Kiki | Doberman Pinscher | Pacific Palisades CA. | In Training
- heatheroffleashsoc
- Oct 5
- 18 min read
Updated: Oct 25
Meet Kiki! š¾
Kiki is a 9-month-old Doberman Pinscher from beautiful Pacific Palisades, California, and sheās just joined us for our three-week Off-Leash Board and Train program! We couldnāt be more excited to welcome this sweet rescue pup into our pack.
Kiki has been described as a sensitive girlāshe tends to be unsure of new people, places, and experiences. She also has a few puppy habits weāll be working through, like pulling on the leash, jumping up on people, and struggling with recall. Over the next 21 days, our focus will be on building her confidence, reinforcing basic obedience and house manners, and helping her become a better listener both on and off the leash.
Weāre so grateful to be part of her journey and canāt wait to watch this beautiful girlās transformation unfold. Weāve got some work ahead of usāso letās get started! šŖš¶
10/5/2025
Today we decided to take things nice and easy with Kiki. We headed out to the park for a relaxing walk so that she and I could get better acquainted and I could assess what she already knows and what weāll be working on together.
At first, Kiki was quite distracted by all the sights, sounds, and smells around her ā she wasnāt too interested in focusing on me just yet! Thatās completely okay and very normal for a pup in a new environment. Building focus will definitely be one of our key goals moving forward.
As the walk went on, Kiki started to relax a little more and seemed to feel a bit more at ease with me, though sheās still not entirely convinced Iām her person yet. Thatās okay too ā trust takes time, and I know that with patience and consistency, weāll become the best of friends.
Overall, Kiki is such a sweet girl, and Iām really excited to start this journey with her. I canāt wait to see her progress as we continue our work together!
10/6/2025
Today, Kiki and I headed out to El Monte to meet up with some fellow trainers! Our main focus for the day was working on heel, sit, and come-to-sit using leash guidance, along with introducing her to e-collar training.
Todayās session was a bit of a team effort as we worked together to help Kiki through some challenges ā particularly her hesitation when being approached by some of the male trainers. With a little patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement, Kiki began to relax and trust more as the session went on.
By the end of the day, she showed great progress and handled herself beautifully. Weāre so proud of this sweet girl and canāt wait to see her continue to build confidence each day!
10/7/2025
Today, Kiki and I headed out to a local coffee shop to work on building her confidence in public settings. When we first got settled at our table, Kiki was quite nervous and unsure of what to do. I calmly directed her into a sit next to me and then allowed her to take her time to figure things out on her own.
After a few moments, she chose to lay down on her own ā exactly what I was hoping for! I immediately offered her praise and a treat to let her know she made the right choice.
One of our main challenges today was helping Kiki remain calm as people passed by. She didnāt react negatively ā no lunging or barking ā she was simply curious and wanted to check everyone out. Whenever she broke position, I gently redirected her back into a sit and allowed her to settle back into a down, rewarding her each time she relaxed.
The baristas even offered Kiki a pup cup, which she politely declined from them but happily accepted when I offered it instead ā and she absolutely loved it!
By the end of our visit, Kiki grew noticeably more comfortable, choosing to stay in her down position as people walked by. It was a wonderful sign of her growing confidence and trust.
All in all, today was a big step forward for Kiki! Iām so proud of the effort she put in today and excited to keep helping her learn that itās perfectly okay to relax and enjoy time out in public with her human.
10/8/2025
Today Kiki and I took our training on the road to Home Depot for some focused distraction training! With all the unpredictable noises, moving carts, and busy foot traffic, it was the perfect environment to help Kiki gain more confidence in public settings.
At first, Kiki showed signs of anxiety ā her body trembled, and she shook her head frequently as she tried to process all the new sights and sounds. So, we kept things simple and calm, practicing her heeland sit commands throughout the store. In a few areas, I made intentional noises like tapping wooden planks together or lightly clanking metal poles to see how sheād respond. Interestingly, she didnāt react to those sounds from me ā itās the unfamiliar background noises that seem to challenge her most, such as the loud saws in the lumber department, the beeping forklifts, and people loading supplies into their carts.
We stayed near those busy sections for a while, giving Kiki the opportunity to observe, adjust, and build her confidence. Little by little, she began to relax and was able to focus more on her work instead of the chaos around her.
Overall, Kiki was very brave today!Ā Iām so proud of how far sheās come in just a few days. With continued exposure and steady guidance, Iām confident sheāll keep gaining confidence and composure ā and I canāt wait to see her shine as we keep ramping up the distractions!
10/9/2025
Today Kiki and I kept things closer to home and worked around the neighborhood. The goal for todayās session was to give her a more relaxed and familiar environment to continue building confidence while still introducing some mild distractions.
Our main focus was reinforcing her ācome to sitā command and adding both distance and durationto her sit and down positions. At first, Kiki was a bit reluctant to hold her positions and wanted to pop up before being released, but with calm and consistent redirection, she began to understand what was being asked of her. Each repetition showed improvement, and she started holding her commands longer and longer.
By the end of our session, Kiki was doing a fantastic job staying in place and showing much better focus. Itās clear that her confidence and understanding are growing every day. What a smart girl!
10/10/2025
Today we decided to push Kikiās confidence and focus to the next level by heading out to the Culver City mall ā a perfect spot filled with sights, sounds, and plenty of distractions. Our main focus for this session was practicing heel, sit, and place while calmly maneuvering around crowds, food courts, strollers, and all the tempting new smells.
At first, Kiki found the mall environment to be quite overwhelming. The constant movement, loud chatter, and smells from different stores definitely had her attention! She was curious and alert, often trying to investigate what everyone else was doing instead of focusing on her commands. Rather than pushing too hard, I gave her time to take in her surroundings while still maintaining structure and guidance through her heel work. Little by little, she began to settle into the routine and started checking in with me more frequently.
Once she became more comfortable, we worked on holding her sit and place commands near busy areas like entrances and seating spaces where people were walking by. This helped her learn to stay composed despite distractions. By the end of our outing, Kiki was noticeably calmer and much more responsive ā a big step forward from how we started.
A special moment today was when several curious shoppers, including children, asked if they could meet her. While Kiki can sometimes be hesitant around strangers, she approached these interactions with a calm and gentle demeanor. She even accepted some soft pets, which was a huge confidence win for her!
Overall, today was an excellent learning opportunity for Kiki. The mall presented just the right amount of challenge to help her grow in focus and self-assurance. With continued exposure to these kinds of environments, sheāll only become more confident, composed, and reliable in her obedience. Great work, Kiki!
10/11/2025
Today Kiki and I made our way back to the Culver City mall to meet up with some fellow trainers and continue working on her obedience in a high-distraction environment. As expected, the hustle and bustle of the mall immediately grabbed her attention ā there were so many sights, sounds, and smells to take in that it was hard for her to focus at first! To help her settle into work mode, we started off in a quieter area where she could refocus and re-engage with her commands.
Once Kiki began to relax, we gradually made our way back into the busier parts of the mall to put her focus to the test. Our main goals for the day were maintaining a calm heel in crowded spaces, holding her sit, down, place, and working on her come to sit command. After a bit of warm-up, Kiki really started to get into the rhythm of things and handled the environment beautifully.
To challenge her a bit more, we added an extra layer of difficulty by having Michael take over as her handler. At first, Kiki was hesitant and just wanted to return to me, but with calm persistence and consistency, she began to understand that the same rules and expectations applied no matter who was holding the leash. Once she relaxed and worked smoothly with Michael, she got to return to me as her well-earned reward.
All in all, today was a big success for Kiki! She showed great progress in managing her excitement and staying focused even in a bustling public space. Weāre proud of how far sheās come and excited to keep building on this momentum!
10/12/2025
Todayās adventure took Kiki and me back out to Home Depot, where our main focus was repetition and refinement of her core commands ā heel, come to sit, sit, and down ā all with added duration work. Kiki has a solid understanding of whatās being asked of her at this stage, but sheās still learning the importance of waiting for a verbal release and maintaining the specific position requested. Sometimes sheāll offer a down instead of a sit, so today involved plenty of gentle redirection and consistency to help reinforce the difference.
We had an exciting training moment when a shopper stopped to chat. Kiki initially broke her command, but with a calm reminder, she returned to her down and held it patiently while I spoke with the shopper ā a big win for her impulse control! She did break again once the person walked away, but that just gave us another perfect opportunity to practice and reinforce her focus.
By the end of our session, Kiki really began to settle into her work. She was attentive, responsive, and followed each command exactly as asked. Itās clear sheās learning that staying calm and waiting for direction pays off. Great progress, Kiki!
10/13/2025
Today was a big day for Kiki! Our training adventure took us out to El Monte to meet up with some fellow trainers.
Our main goals for today were working on place with distractions, under with distractions, and beginning to ease into off-leash work.
We started with the place command ā I asked Kiki to get on a cot and lay down while other trainers and their dogs walked by. At first, she was quite curious and wanted to sniff everyone that passed. Each time, I gently reminded her with āoff,ā meaning to leave it alone. After a bit of repetition, Kiki started to settle in beautifully, calmly laying on her cot and watching the activity without reacting.
Next up was the under command, where Kiki practiced lying under a park bench while other dogs moved around nearby. She handled this so well! Kiki stayed focused and patient, waiting quietly until I released her ā a huge improvement in her impulse control.
Finally, we moved on to introducing off-leash work. We began as usual with the leash in hand, running through commands like heel, come, sit, and down. Then, without drawing attention to it, I dropped the leash and continued our routine. Kiki didnāt miss a beat ā she performed each command confidently and smoothly, as if the leash had never been there at all!
Iām so proud of how far Kiki has come. Today showed just how much trust, understanding, and progress sheās building. This big girl truly shined in her training session ā great job, Kiki!
10/14/2025
For todayās work, Kiki and I stayed close to home! After such a big training day yesterday, I decided she deserved a bit more of a relaxed day, so we focused on her house manners. Two of the big highlights were her food manners and taking treats gently.
For food manners, I simply asked Kiki to wait patiently until she was released to eat her food. Each day, her patience continues to improve ā sheās learning to check in with me more instead of solely focusing on the bowl, which means sheās far less likely to break her command before being released.
Another thing weāve been working on since pick-up is taking treats gently, as Kiki has been known to snag a finger or two in her enthusiasm! During this exercise, I ask her to sit, offer the treat, and say āgentle.ā If she tries to take it too quickly, I pull the treat back, remind her again with āgentle,ā and then re-offer it. Sheās made great progress in this area and is much softer and more mindful when taking treats now. Something so small can make such a big difference for a big girl like Kiki!
To round out our session, we also practiced her heel and come to sit commands while dragging the leash as we continue to ease into off-leash work. Kiki did a wonderful job maintaining focus and following direction even with the extra freedom, showing great progress in her responsiveness and confidence.
I couldnāt be more proud of all the progress sheās made in just a little over a week, and I canāt wait to see how far she comes in the rest of our journey together!
10/15/2025
Todayās adventure took Kiki and me out to beautiful Santa Monica, where we worked on all of her commands in an environment full of new sounds, sights, and smells ā definitely more distraction than sheās used to! Between the crowds, the ocean breeze, and all the street activity, it was the perfect setting to challenge her focus and confidence.
At first, Kiki showed some of her usual signs of anxiety ā full body shakes, yawning, and shaking her head ā especially as we got closer to the busier areas. So, we started off slowly with some simple heelwork and a few repetitions of sit and down to help her settle in. Once she realized that the expectations were the same no matter where we were, she relaxed and got into a great working mindset.
We also had some fun putting her place command to the test by asking her to hop up on a few unusual objects ā including benches, chairs, and even a festive pumpkin display set up for Halloween! Although she was hesitant at first, with a little encouragement she bravely stepped up and held her command beautifully, showing how much more confident and trusting sheās become.
By the end of our session, Kiki was walking calmly through the busy streets, responding quickly to her cues, and maintaining focus even with lots of distractions around. Iām so proud of how she worked through her initial nerves and showed just how far sheās come. Wonderful job today, Kiki!
10/16/2025
Today, Kiki and I headed back out to a local coffee shop for what was meant to be a distraction training session ā but it turned into an excellent impulse control exercise instead!
When we first arrived, Kiki showed her usual signs of anxiety, such as shaking, heavy panting, and scanning her surroundings. I gave her a few moments to take everything in before asking her to focus on simple obedience tasks like āsitā and ādown.ā As she began to settle, Kiki spotted a few familiar faces nearby, and that initial anxiety quickly turned into excitement! She was eager to greet everyone, which made it a bit challenging for her to hold her commands.
With calm, consistent reminders and redirection back into her āsitā or ādown,ā Kiki gradually started to understand what was being asked of her. Once she realized that she could still relax and enjoy the environment without needing to engage with everyone, her energy shifted. She laid calmly next to me at the table, occasionally glancing around at people walking by or at the sound of coffee cups clinking, but she didnāt break command ā a big step forward for her!
We stayed for a while to really work through that duration aspect, and by the end of our visit, Kiki was much more relaxed and content to simply observe the world around her. I was really pleased with how quickly she was able to work through her anxieties and find her focus today. It was a noticeable improvement compared to some of our more recent outings, and Iām sure having those familiar faces nearby gave her a nice confidence boost!
10/17/2025
Todayās activities took us back out to Santa Monica, where our main focus was practicing extended sit, down, and place commands amongst the busy crowds along the pier. The area was filled with people walking by, and the sounds of street performers and the ocean waves in the background ā plenty of distractions to put Kikiās focus to the test!
At first, Kiki found it difficult to tune everything out. She was alert and curious, watching the people and seagulls with great interest. But with a few gentle reminders and redirection, she settled beautifully into her work. Once she realized it was time to focus, she performed each command exactly as asked, holding her positions with growing confidence and composure even as the commotion continued around her.
It brings me so much joy to see how much quicker sheās able to settle into her working mindset with each new outing. Her focus, patience, and ability to tune in to me are improving noticeably, and sheās showing a wonderful level of trust and understanding in her commands, even in challenging environments.
After all her hard work, we headed home where Kiki got to enjoy some well-earned downtime. She and my puppy Quinn cozied up together on the couch for a nice, relaxing cuddle session ā the perfect way to end a productive day of training!
10/18/2025
Todayās adventure took us back out to the Santa Monica Pier, where Kiki and I spent the day reinforcing all of her commands in the middle of the hustle and bustle. From street performers and skateboarders to flocks of seagulls and the smell of food carts, there was no shortage of distractions for this big girl to work through!
We kept things on leash today, focusing on fine-tuning her obedience and making sure she remains confident and consistent with each command before transitioning back into off-leash work. We practiced her heel, come to sit, down, place, and extended sit commands, making sure she held position even when people walked close by or when something caught her attention. I could really see her thinking through each moment ā checking in with me, waiting for direction, and then calmly following through.
What stood out the most today was Kikiās growing ability to settle more quickly after something excites or startles her. At the start of training, it used to take her a bit to refocus, but now sheās bouncing back faster and with much more confidence. Itās a true sign of how far sheās come in building trust and understanding.
This gentle giant continues to impress me each day, and as we head into our third week together, Iām so proud of the teamwork and progress weāve built so far!
10/19/2025
Today we headed out to a local little league field to work on Kikiās off-leash obedience, and she did such a great job! With plenty of open space and mild distractions around, it was the perfect environment to really test her focus and understanding. Our biggest focus for the day was clarifying the difference between her place and under commands. This has been a bit of a challenge for Kiki lately, not because she doesnāt know them, but because sheās gotten so enthusiastic that she starts to anticipate whatās coming next! Itās wonderful to see her confidence shine through, but learning to pause and wait for direction is just as important.
To help her slow down and think, I alternated between the two commandsāfirst asking her to place on an object, then to go under something nearby. Each time she got a little ahead of herself, I gently guided her into the correct position and praised her once she completed the task properly. We repeated this several times, gradually increasing the distance and adding small distractions like people walking by or sounds from a nearby game.
By the end of our session, Kiki really started to understand the difference between the two commands. You could actually see her stop, think, and process before movingāsuch a great sign of mental growth and confidence. It was a joy to watch her progress today, and I couldnāt be prouder of how thoughtful and engaged this gentle giant has become!
10/20/2025
Today Kiki and I made our way out to El Monte to meet up with some fellow trainers for a fun and productive training session! Our main goal for the day wasnāt to focus on just one particular command, but rather to put all of Kikiās skills to the test and practice every command off leash with precision and confidence. And my goodness, she did not disappoint!
From her heel work to extended sits, downs, and recalls, Kiki performed each command beautifully, showing just how far sheās come in her training journey. Itās always such a joy to watch her work so attentively, even with the extra distractions of new people and dogs around. Iāve said it before and Iāll say it again ā Kiki has truly come such a long way, and I couldnāt be more proud of this big girl and all the progress sheās made!
10/21/2025
Today Kiki and I headed back out to the park to continue working on all of her off-leash commands! Rather than focusing on just one thing, we revisited everything sheās learned over the past couple of weeks ā including heel, come to sit, down with extended distance and duration, as well as sit and placeunder increasing distraction, and under.
Right from the start, Kiki was eager to work. She stayed close in heel, responded quickly to every command, and held her positions with so much focus and patience. Even when a few curious dogs and playful kids passed by, she stayed calm and attentive, waiting for her next cue like the well-mannered girl sheās becoming.
Of course, Kiki couldnāt help but bring her own personality to the session ā her big, floppy ears bouncing with every step and adding extra charm to her already impressive work. Itās hard not to smile watching her move so confidently and joyfully through each exercise.
Sheās truly getting the hang of everything, and I couldnāt be prouder of how far sheās come. What a good girl, Kiki!
10/22/2025
Today, Kiki and I took a trip out to Home Depot for a solid training session in a busy, high-distraction environment. Our main focus was making sure she stayed sharp with her extended sit, extended down, and recall commands ā all while surrounded by new sights, sounds, and smells.
We made our way over to the lumber department, where the constant hum of saws, clanking of carts, and echoes of people talking provided the perfect test for Kikiās focus and impulse control. At first, she perked up at all the commotion ā those silly, floppy ears of hers bouncing as she looked around curiously ā but once we got to work, she quickly dialed in and remembered exactly what was being asked of her.
She held her extended sit and down beautifully, even as people walked by with large pieces of wood and forklifts rumbled past. Her recalls were crisp and full of enthusiasm; she came right to me every single time with that happy, tail-wagging energy that makes her so fun to work with.
I couldnāt be more proud of how confidently she worked today. Each outing like this shows just how far Kiki has come ā sheās becoming more focused, more reliable, and more comfortable no matter what the environment throws her way. Great job today, Kiki!
10/23/2025
Today Kiki and I headed out to Santa Monica for a big day ā not only to work on her off-leash commands but also to film some content for her final video! At first, Kiki seemed a little out of focus, which is totally understandable given how lively and busy the pier can be. There were people everywhere, music playing, and plenty of distractions. But after a quick warm-up lap around the pier practicing her basic commands, she quickly settled in and shifted gears into work mode.
Once that initial anxiety passed, Kiki absolutely crushed it ā performing every command with confidence, focus, and precision. Her recall was sharp, her extended sits and downs were solid, and she moved through heel positions like a total pro. I couldnāt be prouder of how far sheās come ā itās clear that all her hard work is paying off! This big girl truly gave it her all today and made our Santa Monica outing a huge success!
10/24/2025
Today Kiki and I decided to keep things on the lighter side and headed out to a nearby park to work on her commands. Right from the start, Kiki was feeling extra playful ā tail wagging, ears flopping, and a big happy grin on her face! Even though she was clearly in a goofy mood, she still followed through with every command I gave her. We worked on all her basics like sit, down, heel, and come to sit, and she executed them beautifully, even if she sprinkled in a few silly hops and tail wiggles along the way.
It was such a nice reminder that training doesnāt always have to be strict or intense ā sometimes itās just about enjoying the process and reinforcing good habits in a relaxed, happy way. Kiki balanced fun and focus perfectly today, and I couldnāt be more proud of her!
10/25/2025
For our last day together, Kiki and I decided to keep things fun and lighthearted with a trip to the park for some exploring and a few rounds of fetch ā and she had absolutely zero complaints about that plan! She happily trotted around, taking in all the sights, sounds, and smells the park had to offer, her tail wagging and her silly floppy ears bouncing with every step.
It has truly been such a pleasure to be part of this gentle giantās journey. Watching how far Kiki has come over these past three weeks has been nothing short of amazing ā her confidence, focus, and obedience have all grown tremendously. My biggest hope is that all the hard work sheās put in here continues to shine through at home, strengthening the bond between you and her even more.
Thank you for trusting me with your sweet girl and allowing me to play a part in her journey ā sheās an incredible dog, and Iām so proud of her!
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