Meet Houey! A playful and sweet 3 month old Golden Retriever from Corona Del Mar. Houey has joined us for our Three Week Puppy Board and Train Program to work on puppy behaviors such as nipping, greeting manners, walking on a leash, and proper socialization. Stay tuned for his 3 week transformation!
Pupdate 6/12/2022
Houey got nice and settled into my house today. We had some playtime in the backyard and bonding time. I introduced him to my dog Bear through the gate. They sniffed each other and had a positive interaction! Houey’s prong collar was too big for him so I took some links out and fit it nice and snug, right behind the ears. We want the prong to sit as high up on the neck as possible to be the safest, most effective way to train. Tomorrow will be the start of all our obedience training!
Pupdate 6/13/2022
Today I introduced Houey to the Heel command utilizing the prong collar. The prong collar was very loose on him so I took some of the links out to fit the prong collar on nice and snug. It should sit right behind Houey’s ears. Once the prong collar was fitted correctly I began to walk with Houey making frequent turns. Every time I changed direction I applied a leash pop in the direction I was turning. Guiding Houey with directional changes of the leash with leash pressure teaches him which way I want him to go. Once Houey follows the leash pressure I release the pressure. Houey caught on to this quickly and turned when I turned. I Cue Heel to Houey when I step forward and every time that I turn to give him a heads up we are changing direction. Houey stays on my left hand side for the Heel until he is released with the Cue break. I then introduced him to the Extended Place command which is great to use to keep a calm state of mind for Houey. Place can be done on top of any surface, in this case we practiced on my elevated dog cot. Houey stayed in Place for a total of 40 seconds which is great for his first time! I rewarded him in increments of 15 seconds as he stayed in place. Any time Houey gets up before being released, I reposition him back to where he was. Great work Houey!
Pupdate 6/14/2022
Houey and I took a trip to the local park today where we began to work on all of his commands in a new environment. We Heeled together around the whole park, making frequent turns to make sure Houey stayed engaged. Turning requires Houey to make a decision of following me or not. If he does follow my lead I praise him, when he doesn’t, I add a leash pop in the direction I want him to go to give him that extra guidance. After a few turns and leash pops Houey was engaged, turning with me every time I said Heel. He was very attentive during his walk, offering me a lot of eye contact as I praised him. We practiced the Place command on different surfaces at the park and Houey stayed there for 30 seconds consistently. I rewarded him in intervals of 15 seconds as he stayed in Place. Since there were distractions this was a lot for him! There were birds, ducks, other dogs and people playing soccer. Although Houey was curious he followed through with his commands, and when he didn’t I always reinforced it with leash pressure in the direction I wanted him to go. We will keep working together in different environments to get him proper exposure to new surroundings!
Pupdate 6/15/2022
Houey and I took a field trip to the beach today! This was a lot for him to soak in initially. There were crowds of people, dogs on and off leash, bicycles, skateboards, etc. All of these distractions got Houey’s attention at first but after a good Heel around the new environment with frequent turns to keep Houey engaged, he was consistent with all of his commands in no time. I played the name game with Houey which is the action of me rewarding him every time he checks in with me after I called his name. Houey began to offer me his attention all on his own towards the end of the session. Whenever he voluntarily looked at me, I rewarded him as well. We then worked on his Come to Sit, which gets Houey to come behind me then to my left side ready to Heel. Houey began to perform this command quicker as we practiced it repeatedly. His Extended Down and Sit has been at 30 seconds with all of these distractions consistently. The few times he did get up before I released him, I repositioned him back where he was and started the time clock over again. There were friendly people that wanted to say hi to Houey. We used this as an opportunity to work on his Sit while being pet. Houey was very excited at first so I communicated to them not to pet him if he broke his sit command. Houey only gets attention and praise if he is sitting nicely. He began to hold his sit for a longer period of time as he was being pet.
Once we got home, we had some playtime with the other board and train dog that I have named Bumble. Bumble has been teaching Houey to play more gently, giving him healthy corrections whenever he bites too hard while playing. It is great that Houey is playing with an older dog that can teach him how to play properly.
Pupdate 6/16/2022
Houey and I took a trip to the local promenade in Downey. This was great exposure for Houey, especially being around bicycles and skateboards which seems to really catch Houey’s attention. We began by Heeling around the promenade together. I cue Heel whenever we move forward from a stationary position, and whenever I am about to change direction. Anytime Houey tried to go off course to sniff something or get a hold of anything I cued Off. The Off command is what teaches Houey to stop going after it and give me his attention. If he stopped all on his own I praised him and if he didn’t I applied a leash pop to help deter him from continuing it. Houey is learning what Off means, and is growing more consistent with it, not testing it as much as the first day. During the Heel I call Houey’s name, practicing the name game. Houey responds to it often and when he doesn’t I stop walking to get his attention. Houey gets rewarded whenever he offers his attention on his own. I mark everything good that Houey does with the marker word Yes. When Houey hears Yes he knows is doing good and will be rewarded soon with treats, a break, playtime or some love!
We focused a lot of our work today on his Come to Sit. I guide Houey with the leash to come around me and Sit by my left side when I call him to Come. Come should always be fun and exciting for Houey so I make it a big deal when he gets it right the first time, encouraging him to continue to do it again and making it fun for him!
Pupdate 6/17/2022
Houey and I took a field trip to the Santa Monica Pier today! There was so much for Houey to soak in for the very first time. From loud moving cars, to loud music, reactive dogs, and crowds of people, Houey worked through all of this. I Heeled with Houey around the pier at first to expose him to his new environment and get some energy out; then we began to focus our work on his Extended Down, and Come to Sit. Houey initially struggled with the Down command. I signaled down with my palms facing the floor, and added leash pressure towards the floor as well. Once Houey was in position I worked on getting him to stay in that position. I put my foot on the leash so that if he got up, the leash corrected him automatically putting him back into the Down position. Once he stayed in the Down, I began to reward him in 15 second increments, making sure he offered eye contact before every treat. Houey began to focus on me more even though there was a lot going on around him. He was able to hold his Extended Down for 30 seconds which is big for him, especially as a puppy! We then worked on his Come to Sit which is how we build a reliable recall, getting Houey on my left side ready to Heel. I guide Houey with leash pressure to come behind me and Sit on my side. He doesn’t fight the leash pressure anymore and goes wherever I guide him. We will continue to build consistency with his commands in different environments, working on building more distance and duration around new distractions. Excellent work Houey!
Pupdate 6/18/2022
Houey and I Heeled around the neighborhood together today, walking past local stores, theaters, and restaurants that were very busy for a Saturday afternoon. We had the chance to practice Greeting Manners with friendly new people that wanted to say hi to Houey. Houey has been fighting the impulse to jump on new people as I remind him to Sit while being pet. I also communicate to everyone that says hi to him, to only pet him while he is sitting. The attention stops when he gets up.
We worked on some more repetitions of his Down command. I had Houey practice puppy push ups to increase fluency of his Downs. Houey is building more consistency with the Down command, performing it quicker than before. He can hold his Extended Sit and Down for up to 35 seconds. We are working our way up to getting more time as we expose him to new environments.
Pupdate 6/19/2022
Houey and I went on a field trip to the beach today! Houey was exposed to many distractions. We were able to work on desensitization around skateboards and bicycles which at times Houey can be afraid of. After we Heeled around the Beach together and practiced Greeting Manners with many friendly people that wanted to say hi, we began to focus our work on his Extended Place command and Come to Sit. This was Houey’s first day on the 15 ft leash which allowed me to create distance between us during his Extended Sit and Place. Houey has become more attentive while working, offering eye contact more frequently. He held his Extended Place today for a minute, working his way up to more and more time. Great job Houey!
Pupdate 6/20/2022
Houey and I took a trip today to the local dog park! There were plenty of dogs running around and playing behind the gate that we had the chance to practice around. We focused our work today on increasing the duration for Houey’s commands. He is now able to hold his Extended Down & Place command for a minute and five seconds consistently. The goal is to get him up to a minimum of a minute and a half for his final video. We are close but not quite there yet!
Towards the end of our session we focused on playing the name game around the other dogs that were playing together next to us. Houey offered me his attention each time I said his name as I rewarded him every other time he looked at me, either on command or voluntarily. Once we got home I let Houey play with my other board and train dog Colt. They match each other’s energy and chase each other around the yard. Houey is a gentle puppy when playing with other dog’s which is great! He began to learn this initially when playing with the older dog Bumble and it has translated nicely when playing with other dogs as well.
Pupdate 6/21/2022
Houey and I focused on creating more duration with his commands like Extended Sit & Place. His Extended Sit has improved to a minute and a half! This was our goal and we have reached it. He was able to perform this consistently while at a distance from distractions. Once we continue to get that consistency we will work our way closer and closer to big distractions.
Houey struggles most with jumping on top of a surface. We overcome this by getting him excited to jump with a fast paced Heel towards the surface. I help him with a little leash pressure towards the surface as well. We had the chance to practice this on top of a wobbly board at a childrens playground. Houey worked on balancing himself while on top of the wobbly board. At first he was afraid to stay on but after I helped him balance himself he worked up the confidence to work through it and stay sitting.
Friendly kids wanted to greet Houey. We used this as an opportunity to practice Greeting Manners. Although Houey got up from the Down position to go into a Sit while being pet, he stayed in that position and did not nip. Great work Houey!
Pupdate 6/22/2022
Houey and I worked on proofing all of his commands at the Park today. There were numerous dogs running around on and off leash, loud noises from games, and new smells for Houey to soak in initially. We worked through this by Heeling around the park together. Houey was attentive despite everything going on around him and was consistent with his Extended Sit and Place. He held it for up to two minutes today which exceeds our goal already! We then worked on his Come to Sits. Houey can perform his Come to Sit from a distance. Excellent job Houey!
Pupdate 6/23/2022
Houey and I focused our work today on proper socialization. We had playtime in the backyard with the other board and train dog Colt. Houey has played quite gentle with the other dog, even when very excited. They bite each other while playing which is how they learn bite inhibition. Bite inhibition is when a dog knows the power of their own bite. Puppies aren’t born naturally knowing this, they learn this by playing with other dogs. At times when Houey gets over excited during playtime, he tries to jump on furniture. I cue Off to Houey and if he decides to ignore it, I pop the leash and repeat the Off command. Houey has not been testing the Off cue too much which is showing me he is understanding the concept. We have also been working on him Coming to Sit by me even during playtime. Houey at first struggled with this, but with many repetitions and marking it with a Yes every time he came to me, he began to gain consistency. We then Heeled together to the local park where we worked on proofing everything he knows with some more distractions. Hoeuy has continued to be more and more attentive to me during our trips. Anytime I see bikers or someone on a skateboard, I walk Houey closer to it since he is very unsure of it and barks at them initially. I want Houey to see something he is unsure of then look to me for guidance. We will keep working on desensitization to those triggers.
Pupdate 6/24/2022
Houey and I worked on proofing all of his commands that he has learned so far at the local park. We worked on his manners such as Greeting Manners, Food Manners and Door Manners. Houey knows to wait for his food until I release him with the cue break. He now automatically sits for the Door before I ask him to and doesn’t try to bulldoze his way out of the crate when I open it. We worked on body handling today as well. I pet Houey all over his body as if I was examining him, and initially Houey was very nippy. I corrected this with a few leash pops Cuing Off to him. Houey responded to this and after a few leash pops, stopped trying to nip. I proceeded to examine Houey and rewarded him with treats once he was calm about it and allowed me to do it with ease. This is great practice to prepare Houey for vet visits!
Pupdate 6/25/2022
Houey and I emphasized our work today on impulse control. We began by practicing Heel around a bowl of food. This was difficult for Houey since all he wanted to do was eat from the bowl as soon as he saw it. I cued Off to Houey when he lunged towards the bowl, applied a leash pop in the direction I was heading, then Houey followed my lead. I rewarded Houey as soon as he stopped staring at the bowl and looked at me instead. This conditions Houey to stay focused on me regardless of the distractions of his environment. Once Houey stopped going after it and was more focused I placed the food in front of him, went out of sight for about 5 seconds, came back and the food was still there! I then released him to eat it with the cue Break. Great impulse control Houey!
After some impulse control exercises Houey and I went on a walk around the neighborhood and worked on Heel. Overall Houey has become less overstimulated around new environments, which shows me all of this exposure around new things is beginning to desensitize Houey, which allows him to gain consistency with all of his commands!
Pupdate 6/26/2022
Houey and I took a trip to the beach today to work on proofing all of his commands around plenty of distractions. Houey did amazing with paying attention to me, looking at me frequently during his Heel. We worked on his Come to Sit from a distance. He was consistent with this even around people on skateboards and bicyclists. He has become desensitized to skate boards and no longer fears them. Houey’s only struggle today was performing the Down fluently. We began to work on puppy push ups together and he began to offer the behavior fluently again. Houey held his Extended Sit and Place command for up to two minutes today which exceeds the goal set for him. Houey received many compliments today, on his behavior and good looks! We practiced Greeting Manners with friendly people and he is improving with staying seated while being pet. Amazing work Houey!
Pupdate 6/27/2022
Houey and I worked on all of his commands at the park around the other trainer’s dogs. He can consistently hold his Extended Sit and Down commands for up to two minutes and always Comes to Sit by my side very excitedly! We have been working on his Off command frequently because as a puppy it is natural for him to be curious with new things and pick them up. I cue Off to Houey and if he doesn’t drop it I apply a leash pop cuing Off again. If I see something that I know will get his attention, I cue Off before he has a chance to get to it. It is always better to be proactive instead of reactive! We will continue to work around tempting things to solidify the Off command.
Pupdate 6/28/2022
Houey and I took a trip to the beach today! We had the chance to work around other trainer’s dogs, and plenty of distractions. He has become very good at staying seated while being pet, and fights the urge to nip. At times when a person greets him very excitedly I catch him starting to excessively lick which can lead to nipping. When I see him excessively licking, I cue Off to him which he is responding to more frequently. If there is a time he ignores my Off command, I apply a leash pop which stops him in his tracks. He is jumping onto Place now which is big for him! He had been struggling to jump onto new places, and would climb on instead. With a lot of practice and hyping him up, he can now happily jump onto new surfaces. Excellent job Houey!
Pupdate 6/29/2022
Houey and I worked on all of his manners and commands while at The Citadel Outlets today! We had the opportunity to work some more on his Extended Sit while the other trainer’s and their pups walked around Houey. Houey is a very playful boy which is why it takes great impulse control for him to stay seated while other pups walked right by him. He stayed sitting the entire time and fought the urge to get up. Whenever I would notice him fixate too long on the other dogs I Cued off then called his name to look at me. Whenever he looks at me on cue or voluntarily I mark it with a yes; this helps him stay focused. We then Heeled around the other dogs and Houey stayed by my side. Great work Houey!
Pupdate 6/30/2022
Houey and I went on a trip to the beach today! Houey loves the beach and the sand, whenever I give him a break he loves to run around in the sand. He remains consistent with all of his commands. He holds his Extended Sit and Place even when people on skateboards and bicyclists pass by him. This was a big test for him because when we first started training, Houey was very frightened by the sight of it. We have been focusing our work on his Come to Sit because at times Houey will sit behind me or too far out from my side. We are working on this by guiding him with some extra leash pressure closer to me as well as luring and only rewarding him when he performs it one hundred percent by my side. He has greatly improved with his body handling, allowing me and another trainer to inspect his body without being nipped.
Pupdate 7/01/2022
Houey and I have been working on proofing all of his commands with very distracting environments! He has done great with holding his Extended Sit and Place while people, dogs, and major distractions are near. I reward Houey every now and then for being attentive to me while walking or in a stationary position. He is used to receiving a lot of attention and has learned to contain his excitement while receiving attention. He automatically sits for the door whenever we leave or come inside anywhere, and waits to be released to eat his food. His recall is consistent which is exactly what I am looking for! Good job Houey!
Pupdate 7/02/2022
Houey and I went on a trip to the local park today with his bestfriend Colt! We worked on Heel with them walking next to each other on my left hand side. He has done well with holding his Extended Sit and Place while plenty of distractions pass by like Off Leash dogs, birds, ducks and kids running around. We practice body handling and Greeting Manners everyday. Houey has learned how to allow body handling and being pet without nipping. The moment that he shows signs of wanting to nip, I cue Off and he stops. Great impulse control Houey!
Pupdate 7/03/2022
Houey and I have been working on solidifying his Off command when he is out on a walk or playing with his best friend Colt! When I Cue Off I give him the opportunity to stop what he is doing on his own. He has been better at responding to this the first time I cue it. We then worked on his Heel while walking next to Colt. At first this was difficult for him because he just wanted to play. After redirecting him to Heel and making frequent turns, Houey understood he needed to walk nicely next to Colt and I.
Pupdate 7/04/2022
Houey and I went on a trip to the local park! We went with his friend Colt and were able to work some more on his Heel while they both walked together. Houey has done well with his Heel while another dog is present. He can hold his Extended Sit and Down for up to two minutes and a half consistently. His record is 3 minutes! The only thing Houey tests at times still is the Off command. As a puppy he has a hard time turning off his excitement during playtime. This is something we can continue to work on as he gets older by always having the prong collar on during playtime or while out and about. As long as he knows Off will always be reinforced, he will become more and more consistent. Houey does great with offering eye contact when you say his name, and is not as nippy when body handling. Practicing this everyday with him will help maintain that. Houey and I can’t wait to show you what he has learned!
