Meet Fletch! He's a two year old Bernedoodle from Los Angeles, California here for our Two Week Board and Train Program! Fletch is big and strong, and loves to pull on his leash. He also jumps on everyone he can! He is easily distracted and wants to say hi to everyone and check out anything interesting he sees! He also tries to steal items like remote controls and toys that aren't his. Over the next fourteen days, we will work on Fletch's obedience skills, his manners in and out of the house, work on his impulse control, and help fletch become the best pup he can possibly be! Stay tuned for Fletch's two week transformation!
Pupdate: 2/9/2025
After picking up Fletch, we headed over to Almansor Park to spend some time getting to know each other. Right away, it was clear that he’s a strong boy—he loves to pull on the leash! Despite that, he’s been very friendly and eager to explore.
When I asked him for some basic commands, he showed that he has a general understanding of Sit and Down, responding about half the time. However, he struggled to hold his position and would completely ignore me if something else caught his attention. That’s something we’ll be working on as we continue training.
Once we got home, I let him sniff around and take in his new environment for a minute to start getting comfortable. After that, I introduced him to my personal dog and the other dog I’ll have during his stay. So far, everyone seems to be getting along well! Fletch is settling in nicely, and I’m looking forward to helping him build better focus and manners in the days ahead.
Pupdate: 2/10/2025
Fletch had a productive training session at the park today! We started by focusing on his Heel and Sit commands. For Heel, I want him walking politely at my left side with his ears at my knee. Since he’s a huge leash puller, this was a big challenge for him, but with some patience and consistency, he started getting the hang of it. His Sit command also improved as we worked through repetitions, helping him build better engagement and focus.
Once he started showing progress with those, we introduced his Come To Sit command. The goal here is for him to come when called, walk around my legs, and sit at my left side with his ears at my knee. He doesn’t quite know his own size and strength yet, which makes things interesting, but he’s proving to be a willing learner. By the end of the session, he was making solid progress with everything we worked on.
Fletch still has a long way to go, but today was a great step in the right direction. I’m excited to keep helping him develop better control and responsiveness in our future sessions!
Pupdate: 2/11/2025
Fletch had a productive training session at Whittier Narrows Park today! We met up with some other trainers and their dogs, which got him very excited at first. He briefly went back to pulling, but he quickly regained composure as we started working.
Once he settled in, Fletch did well with his Heel and Come To Sit commands. We also focused on his Place command, which involves hopping onto a raised object, like a bench, and staying there until released or given another command. This skill is especially useful at home for times when I need him to stay put, like while cooking or greeting guests. At first, he was eager to hop on but had trouble holding the position. However, with some practice, he improved and started maintaining his Place more consistently.
Overall, Fletch made good progress today, and I’m excited to keep building on this!
Pupdate: 2/12/2025
Fletch and I made it to the park a few times in between the rain, giving us good opportunities to work on his commands. He needed a solid warm-up each time before really settling into Heel and sticking with me without pulling, but once he got going, he did okay.
We also got an unexpected but perfect opportunity to practice greeting manners! Just as I started recording a video, a basketball rolled over to us, and when its owner came to retrieve it, he complimented Fletch, calling him cute. I asked if he wanted to pet him, which gave us a great real-world test. My goal for Fletch’s greetings is for him to hold a polite Sit while being approached and stay composed while getting petted. He was pretty excited at first, but after a couple of reminders with the Sit command and the E-collar, he settled down and stayed polite while getting attention. A nice little win for the session!
Pupdate: 2/13/2025
Fletch and I headed to Home Depot today to get some training in while trying to escape the rain—though we still ended up getting pretty wet! He seemed a little skeptical as we approached the store, but that may have been more about walking through the rain than the store itself. Once we got inside, he settled in fairly quickly and was ready to work.
We started with a couple of laps around the store to help him adjust to the environment before diving into his other commands. He needed quite a few reminders at first, but after some repetition, he started to focus and perform well. The biggest challenge for him was walking past people. Fletch loves to greet everyone and was tempted to lean over and sniff anyone walking close to us. While he struggled at first, he responded well to the Off command and caught on that he didn’t need to say hi to every single person we passed.
That being said, I’d like to get him to the point where he can walk by people politely without needing the Off command as often. This will come with more practice and exposure, but today was a great step in the right direction. The Off command has been a useful tool for him—it’s a general "Do not do" command that helps correct behaviors like jumping, sniffing where he shouldn’t, or other unwanted actions. He’s starting to understand it pretty well, which will help with his overall impulse control.
Overall, Fletch had a solid training session today. He’s making progress in his ability to stay focused in busy environments, and while there’s still work to do, he’s heading in the right direction. With more practice, he’ll continue to improve his ability to stay engaged and move through public spaces with ease!
Pupdate: 2/14/2025
Fletch took on Santa Anita Mall today! He started off very excited—maybe even a little nervous—but he adjusted to the environment fairly quickly. While he wasn’t quite as responsive as he was during our Home Depot sessions, he still made some nice progress. One of the biggest improvements today was his ability to walk past people without trying to sniff them, which was a big win!
We also had a couple of opportunities to work on his greeting manners, and he did even better with those today. He’s starting to understand that he doesn’t need to jump up to get attention, which is great to see.
The biggest challenge for Fletch today was coming to me in a calm manner rather than sprinting over in excitement. With all the activity around him, it was tough for him to control that urge, but we’ll keep working on it. Overall, he handled the outing well, and I’m happy with his progress!
Pupdate: 2/15/2025
Fletch had a productive day at the park today! We started working on his commands with the leash dragging, which helps me gauge how he might perform off-leash while still giving me the option to step in if needed. Overall, he handled the session well. His recall was solid—he came when called consistently—but positioning himself perfectly at my heel needed a little extra work. At first, I had to pick up the leash and guide him into place, but after a few repetitions, he started following through without needing that extra help.
One thing I noticed during our breaks was that when the leash wasn’t in my hand, he was much more tempted to put his paws up on me. So, we took some extra time to work on that as well, reinforcing that he needs to stay calm and keep all four paws on the ground unless invited otherwise.
Fletch still has a ways to go before he’ll be ready for true off-leash work, but he’s making steady progress. He’s learning, adjusting, and getting better every time we train. Excited to keep building on this foundation!
Pupdate: 2/16/2025
Fletch made some nice progress today as we continued working on his commands with the leash dragging. He was more solid overall, showing improvement in holding commands and responding well. However, his Heel still requires frequent check-ins—we’re only able to take a few steps at a time before he needs extra guidance to keep his focus.
To help with this, we added the Place cot into the session. I had him practice Come To Sit from the cot, then Heel back to Place. This structured exercise helped reinforce his understanding of positioning and movement between commands, and he handled it well, staying engaged and improving with each rep.
One ongoing habit we’re addressing is his tendency to put his paws on me when he gets too excited—especially when being released from command. I managed to catch one of these moments on camera today. When this happens, I immediately stop giving him affection, stand up, and ask for a Sit, Place, or Down. Once he settles with all four paws on the ground, he gets affection again. Typically, he tests this once, then realizes he’d rather have the attention and stops—at least for about an hour. This will require consistency, but with time, he’ll understand that keeping his paws to himself leads to more love.
Overall, Fletch is making steady progress. His focus, impulse control, and responsiveness are improving, and he’s showing that he’s eager to learn. Looking forward to continuing to build on this momentum!
Pupdate: 2/17/2025
Fletch had a productive day! We spent most of our time working on extending his leash-dragging Heel command, and he's continuing to improve with it. His focus is getting better, and he’s learning to stay in position without as much constant guidance.
For today’s video, we focused on another important area—leaving things alone that aren’t his. Fletch has been known to steal remotes and pillows, so we practiced with those items to reinforce the Off command. Just like with jumping or putting his paws up, he now understands that certain things are off-limits. When I placed these items in front of him, he did a great job ignoring them. I also tried to get him to play with his bunny afterward, but he wasn’t in the mood, so we went with some belly rubs and physical praise instead—his favorite reward!
We also continued working on grooming. Fletch still isn't a fan of the comb and sometimes tries to use his mouth to stop the process. When this happens, I correct him with Off, but more importantly, I make sure to keep working through it so he doesn’t think his resistance will make the comb go away. When he sits still for a short session, I take breaks and reward him with playtime or affection so he knows he's doing well. He’s improving but still not completely comfortable with it yet.
Overall, Fletch had a solid day and is making steady progress!
Pupdate: 2/18/2025
Fletch had a fun and productive day at Santa Anita Mall! He came in with a playful mindset, so we spent some time warming up with his commands. After a few minutes, he settled in and started focusing a little better better.
Once he was dialed in, we dropped the leash again to test his off-leash abilities. His Heel was very solid today, but his Come To Sit took a little more work—he kept getting distracted on his way over to me at first. After some repetitions, though, he got back into the groove and started nailing it consistently.
We also worked on impulse control by testing how far I could walk away while he held a Sit, Down, or Place position. He handled this well, staying put even with some distance between us. For extra practice (and to tire him out), we used basically every bench in the mall for his Place and Down commands. By the time we got home, he was ready for a well-earned nap!
Pupdate: 2/19/2025
Fletch had a good training session today, showing some real progress in his off-leash work. After a solid warm-up on leash, I decided to test him by removing it and seeing how he responded. Despite some small mistakes, he stayed fairly engaged and responsive, only getting mildly distracted at times. This is a big step forward, as it shows that he's gaining the impulse control and reliability needed to start working off leash in more challenging environments. With continued practice, we’ll be able to introduce more distractions while maintaining his focus.
One of the things I’ve noticed is how much he enjoys his place cot. Whether we’re training outside or winding down inside, he gravitates toward it naturally. It’s become his favorite spot for resting after a workout, and he settles on it with ease. If he doesn’t already have a designated resting area at home, I’d highly recommend getting him a cot or something similar. Having a structured yet comfortable space to relax will not only reinforce his training but also give him a familiar place to settle when he needs to decompress.
Overall, Fletch is making great strides. His willingness to work and his growing responsiveness off leash are promising signs that he’s ready for more challenges ahead!
Pupdate: 2/20/2025
Fletch had an exciting day at the Santa Monica Pier! He started on leash, and we did a thorough warm-up for all his commands—he was definitely excited to be there. Once he settled into the environment, we took the leash off, and he handled it well!
He performed all his commands nicely and even got extra practice with his greeting manners while off-leash. The biggest challenge was his interest in other dogs. While he did a good job, I had to work to keep his focus on me instead of them.
Overall, Fletch exceeded expectations! I didn’t think we’d be working off-leash at the pier, but he rose to the occasion and handled the challenge fairly well!
Pupdate: 2/21/2025
Fletch had another productive training session in Santa Monica today, building on his progress in handling high-distraction environments. Right from the start, he was more engaged, which allowed us to jump into training quickly and even spend some extra time off-leash. His ability to ignore distractions has improved significantly, making him even more responsive to his commands. It was great to see him working with such focus and confidence in such a busy setting!
Even after all that training, Fletch still had plenty of energy when we got home, so we worked on his indoor manners while mixing in some playtime to keep things fun. Once he had a good balance of structure and activity, he was ready for a well-earned nap.
Later, I spent some time combing his fur—something he hasn’t been a fan of. However, today was a big win in that department! Not only did he tolerate it, but he actually seemed to enjoy the process. Since his fur wasn’t tangled, the brushing felt more like a massage, making it a positive experience for him. I highly recommend brushing him frequently to prevent tangles, as this will help him continue associating grooming with comfort rather than discomfort, especially once his fur starts to grow back to it's full length!
Great job today, Fletch! He’s making steady progress and showing how well he can handle both structured training and everyday life.
Pupdate: 2/22/2025
For Fletch’s last full day with me, we headed to the park, and he did a great job! He’s made solid progress, and I’m proud of the work he’s put in.
For his video, I’m highlighting his food manners. The goal is for Fletch to sit patiently while I place his food in front of him and wait until I give him the okay to eat. When I first picked him up, he was pretty inconsistent about when he wanted to eat. But with a structured schedule, he’s gotten much better about eating at mealtimes and staying polite while doing so!
It’s been great working with Fletch, and I know he’ll keep up the good habits!
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