica for further exposure to this busy and unpredictable environment. From the moment we arrived, she carried herself with much more confidence than before, showing that she’s getting comfortable in new places. Despite all the sights, sounds, and activity around us, Elsie remained well-mannered, focused, and responsive throughout our session.
One of the biggest improvements today was her ability to ignore other dogs. This has typically been one of her bigger challenges, but she did an excellent job of keeping her attention on me and staying engaged, even when other dogs passed by. Her consistency in this area was impressive and a great sign of her progress. The only thing that managed to break her focus for just a moment was a particularly bold pigeon that decided to walk right up to us. Even then, Elsie simply perked her ears up in curiosity but didn’t move from her seated position, showing great impulse control.
In the video, you can really see why Elsie passed her CGC exam yesterday. She walks right by my side with confidence, barely paying any attention to the people around us. It’s clear that she’s learning to filter out distractions and focus on her handler, which is exactly what we want to see. Her growth in confidence, responsiveness, and self-control is making a huge difference in her training, and I couldn’t be more proud of her progress.
Great job, Elsie! She’s proving every day what an awesome dog she is!
Pupdate: 2/22/2025
For our last full day together, Elsie and I spent some time at the park, and she did great as always! She was off-leash for most of our time there, showing just how much progress she’s made. She’s a fantastic pup, and I’m really proud of how far she’s come.
For her video, I’m highlighting her food manners. The goal is for her to sit patiently while I place her food in front of her and wait until I give her the okay to eat. She absolutely loves this food, so this has been a big challenge for her! But with consistent practice at each meal, she’s gotten really good at it.
Elsie has been a joy to work with, and I know she’ll keep up the good work!
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