George | Lab Mix | Los Angeles, CA. | In Training
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Oct 26, 2025
- 13 min read
Updated: Nov 8, 2025
Meet George! š¾
George is a lively 2-year-old Lab mix from Los Angeles, CA. who has just joined us for our two-week Community Board and Train Program, and we couldnāt be more excited to have him! This happy-go-lucky guy has quite the personality ā full of energy and enthusiasm for life. On walks, George tends to take the lead (and sometimes his person for a bit of a ride!) as his excitement gets the best of him. Heās also been known to be a little possessive when it comes to his favorite toys and bones.
During his stay, weāll be working on improving his leash manners, sharing skills, and overall obedience, as well as refining his house manners to help him become a more polite and well-rounded companion. Weāre so grateful to be part of Georgeās journey and canāt wait to see how much he grows over the next two weeks!
10/26/2025
Today, George and I decided to take things nice and easy with a relaxing walk around the park. It was the perfect way to start getting to know each other while also giving me a chance to see what George already knows when it comes to his obedience training. From the moment we started, Georgeās tail was wagging, and his big, happy personality shone through. He was curious about everythingāstopping to sniff every interesting scent, watch the squirrels run by, and greet anyone who smiled his way.
As we walked, I tested out some basic commands like sit, down, and heel to get a sense of his foundation. George responded nicely to direction and showed that heās both eager to please and very food-motivatedāa great combo for training! He seemed to really enjoy the one-on-one attention and settled into the rhythm of our walk beautifully.
All in all, today was a great introduction to our time together. George made it so easy to see what a sweet, happy-go-lucky dog he is, and Iām genuinely excited to start our training journey. I can already tell this boy has so much potential, and I canāt wait to see the progress heāll make in the days to come!
10/27/2025
For our first full day together, George and I decided to head out to the park to explore while incorporating some training into our adventure. Our main focus for the day was working on his heel, sit, and place commands, while also introducing him to the e-collar and light leash corrections.
To my surprise, George wasnāt too sure about the e-collar at first, so we took things slow and made sure to keep the experience positive. When we started our heel exercise, George was full of energy and ready to take me on an adventure of his own! With a few gentle reminders, he quickly began to understand what I was asking of him and started to heel beautifully. His initial excitement soon turned into a calm, relaxed walk through the park, which was wonderful to see.
Along the way, we sprinkled in a few sits here and there, practicing his ability to sit right at my side and even stay put while I took a few steps back to snap a cute picture. If he broke his sit, we simply reset and tried again ā and after a couple of small corrections, he really started to catch on!
Next up was his place command. I guided George over to a cot and asked him to lay down, and after our walk, he was happy to settle in. During this exercise, one of the other trainersā pups decided to hop up on the cot with him, and to my delight, George didnāt mind at all! He was calm and content to share his space, which was a lovely moment to witness.
All in all, for Georgeās first full day of training, heās off to a great start! Heās already showing a willingness to learn and even began warming up to the e-collar a bit more by the end of our session. Weāll continue to build his confidence and show him that the e-collar is simply another helpful communication tool ā not the enemy. Iām so proud of this happy guy and excited to see his progress in the days to come!
10/28/2025
Today George and I headed out to the park to meet up with some fellow trainers! Not only did we continue working on his obedience training, but we also incorporated a group exercise alongside a few dogs that have previously shown some reactivity toward others. The goal of the activity was simple yet effective ā a calm, structured walk around the park as a pack.
We felt this would be a great experience for George, especially since heās often walked by a dog walker, and it would give us a good read on how he behaves in a more social setting. At first, George was a bit excited and pulled ahead slightly, eager to explore, but after a gentle reminder, he settled right into his heel position beautifully. From that point on, he walked calmly and confidently, completely unbothered by the dogs and people around him.
I was really pleased to see how naturally composed and friendly he was throughout the exercise. Todayās session gave me great insight into Georgeās overall demeanor and manners when surrounded by other dogs ā and Iām proud to say he handled it all wonderfully!
Update on Georgeās heat rash: As discussed at pick-up, Iāve been applying a small amount of Neosporin to the affected area while making sure he doesnāt lick it. The area is already showing improvement ā the redness has gone down noticeably, and it looks like itās continuing to heal nicely. Just like his training, this too is progressing well!
Way to go, George!
10/29/2025
Today George and I decided to keep things a little closer to home and focus on some one-on-one training time around my neighborhood. Our main focus for the day was on his ācome to sitā and ādownā commands ā two skills that George clearly understands but sometimes needs a little extra encouragement to follow through on (especially when treats arenāt involved!). So, todayās mission was all about repetition, patience, and replacing treat motivation with verbal praise and affection.
For our ācome to sitā exercise, I had George sit next to me, then slowly backed away until I reached the end of the leash before calling him to come. As he approached, I used both the leash and e-collar to gently guide him into position. Interestingly, George prefers to come around to my right side rather than my left ā not sure if this was how he was previously trained, but for now, weāre rolling with it! He initially tended to stop right behind me, but with a few calm reminders and guidance, he began to understand where I wanted him to finish the command ā sitting politely right at my side. Every time he followed through correctly, I gave him tons of praise and affection to reinforce that behavior.
As for the ādownā command, George knows whatās being asked, but he has a few habits weāre working on ā like scooting in front of me or rolling onto his back for belly rubs (adorable, but not quite the goal!). We practiced this over and over until he laid down calmly next to me without shifting positions. Each time he nailed it, he got plenty of love and encouragement to show him he did it just right.
Overall, today was another great step forward for George! Heās continuing to build confidence and consistency with his commands, and I can already see his focus improving with every session. Weāll keep practicing these exercises to help him become even more solid and self-assured in his obedience.
10/30/2025
Today George and I took a trip out to the park where our main focus wasnāt on just one specific command, but rather a review of everything heās been learning ā heel, come to sit, and down! The challenge for today was to minimize leash corrections and rely more on e-collar communication as we begin transitioning George toward more confident off-leash work. His reward? Plenty of affection, praise, and love every time he completed a command successfully!
At first, George showed a bit of hesitation and confusion, especially when asked to come to sit without the usual leash guidance. But with some gentle encouragement, patience, and clear hand signals, he quickly picked up on what I was asking of him. His down command is also improvingāthough every now and then he tests the waters by scooting forward, he soon remembers that staying put earns him all the good praise. His heel command is coming along nicely, too. He started off a little excited, wanting to explore and see what he could get away with, but after a few light e-collar reminders, he settled beautifully into position beside me.
After our productive park session, we headed home for some well-deserved playtime with my puppy, Quinn. George absolutely loved it! During play, I used the opportunity to observe his resource guarding tendencies while using the e-collar and he was very well behaved.Ā
All in all, George made great strides in his obedience today. Heās learning to trust the process and respond with more confidence and consistency. Iām very proud of him and all the effort heās putting in!
Heat Rash Update: The affected area continues to heal nicely. Thereās still a small amount of redness and scabbing, but overall itās showing steady improvement.
10/31/2025
Happy Halloween from George! Today we headed back out to the park to continue working on his obedience commands ā heel, come to sit, down, and place. This session, we added a challenge by increasing both the distance and duration of his sit, down, and place commands.
At first, George had a little trouble holding his positions for the extended periods, but with some gentle reminders and consistent repetition, he quickly began to understand what was being asked of him. Before long, he was confidently holding his commands until given the release cue ā such a smart boy!
Iām really proud of the progress heās showing. His heel is looking much cleaner, heās sitting promptly and nicely on cue, his down now involves less of a scoot, and his place command is looking solid. Even the e-collar seems to be less of a bother to him now ā heās responding calmly and understanding it as guidance rather than correction.
Best of all, Georgeās goofy, lovable personality is starting to shine through more and more each day. Heās really settling into the work and showing how capable he can be. Great job today, George ā keep it up, buddy!
11/01/2025
Today George and I headed out to the park where our main focus was working on heel, come to sit, extended sit, and extended down ā but with a fun twist! We began easing into leash dragging as we prepare George for his off-leash work.
I have to say, George did pretty well! At first, he seemed a little confused and distracted without the leash guidance, especially during his come to sit command. But with some clear verbal cues, hand gestures, repetition, and a few light e-collar corrections, George quickly got back on track.
What made today even more impressive was how well George held it together with people and dogs passing by off camera, not to mention ducks and geese wandering close by! Despite all those tempting distractions, he stayed focused on his commands and followed through beautifully.
All in all, George made a big step forward today in his obedience training, and I couldnāt be prouder of his progress. Great job, George!
11/02/2025
Today George and I headed back out to the park to continue practicing all of his obedience commands ā heel, place, come to sit, sit, and down ā with added duration and come to heel while leash dragging. And boy, George did very well! There were still a few moments where he wanted to test the boundaries and not follow through right away, but with some gentle reminders and e-collar corrections, George was quickly reminded that not listening wasnāt an option and got right back to work.
Overall, George did great today! I didnāt have to rely on the leash for any corrections, and he stayed right by my side throughout our exercises. During extended sit and down, he held his positions beautifully and came promptly when called. Iām so proud of the focus and effort he showed ā itās clear heās making steady progress toward full off-leash reliability!
Heat rash update:
The affected area remains the same as the last update, with a small amount of redness and some light scabbing. Iāve continued to apply small amounts of Neosporin to the area as we previously discussed.
11/03/2025
Today George and I hit the road and headed out to El Monte to meet up with some fellow trainers at the park! For todayās work, we continued focusing on leash dragging while practicing all of Georgeās obedience commands.
It was clear that George wasnāt quite in his usual āwork modeā today ā and thatās perfectly okay! Weāve been putting in a lot of consistent effort lately, and just like us, dogs can have days when theyāre a little less motivated. Despite that, George still gave his best and pushed through the session. I kept things a bit lighter, focusing on quality over intensity ā as long as he followed through with his commands as he knows how to, that was a win in my book.
The only command that gave George some trouble today was patiently holding his extended down until released. Each time he broke the command early, I simply guided him back to his original spot and repeated the exercise. After a few repetitions, he started to understand the expectation again and waited more calmly for my cues.
All in all, George did well today. Even on an off day, he stayed responsive, willing, and showed that all his training is paying off. Proud of this boy for pushing through and staying the course!
11/04/2025
Today George and I headed back out to the park to continue practicing his obedience commands as we ease further into off-leash work. From the moment we pulled into the parking lot, I could tell George was feeling extra excited and ready to go! He was squeaking with anticipation as I looked for a place to park, as if to say, āCome on, letās go already!ā It was such a nice change of pace after yesterdayās lower-energy session, and it set a really positive tone for the day.
Once we got to work, George channeled all that enthusiasm into his training. We practiced his heel, come to sit, place, down, and extended commandsāall while continuing to keep the leash dragging. The park had its usual distractions: people walking their dogs, joggers passing by, and plenty of tempting smells in the grass. Even with all that going on, George stayed focused and responsive, only needing a few gentle reminders with the e-collar here and there to maintain that solid engagement.
What really stood out today was how happy George was to work! Every time he successfully completed a command, he lit up when praised and wagged his tail proudlyāitās clear heās really starting to enjoy the process and understand whatās expected of him.
All in all, George had a fantastic day! His energy, focus, and positive attitude made for a fun and productive session, and Iām so proud of how far heās come. Great work today, George!
11/05/2025
Today was a big milestone for George ā his first big day walking through the park completely off leash! We started out on the quieter side of the park to warm up and run through all his obedience commands before gradually working our way over to the busier areas where there were more people, dogs, and distractions.
At first, George wanted to test the boundaries a bit ā veering off to sniff or munch on some grass during heel. With a quick cue and an e-collar reminder, he quickly fell back in line and stayed right by my side. As we continued, George showed some really nice focus and responsiveness even as the environment got livelier.
There was one moment when we passed another dog coming toward us that George didnāt seem too fond of. He gave a growl and started to lunge forward, but I immediately gave him a firm āoffā command and corrected him with the e-collar. This was a great learning moment ā a reminder that his handler should stay alert around unfamiliar dogs, as George can sometimes react to their energy rather than starting the behavior himself. And thatās okay! In those situations, itās absolutely fine to clip the leash back on for extra control and safety ā better to be safe than sorry. After the initial reaction to the one dog followed with said correction he did well to mind his own as we passed other dogs as we walked. What a good boy!Ā
Overall, George handled the dayās challenges really well. He may have pushed a couple of boundaries, but that only gave us the chance to work through them and strengthen his understanding and respect for his commands. Great work today, George ā big steps toward being a confident, reliable off-leash pup!
11/06/2025
Today George and I headed back out to the park to continue building on his off-leash training, and wowāhe really showed up ready to work! From the moment we stepped out of the car, I could tell George was in a focused mindset. His heel was much tighter, keeping right by my side even as joggers and other dogs passed by. His come-to-sit command was crisp and cleanāhe came straight to me without hesitation and sat perfectly at my side every single time. He also held his extended sit, down, and place commands with calm confidence, waiting patiently until I gave him the ābreakā command to release.
What stood out most today was how connected he was with me. George was reading my body language beautifully and seemed genuinely eager to please. Any time we encountered another dog, I could see his thought processāears perked, tail alert, maybe even a step forwardābut then heād pause, glance up at me, and make the choice to stay on task. A quick āoffā or reminder to heel was all it took for him to refocus, and thatās such a big sign of growth and self-control.
We also practiced some off-leash recall from greater distances today, and George crushed it. Even with distractions like squirrels, passing dogs, geese, ducks and park-goers nearby, he came running right back to me with enthusiasm and speed. Itās moments like these that really show how far heās comeāheās understanding that the real reward is the praise and affection that follows his good work.
All in all, today was a huge success for George. His focus, confidence, and ability to work through distractions are all coming together beautifully. Iām so proud of how far heās comeāwhat a smart, steady, and wonderful boy George is!
11/07/2025
Today was a big day for George at the park ā it was final exam day for his training program! Our goal was to have George perform all of his commands smoothly and confidently, and Iām so happy to report that he absolutely nailed it ā and did it all off leash! š
From his heel to come to sit, place, down, and extended commands, George showed just how much progress heās made. His focus was sharp, his responses were quick, and he held each position with patience and confidence, even with plenty of distractions around. You could really tell how proud he was of himself ā and rightfully so!
Itās been such a joy watching Georgeās transformation over the course of his program. Heās gone from a pup who needed reminders to a confident, focused, and reliable off-leash companion. Way to go, George!
11/08/2025
Today George and I kept things closer to home and enjoyed a nice long walk around the neighborhood while practicing his commands off leash! With just a few gentle reminders to āheelā or āoffā as we passed other passerbyās he stayed right by my side and showed such great focus. He even sat patiently every time we came to a street crossing ā what a polite boy!
The highlight of the day, though, was back at the house when George got to have some supervised playtime with my pup, Quinn. To my surprise (and delight), the two of them started a few friendly games of tug-of-war ā taking turns with each tug rope and even giving a stuffed shark a go! It was so wonderful to see George relax, play, and share so nicely.
It has truly been a pleasure working with George throughout his training journey. Thank you so much for trusting me to care for him and to be part of his transformation. Heās such a special boy, and I hope the work weāve done together gives you both the tools to enjoy the very best life side by side!
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