
Meet Junior Zander! A four month old pug puppy from Torrance, CA has joined us for our Three -Week Puppy Board & Train Program to work on a few puppy behaviors such as potty training, puppy nipping, and picking up things he shouldn't off the floor. Over these next three weeks Junior Zander and I will be working on building a solid foundation for his training, providing plenty of exposure to new environments, implementing structure and proper socialization to help him be the best pup he can possibly be! Stay tuned for his Three Week Transformation!



Junior Zander and I spent some time together today getting him all settled in at his new temporary home. We strolled around the neighborhood together as he explored. Once we arrived back home, he was interested in playing with the toys, which we did to begin to build a bond. We then worked on some crate training together. He was a bit resistant at first with leash pressure so we will begin to work on teaching him how to follow the directional changes of the leash as well as introduce him to new commands!

Junior Zander and I began our day by taking a trip to The Citadel Outlets. This was a great opportunity to assess how he is in new environments. He was very interested in his surroundings, and pulled initially. Although he is quite confident, he is a very excitable pup that needs some help with learning impulse control as well as manners.
After exploring the outlets together, I then introduced him to a new communication tool, a Herm Sprenger Prong collar 2.25 mm. I recommend purchasing this specific brand, as it is the safest and most effective tool. It has platelets that protect his trachea, and establish pressure evenly around his neck. It allows me to guide him with directional changes of the leash by creating a pressure path for him to follow. As soon as he follows the slight leash pressure I provide in the direction I want him to go, the pressure shuts off. Junior Zander resisted the leash pressure the first few times we practiced this, but caught on quickly that he was in control of turning off the pressure. And if he did follow it right away, he was rewarded for it! In no time, he was happily following where the leash was guiding him, which was all the way around me to Come and Sit by my left hand side. Great work Junior Zander!




Junior Zander and I ventured out to The Block where we had a pack walk with another trainer’s dog and worked on his Come to Sit, Heel, and introduced him to a new command, Extended Place. Place is a great command to use to build confidence in a dog, create a calm state of mind, as well as prevent unwanted behaviors from happening. It can be used essentially on any elevated surface. I recommend purchasing a dog cot to be able to send him to Place at home and work on house training. It can also be transported wherever you take him. Having something familiar to him in an unfamiliar place helps him acclimate to his surroundings much quicker.
Junior Zander is quite confident and jumped onto the new elevated surface with ease! After building consistency, I began to add duration to his Place command. He was able to hold it up to a minute today as I rewarded him in increments of 30 seconds while he held position. The goal is a minute and a half so we are more than half way there which is a great start!

Junior Zander and I worked on proofing his commands today while at the Outlets together. We emphasized our work on his Place command, as well as Heel. There were plenty of distractions to expose him to, which is especially important for a puppy to become used to. I cue Heel whenever we move forward from a stationary position, as well as whenever we change direction.
As we were Heeling, there were a few reactive dogs that passed by us. They lunged and excessively barked ay Junior Zander. Initially he was very interested and wanted to lunge back. I popped the leash and cued Off, which helped him refocus on his task of Heeling by my left hand side.
I encouraged Junior Zander to jump onto the elevated surface, which after a couple tries he was able to do! We practiced on all kinds of surfaces, as Junior Zander kept building his confidence. Now that he is consistent with Place and can hold it up for up to a minute, we will introduce him to Down next.




Junior Zander and I ventured out to Venice Beach today as we strolled around his new environment, letting him explore and practice his recall. Junior Zander has been very consistent with Coming when called. It is important to follow through with a little leash pressure towards yourself if there is ever resistance when he is called to Come.
We then worked on his Place command while on different surfaces. Junior Zander has done great with working up the courage to jump onto new surfaces. If he needs help, I occasionally guide him with leash pressure towards the surface I want him to jump onto. We have been working on his engagement during training, marking his frequent eye contact with a Yes and rewarding him. This helps him significantly improve his Heel, checking in with me every so often.

Junior Zander and I spent our morning practicing his Heel, Come to Sit, and Place as we strolled around the neighborhood together. We practice him checking in with me as I mark and reward his attentiveness with a Yes every so often to help build engagement. He is responding to his name much more consistently which is great!
We then had some puppy playtime in the backyard to help provide socialization which is essential for dogs at an early age. By playing with other puppies, Junior Zander begins to learn bite inhibition which is how powerful his bite is. Mouthing and biting are natural puppy behaviors, but it is important they learn how to use their mouth gently. Dogs that are not properly socialized to this behavior can bite too hard in play, leading to negative interactions. We practice the name during his playtime as well, which he is beginning to respond to more frequently. Checking in while engaged with other dogs is a challenge for them but can be done with consistent practice.




Junior Zander and I worked on introducing him to the Down command today. This is not an easy task for a dog to perform, especially when they are very excitable like Junior Zander is. Now that he knows Place, I pair Place with Down consistently. Place and Down is a great way to help Junior Zander enter a calm state of mind while preventing unwanted behaviors from happening as well.
I lured him with a treat downwards with my palms facing the floor. He followed it halfway, yet struggled to rest his elbows. After some time, he rested his elbows as I marked it with a Yes and rewarded him. He then offered the behavior a few more times. We will keep practicing this exercise to build fluency with his Down command, eventually utilizing leash pressure to reinforce this. Promoting calmness to Junior Zander whenever possible is the best way to raise a well mannered pup.

Junior Zander and I began to introduce him to more leash pressure while working on Down. When we first worked on this yesterday, it was very challenging for him to hold his position longer than a split second. In the beginning of the session, he struggled with this again. As time passed, and I rewarded him in increments of 3 to 5 seconds, he began to offer the behavior more fluently, holding his position for a longer period of time. By the end of the session, he held his Down for up to 30 seconds!
We then worked on his Heel as we walked towards the nearest park together, passing by other dogs which is Junior Zander’s biggest distraction. I cue Off if he pulls in the direction of the dog, walking the opposite direction and popping the leash in that direction. It is imperative to not go the direction he is pulling towards, as that only reinforces the behavior. He is checking in with me much more frequently and learning to respond to his name when called.




Today Junior Zander and I went on a trip to the park where we had the opportunity to work on his Extended Down while near distractions! After a few repetitions he began to build fluency with his Down eventually holding it for an entire minute as dogs, kids, and birds passed us. He is doing great with building engagement, checking in with me much more regularly which is what I look for when outside near distractions.
Now that Junior Zander is fluent with all of his commands, we will begin to build more distance between us, as we proof our commands near as many distractions possible!

Junior Zander and I went to the park today and had the opportunity to work near other trainers dogs. Other dogs are a big distraction for Junior yet he worked through this and did great! He checked in with me frequently and held position as the other dogs were working near him. We added distance between us and he was confident with holding his position until I released him.
His potty training is improving. He has not had any accidents in his kennel these past two days. I cue “Go potty” as soon as we go outside together, which he responds to quickly. As long as the consistency of his potty breaks are there, he will continue to wait for my cue.




Junior Zander and I had an eventful day together walking to the park, working on our Heel, Come to Sit, Extended Sit, Down, and Place. He is now able to perform Come to Sit, from a distance of 15 ft away. I hardly need to guide him with the leash anymore, as he has demonstrated he already knows where to go!
I did notice while on our walk today, that Junior Zander is unsure of loud noises. Due to his uncertainty of what those noises are, he begins to bark. I cue Off when he barks, by popping the leash, which stops him in his tracks. After correcting the excessive bark, I stayed next to the loud construction site with him, to help teach him how to regulate his emotions, desensitize him to this noise, and boost his confidence! After every loud noise, he looked at it, then eventually looked at me. I marked this eye contact with a Yes and rewarded him. After a few repetitions of this, Junior Zander learned to seek me for guidance when in a questionable environment. We will keep exposing him to more loud noises, and proof his commands near them as well.

Junior Zander and I ventured out to the beach today! There were plenty of new distractions to introduce Junior to, one of the biggest ones being skateboards. Initially Junior Zander was not a fan of these unfamiliar loud objects, coming towards him. I cue him to Sit then rewarded him as we hung out by the skate park area, working on desensitization and classical conditioning him to enjoy being near the skate park. By the end of the session, he was able to Heel right by them, not trying to hide behind me anymore.
Exposure to new places, smells, and sounds is great for building up his confidence as well as a great way to further proof his commands.




Junior Zander and I had an eventful day working on his greeting manners as he said hi to a few friendly visitors today. There were children present as well during this visit. Junior Zander is very excitable when kids are present, as he feeds off their hyper energy. It is important to communicate to the children to practice proper social skills with any pup they are interacting with. This means only petting in appropriate areas and making sure the dog is comfortable with the petting as well.
Having Junior Zander on a leash with a Herm Sprenger prong collar, ready to step in when needed during interactions is essential in forming good habits at a young age. Puppy nipping is a common behavior at this age and can be corrected with a pop of the leash whenever Junior Zander is overly excited, attempting to nip. Having a toy handy when playing with him is a great way to teach him where he is allowed to bite, which is a much better alternative than our fingers! Eventually, if conditioned to play with toys enough, Junior Zander will bring a toy over to you to ask to play, instead of trying to nip to initiate play.

Junior Zander and I spent the morning working on his food manners. He is expected to hold his Sit or Down until I release him to eat with the cue Break. This is great practice for his impulse control, as I eventually go out of sight while he waits for my release.
We then went on a trip to the local park where there were a lot of distractions to train by. Junior Zander did well with this, heeling next to my left hand side, turning when I turn and sitting when I stop walking.
Since it’s Easter today, Junior Zander and I practiced the Off command quite frequently. He was tempted to pick up Easter candy wrappers all over the floor. We utilized these distractions as a gauntlet to pass through. I cue Off whenever I see something get Junior Zander’s attention. If we are always one step ahead of Junior, he won’t get the opportunity to form those bad habits. He responds to Off much more quickly now, not testing it nearly as much as before.




Junior Zander and I went on a trip to the beach today where we practiced everything he has learned so far. Junior Zander has done great with being attentive during training, offering tons of eye contact which I always look for! He is quite a confident pup, never hesitating to Place onto new surfaces and not taking long to adapt to his surroundings.
What we have been emphasizing our work on is his nipping, as he often nips when he does not like being handled. I utilize the prong collar to pop the leash when he begins to nip, as I pet him in different areas. I then reward him if he lets me handle him without any attempts of puppy nipping. We will keep working on this to help build a well mannered pup!

Today Junior Zander and I took a trip to the mall where we further proofed all of his commands. He received plenty of attention as we worked on his Greeting Manners with friendly people. At times when he is excited, he can slightly raise his bottom from the Sit position. It is important to remind him to Sit when he does this, so he does not release himself. If he begins to jump or nip, the petting stops. Through repetitions of this, he has begun to learn that he only receives the attention that he seeks if he is following through with his commands.
We tested his Extended Sit, Down, and Place which he offered for up to two minutes. He is very attentive during his Heel, checking in with me ready to follow where my left leg leads. Now that he has demonstrated he is ready, we will begin to film content for his final video tomorrow!




Junior Zander and I began to film content for his Final video today. We worked on all of his commands as there were plenty of distractions to work near, especially children which Junior Zander loves! We have been able to practice his Place command which he has been able to perform from quite a distance. He can hold his Extended Down, Place and Sit for two minutes which is longer than the set goal. Now we will keep working on his manners to proof his commands, especially greeting manners as that is what makes Junior the most excited since he loves the attention and gets lots of it. Moving forward, only introducing Junior to people that will be consistently in his life, will help him have a more neutral response when greeting people.

Junior Zander and I worked on all of his commands as we filmed for his final video at the outlets some more. He did great with this, holding his Place, Sit and Down near plenty of distractions. He checks in with me quite a lot, sometimes so much he forgets to look where he’s going! Junior Zander is a pup that enjoys to work, which is great. He has gotten a lot of exposure near things he was unsure of, like anything with wheels. He now seeks guidance in these scenarios, instead of running from it. Check out a sneak peek of his final video!




Junior Zander and I went on a trip to the outlets to proof his commands near distractions, and practice his greeting manners as well. Since he’s an excitable puppy, he needs extra coaching and structure when greeting new people. Having a leash and prong collar on to guide him into the Sit or Place when needed helps prevent unwanted jumping. Dogs are visual learners so having a job to do, like staying on top of a surface until released is a great routine to have when introducing Junior Zander to new people. Promoting calmness for Junior Zander and only petting him when all four paws are on the floor is essential in maintaining his greeting manners. Dogs feed off all energy, excitable and calm.

Junior Zander has learned boundaries, not jumping on the door of the kennel to open it anymore. The door is an important threshold to remain consistent with so Junior Zander won’t have a habit of being the first one out. I have him Sit before the kennel opens to reinforce his manners. He has learned that when he sits and waits patiently, the door will open. If he gets up, the door closes on him. When Junior Zander wants to head outside, he can become a bit demanding by barking if he is really excited. It is important to correct this with popping the leash and cuing Off. I recommend keeping a short leash on him whenever he is around the house, to be able to reinforce commands given to him throughout the day.
After Heeling together around the neighborhood and working on his Manners, we played together in the backyard with the rope. He enjoys chasing toys, which is a great outlet for releasing his energy! It is also a great way of practicing Off when it is time for him to give you back the toy. Since he is a very energetic pup, this is highly recommended to fulfill his exercise needs.





Today I noticed that Junior Zander had been scratching more than usual. He has always had a bit of a skin sensitivity when I put on his collars, which is why I switched his flat collar which seemed to help him. Any irritation he had before had healed, but when I took him out of his kennel this morning it seemed very irritated again, almost like a rash. I have applied neosporin multiple times today as well as took him a bath with aloe vera shampoo to help soothe his skin. This irritation may have been due to an allergic reaction to the flat collar or possibly food. His scratching has mellowed down ever since the bath so I will let him rest the remainder of the day.
These last three weeks, Junior Zander and I have emphasized our work on distance away from each other, which I recommend keeping up with to prevent his separation anxiety from escalating. It is best to never make it a big deal when you come and go so Junior Zander doesn’t see it is a big deal either. Crate training also greatly helps with separation anxiety, especially when at home with Junior Zander. Periods of time alone throughout the day helps prepare him for time apart. His potty training has remained consistent since his schedule has remained consistent. He goes on a potty break first thing in the morning, an hour after breakfast which is at about 8 a.m, lunch 12 p.m. and dinner 6 p.m. If he drinks a lot of water, he will need a potty break 30 minutes after. Water and food intake should be monitored, and removed right after he is finished eating or drinking. This helps predict when he will need to go. Crate training helps tremendously with potty training, restricting his access to the house until he has gone already will help prevent accidents from reoccurring. Junior Zander has overall become more confident, can hold his Place and Extended Sit for a minimum of one and a half minutes, and can Come to Sit from about 15 ft away. I recommend constantly taking Junior Zander to new environments. Exposure to new places will only further improve his training. He is a loving, energetic boy who needs a lot of guidance, structure and leadership to thrive and follow instructions. He has come a long way and we can not wait to show you what he has learned. Thank you for trusting me with Junior Zander!

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