Kona | Chocolate Lab | Long Beach, CA | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- May 25
- 14 min read
Updated: Jun 15
Meet Kona! She's a fifteen month old Chocolate Lab from Long Beach, California here for our Three-Week Board and Train Program! She is very friendly and sweet, although she sometimes takes her friendliness too far by jumping on everyone she can reach! She also lives with children, and can knock them over easily when she jumps. She’s also a heavy leash puller, and tries to drag you all over the sidewalk whenever she goes for a walk! She knows some basic commands, but decides for herself whether or not she'll listen, and she usually doesn't! Over the next twenty one days, we will work on her obedience skills, help her with her manners in and out of the house, and show her how to be the best pup she can possibly be! Stay tuned for Kona's three week transformation!
Pupdate: 5/25/2025
I had the pleasure of picking up Kona today, and we headed straight to the park to get to know each other! She’s incredibly friendly and affectionate—though she did try to show that love by jumping on me quite a bit. Kona is also very curious and deceptively strong for her size! When something catches her interest, she doesn’t hesitate to pull toward it with purpose.
After some time exploring the park together, we headed home so she could start settling in. She’s already showing signs that she’s comfortable here, and I’ve really enjoyed having her around so far. Looking forward to the days ahead with Kona! I also noticed some calluses on her heels. It looks old but but I'll still keep an eye on it as we keep working!
Pupdate: 5/26/2025
Kona was her usual sweet and curious self at the park today! We focused on building up her Come To Sit command, which will be her structured recall cue. The goal is for Kona to come to my right side when called, walk around behind me, and sit at my left side with her ears at my knee.
She’s doing well with the first part—coming when called is no problem for her! The tricky part right now is the wrap-around and sitting cleanly in position, but she’s starting to get the hang of it. With a bit more practice, I’m confident she’ll get it down smoothly. Great work today, Kona!
Pupdate: 5/27/2025
Kona had a lively and productive day at the park! We met up with some other trainers and their dogs, and while she was pretty excited to see the other canines at first, she settled down nicely once we got to work on her training.
Today’s main focus was on her Place command. For Kona, this means hopping onto a raised object—like a cot—and remaining there until I either release her or ask for another command. She had no trouble getting on the cot, but holding the position, especially with other dogs nearby, definitely challenged her. With practice and repetition, though, she started to understand what was expected and showed steady improvement.
This command will also be really handy at home! I’ll be using Place during everyday activities like cooking, cleaning, or answering the door—any time Kona needs to stay calm and out of the way while still being included in the space.
Great work today, Kona! She’s learning that calm and focus can be just as rewarding as excitement and play.
Pupdate: 5/28/2025
Kona and I focused most of our time today on her Heel command! Heel means walking politely at my left side with her ears at my knee—definitely a challenge for an adventurous girl like Kona who loves to pull ahead and explore the world around her. While her curiosity is part of her charm, today was all about helping her understand that walk time means staying close and connected. She still gets plenty of sniff breaks, but during structured walking time, she’s doing a great job learning to stick right by my side. Way to go, Kona!
Pupdate: 5/29/2025
Today Kona took her first trip to Home Depot! With so many new sights, smells, and sounds, it was a great opportunity to work on her focus and manners in a busier environment—and overall, she did pretty well!
Kona responded to her commands nicely for most of the outing and walked politely along my side. She did get a little curious at times and wanted to sniff people walking by, but she showed good impulse control and stopped right away when called. We were especially impressed by how unfazed she was by the usual store noises—carts, forklifts, and even the loud bangs from moving lumber didn’t seem to bother her very much.
Her biggest challenge came when other dogs were nearby. Kona got visibly excited as soon as she saw one, and it became difficult for her to stay focused until the dog was completely out of sight. This tells us we’ll need to continue working in environments where dogs are present, gradually helping her build impulse control and focus through those tougher distractions.
For a first-time Home Depot visit, Kona handled it like a champ. We’re proud of how well she did and looking forward to helping her build even more confidence and consistency in the days ahead!
Pupdate: 5/30/2025
Today we began working toward Kona’s off-leash goal, and she made some solid progress! I started incorporating leash-drag exercises, dropping the leash during some commands to get a better sense of how she might perform without it—while still having access to it if needed. In a quiet, isolated section of the park, Kona handled this beautifully and responded well to each command.
That said, when another dog came into view, she still got pretty excited. During those moments, I played it safe and picked up the leash to help her stay focused and maintain control.
We also put a big emphasis on her Down command today. Kona didn’t have much trouble going into the down position when asked, but she clearly wasn’t a fan of staying there for long in a public space. To work on this, I began rewarding her at intervals as she held the position, gradually increasing the duration. With some encouragement (and a few tasty treats), she quickly improved and was able to hold her Down for longer stretches.
Overall, it was a productive and encouraging session. Kona is showing great potential and laying the groundwork for off-leash success!
Pupdate: 5/31/2025
Kona had a lovely start to her day with a morning trip to the park before the weather started warming up. She enjoyed the cooler air and got some good movement in to start the day off right. After that, we focused on practicing her commands indoors and went on a few short walks throughout the day to keep things balanced.
She’s been doing great both at the park and inside the house, especially with her Place command. Kona is really starting to understand the value of staying put when asked, and she's been doing an awesome job holding her Place while I’m cooking or cleaning. Her impulse control is definitely improving, and she’s showing more confidence and patience in her work.
Another sweet update—Kona has been making fast friends with my dog! They get along really well and seem to enjoy each other’s company. It’s been fun watching their bond grow and seeing Kona feel comfortable and happy in a shared space. She’s doing a good job all around!
Pupdate: 6/1/2025
This morning Kona and I headed to the park before the weather got too warm. There were soccer and baseball games going on nearby, which gave us a great opportunity to practice her commands around distractions. She’s definitely making progress in this area — her focus is improving — but there’s still a bit of work to do when the activity level around us gets high. The excitement can still get the best of her sometimes, but she’s learning to recenter when I ask.
For today’s video, I wanted to highlight Kona’s door manners! She tends to get pretty excited in the mornings when it’s time to head out, so this has been a great way to build calmness and self-control. In the video, you’ll see her sitting in front of the door, waiting patiently until she’s given permission to go through. Eventually, I want the sound or motion of the door opening to feel like a nonevent for her — whether she’s right by the door or across the room.
This kind of threshold training isn’t just for doors, either — the same concept applies to gates, fences, or even certain areas of the house. For example, in my home, the dogs know the kitchen is off-limits. It’s all about teaching them to pause and wait for permission, which gives them more clarity and helps prevent pushy or impulsive behavior.
Kona’s doing a great job learning these boundaries — she’s a smart girl with lots of heart!
Pupdate: 6/2/2025
Today, Kona continued her training at the park with the leash dragging, and she did a great job overall! One of the toughest moments came when a squirrel dashed by, grabbing her full attention. She broke position and moved several feet away, but to her credit, she responded well to her recall and returned to Heel when asked—an impressive show of progress and responsiveness under distraction!
We also introduced a brand-new command today: Come To Heel. This differs from her standard Come To Sit in that it’s used while in motion. Instead of stopping in front of me, Kona is asked to come to my side and fall into Heel position as we continue walking. This is especially useful for transitioning to new areas of the park or on walks when she’s been released to sniff or potty, allowing her to rejoin the structured walk seamlessly.
It's important to continue practicing Come To Sit as well. This helps Kona clearly understand that if you’re not walking when she returns to you, she should sit when she arrives at your side.
Pupdate: 6/3/2025
Today was a big day for Kona — we met up with some other trainers and their dogs at the park! Being around other dogs is definitely one of her biggest challenges, so this was a great training opportunity for her.
Kona was very interested in the other dogs and found it hard to take her eyes off them at first, but despite the distractions, she did a great job sticking with me and following through on her commands. As we worked, she was able to move closer and closer to the other dogs while staying mostly composed, which is a huge step forward for her.
It wasn’t easy for her, but she learned a lot and did her best. Days like this are exactly what she needs to build confidence and learn how to work through excitement around other dogs. I’m proud of the progress she made today!
Pupdate: 6/4/2025
Today, Kona continued her off-leash preparation by working with a smaller, lighter leash to better replicate the feeling of being leash-free while still allowing for guidance when needed. She’s doing a good job adjusting to this new level of independence and accountability!
We focused on building her Send Away To Place command by extending her understanding of Place. Instead of walking her all the way to the cot, I’ve been asking her to go to it on her own—something she’s starting to pick up quickly! We got in some solid reps outside, which gave us a chance to build reliability in a more distracting environment. Even more exciting, Kona is now starting to respond to the Place cue from across the house at home, finding her cot on her own with much less help!
Pupdate: 6/5/2025
Kona took a big step today with a visit to the mall! At first, she was a little unsure of the busy environment, so we took things slow and spent a good amount of time just sitting on benches, letting her soak everything in. This relaxed approach helped her settle in, and over time she began to feel more at ease.
Once she was more comfortable, Kona did a nice job responding to her commands and keeping her composure. One of her biggest distractions came from an unexpected source—some turtles in a fountain caught her attention! She was definitely intrigued, but to her credit, she ultimately chose to ignore them and stay focused.
Today was a bit of a challenge for Kona, but she gave it her all and pushed through with a great attitude. Proud of her effort and progress in a tough setting!
Pupdate: 6/6/2025
Today Kona and I headed to a fenced-in dog park—not to go inside, but to work on her focus around heavy canine distractions from a safe distance. Just to clarify, I never recommend dog parks due to the unpredictability of other dogs. However, when used wisely from the outside, they can be excellent training environments for working on impulse control and focus.
Kona was definitely excited when we arrived, and the sight and sounds of so many dogs in one area had her attention right away. But after some time to settle and observe, she started making better and better choices—opting to stick with me rather than pulling toward dogs who approached the fence. This was especially encouraging because Kona’s biggest challenge right now is staying focused when other dogs are present.
Today’s session was a huge step forward. The environment was full of temptation, but she handled it well and showed real growth in her decision-making. This was a valuable experience for her, and we’ll keep building from here!
Pupdate: 6/7/2025
Big milestone for Kona today—her first time off leash at the park! With plenty of people and dogs around, there were no shortage of distractions to work through. Kona was definitely interested in the other dogs, but she did a good job staying responsive and following her commands even with the additional freedom.
It was awesome to see her take this step forward in her training. She kept close, checked in frequently, and stayed engaged with me despite everything going on. That said, this was just the beginning—we’ll continue building her off-leash skills by gradually working her closer to distractions to test her focus and help her reach her full potential. Really proud of how she handled herself today!
Pupdate: 6/8/2025
Kona had a day full of progress and growing confidence! We focused heavily on off-leash work today, and she spent the majority of our time together without the leash on.
We concentrated on exercises that challenged her self-control and composure, particularly around other dogs. Several dogs came close to her during the day, and Kona did well remaining in her Place command even with those distractions nearby. That’s no small feat—especially for a dog working on impulse control and confidence.
I only felt the need to clip the leash on a handful of times, mostly as a precaution when energy levels shifted or the environment changed, but for the most part, Kona held herself together beautifully and stayed right where she needed to be.
Pupdate: 6/9/2025
Kona had a great day of training and exposure today! We met up with some other trainers and their dogs, giving her the chance to be around new canine energy in a controlled setting. She was allowed off leash for a few minutes at a time.
For the most part, she did really well—staying engaged and responsive. While there were a few moments when she got distracted by the other dogs, she was able to regroup and return her focus. Each session is building on the last, and it’s clear she’s growing more composed little by little in these environments. Today’s close exposure to unfamiliar dogs was a positive challenge for her, and she handled fairly well. Way to go, Kona!
Pupdate: 6/10/2025
Today Kona faced one of her toughest challenges yet—birds! We spent time at a park filled with ponds and all kinds of feathery distractions, including ducks, geese, and pigeons, which definitely caught her attention. She started off the session with the leash on to warm up and get her focus dialed in, but eventually graduated to working off-leash around all the activity.
We got a lot of practice using the Off command today, which serves as our “do not do that” cue. Whether it's jumping, sniffing something off-limits, or locking eyes on a bird or another dog for too long, Off helps redirect her attention and keep her grounded. It came in handy quite a bit as she navigated all the temptations around her.
Despite the high level of distraction, Kona stayed composed and responsive for the most part. She’s learning that she doesn’t need to engage with everything she sees—and that staying connected with her handler is the more rewarding choice. Excellent progress for such a challenging environment!
Pupdate: 6/11/2025
Kona and I got an early start today, heading out while the weather was still cool to get in some morning activity. The rest of the day was all about working on her indoor manners — with a special focus on door manners.
The goal with door manners is for Kona to wait politely when a door opens, without rushing out ahead of me. In today’s session, I had her sit right in front of the door for the video, but the idea in general is for the door opening to be a complete non-event for her — whether she's sitting right by it or napping across the room.
This kind of impulse control is super helpful not just for answering the door or accepting a package without chaos, but it also translates to other areas like gates, backyard fences, or thresholds within the home. For example, the dogs are not allowed in the kitchen and I want them to respect that invisible boundary. Practicing this kind of structure makes for a calmer home, helps guests feel more comfortable, and most importantly, it’s a great safety measure to prevent door-dashing or unwanted wandering.
Kona did a solid job today and is showing more maturity in how she handles these kinds of exercises. Proud of her progress!
Pupdate: 6/12/2025
Kona took on a big challenge today with a trip to the Santa Monica Pier! With all the activity, pigeons, dogs, and general chaos of the area, this was no easy outing—but Kona rose to the occasion.
After a few minutes of warmup time to get her bearings, she was off leash and working hard! She stayed engaged with me throughout the session, following through on her commands and holding her positions even with plenty of distractions nearby. One bird did decide to fly just a foot in front of her while she was in a Down, and she couldn’t help but pop up to look at it—but considering the temptation, that’s a small hiccup in an otherwise solid performance.
We also put in some work on her Under command. Kona’s been practicing this at the park with larger benches, but today’s smaller bench made things a little trickier. Even so, she handled the challenge well and was able to successfully get into and hold her position underneath. It’s great to see her generalizing these skills in new environments!
Great job today, Kona!
Pupdate: 6/13/2025
Kona enjoyed a slower-paced, relaxing day today! With the warm weather, we spent most of our time indoors, focusing on rest, play, and practicing her indoor manners. She spent a lot of time with another dog I have here, and the two of them continue to get along wonderfully. Not only do they love playing together, but it’s also been great practice for Kona to maintain her composure and follow commands like Heel during short walks throughout the day.
Both girls did a great job walking together politely, and even shared a nap on the place cot while I made lunch—an adorable moment of calm and a great example of Kona’s growing maturity and comfort in the home. Once the weather cooled off in the evening, we took a trip to the park for a bit of outdoor time to wrap up the day. A well-balanced, easygoing day for Kona, and she handled it beautifully!
Pupdate: 6/14/2025
Kona had another fun and productive day at the park! The morning was full of activity with soccer, volleyball, and baseball games all going on at once. We spent time near each area, giving her great exposure to different types of distractions. The soccer game was definitely the toughest challenge—she found the fast-moving ball especially tempting—but she did a great job staying mostly composed and listening despite the excitement.
For today’s video, I wanted to highlight some of the everyday manners Kona has been working on:
Food manners have been a big focus. Kona loves her meals, which used to lead to a lot of jumping and crowding while I was getting her food ready. Recently, she’s been much better about staying more calm, keeping her distance, and waiting patiently until she’s released to eat. It’s a great sign of her increasing impulse control!
We’ve also been practicing car manners. The goal is for her to sit politely when the door opens, then hop in and walk straight into her crate when asked. Kona has been pretty solid with this, though she used to get overly excited and try to jump up before the door was fully open. Lately, she’s been showing a lot more patience and self-control here too.
Lastly, we’ve been focusing on greeting manners. Kona is naturally very social and used to jump up or get pushy when saying hi to new people. Now, she’s learning to sit or lay down politely instead, and she’s been doing a much better job! Her enthusiasm is still there, but it’s being channeled in a calmer, more respectful way.
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