Meet Kona! She is an 8 month old Labrador Retriever from Chino, CA who has joined us for our Three Week Board and Train Program. Kona came to us for lack of control on and off leash, excessive jumping, as well as chewing and barking. Over the next three weeks, Kona and I will be working on proper greeting manners, off leash obedience and proper socialization in the public setting. Feel free to follow up on Konas blog to see her progress daily!
Pupdate 10-16-2022
Today, Kona and I worked on an introduction to the ecollar tool! We worked on my neighbors driveway where there are lots of different distractions, such as his dog behind the fence, loud cars passing by, and some acorns on the ground. In the video, you can see Kona get distracted at times. In the Introduction, I’m looking for Kona to turn her head to the feeling of the ecollar. As soon as she turns, the feeling of the tool shuts off! Towards the end of the video, you can see her chew on a acorn that she found on the ground. Then, I would use the word “off” and pair it with the feeling of the ecollar tool. As soon as she dropped the acorn, the feeling would completely shut off and I would reward her as soon as she dropped it. Overall, Kona responded to the ecollar really well! She picked up what the tool meant pretty fast.
Pupdate 10-17-2022
Today, Kona and I met up with the team at the park! Kona and I worked on e-collar condition along with recalls around my right and sit to my left. Kona was exposed to different scents, sounds and animals like ducks and birds. Kona had a great time hanging out and training with other dogs that were being trained, which helped learn proper socialization skills. Overall, Kona did a great job at the park and had lots of fun!
Pupdate 10-18-2022
Today Kona and I worked on the “come” command. As soon as I say the command “come” Kona is supposed to come towards me and loop around my right side sit on my left. Right now I have the leash on just for security reasons, but you can see Kona is picking it up quickly! At times you can see that she does get stuck and doesn’t know what to do when she feels the ecollar stem, whenever she starts to get stuck I just utilize the leash and tug the leash towards me. As soon as she started coming towards me I utilize my hands to help guide her to the right side. Towards the end you can see she does get a little distracted by my personal dog, but that’s okay she was able to work right through the distractions and end her training on a good and solid rep!
Pupdate 10-19-2022
Today, Kona and I worked on the “heel” command. Kona quickly picked up the command. In the video, I demonstrated the 180 drill. As soon as she walked past my knee, I turned 180 degrees and repeated the “heel” command while using the e-collar tool. Everytime I turn, I repeat the heel command and use the e-collar tool. Overall, Kona did a great job at learning the heel command. I am impressed with Kona's progress and how fast she is learning.
Pupdate 10-20-2022
Today, Kona and I met up with some off-leash trainers at a local outlet to get public exposure which taught her how to stay composed around people and kids! Kona got very excited being around many people at once. After heeling around others for a bit, she got used to the people around her. Then little by little, she stayed composed and held her positions longer. Later in the afternoon, Kona and I stopped at a local park on our daily walk around my neighborhood and bonded. Overall, Kona is adjusting great to her new routine!
Pupdate 10/21/2022
On this beautiful Friday afternoon, Kona and I met up with the other trainers of Off-Leash at Citadel Outlets of Los Angeles. We wanted to focus on Kona's exposure to everyday life and desensitization to people walking around. In the video, you can see Kona working on the heel command through people! We worked on her place command on top of a haystack! "Place" is a designated command to have her get up on top of things and lay down. This teaches her to keep their composure and to relax around distracting environments! Kona is coming along nicely. I am very proud of her progress.
Pupdate 10-22-2022
Today Kona and I worked on door manners along with the “place” command around my personal dog Kisa! Kona at first was very eager to get in the door every time I opened the door. After repetitions of closing the door every time she tried to jump in, along with the ecollar stem, she started to get the hang of things. Now she comes to the door and sits and waits for my “break” command for her to enter the house. Overall today Kona had a lot of bonding and play time with Kisa , the both had lots of fun playing tug!
Pupdate 10-23-2022
Today, Kona and I started on the “under” command where she has to go under something and lay down. The beginning steps of teaching her this command are to get her comfortable going under things. At first, Kona was very hesitant to go under the bench so I had to use food to lure her. After repetitions of the same thing over and over using food, she started to get the hang of it and was more willing to go under the bench! Kona is doing great working around other dogs now, at first every dog Kona saw she thought wanted to play.
Pupdate 10-24-2022
Today Kona and I met up with the Offleash team at a local park in Anaheim Ca. As soon as we arrived at the park Kona was very excited to see everything from the leaves to the other dogs that were at the park. This made me realize that Kona needs a lot of mental stimulation! After taking the time to proof Konas command around the park, we started to work on having her hold her positions around certain distractions and along with some impulse control as well! After proofing her down around other dogs and people walking around her, I started working on her impulse control to me dropping treats around her. This is something we will be working on at home and out at public settings such as home depot and parks with other trainers and dogs. After our training session Kona and I had some play time with the ball, she had an absolute blast and exercise!
Pupdate 10-25-2022
Today Kona and I took a field trip to my local home depot! To get some exposure and to proof her commands around distractions. In the video you are able to see Kona demonstrating some good behaviors in a public setting, holding down positions around distractions and carts passing by, along with a good short recall to a down ! The more and more Kona and I work together, the more trust we have in one another.
Pupdate 10-26-2022
Today, Kona and I met with the OffLeash team at a local park to get some extra training in, and some extra exposure. Today Kona worked on all of her commands, I also took that time to proof her down commands around some geese and ducks that were at the park! In the photo above you can see Kona holding a down in a opened field at a distance from me, and you could also see her holding her down in front of a pack of geeses and ducks. Overall Kona is a very energetic dog that needs a lot of physical exercise and mental stimulation. During our days we do a lot of walking and playing with the ball to keep her mentally stimulated along with her physical exercise!
Pupdate 10-27-2022
Today Kona and I went to a local park in Claremont Ca. In the video, Kona and I will be demonstrating some proper play time, impulse control, along with her commands off leash as well! In the video, Kona is not allowed to just go get the ball every time I throw it, if I asked her to down she's supposed to do so until I give her the “break” command to go and retrieve the ball back to me. Kona has a full understanding of the ecollar tool now, so I'm starting to take her off the leash and starting to reinforce her commands around more and more distractions and generalizing her to all different types of environments!
Pupdate 10-28-2022
Today Kona and I took another field trip to a local Regional park near my house in San Dimas Ca. During our visit to the park, we worked on all of her off leash obedience, this time we focused more on the “under” command under the lunch tables. The “under” command is one of the only commands that she tends to need more work, the next 2 days we will focus mainly on getting her to fully understand the “under” command. With training always comes some fun, Kona had a blast playing fetch with Kisa in and out of the water. Although there were a lot of distractions Kona did an amazing job being off leash along with following through with commands whenever being asked!
Pupdate 10-29-2022
Today Kona and I went back to the park we were at a few days ago to get the same distractions! Not every day is going to be perfect for Kona unless we practice working through it. Today Kona was having a bit of an off day. You can see her in the video at times throwing a big fuss and rolling on the ground whenever she felt the ecollar stem, or get distracted by things in the ground. This is why we practice the training with her daily and with multiple distractions around! In the video, you can see me close the gap between her and I as quickly as possible while utilizing the ecollar to get her to go back to the following command whenever she gets up from holding a command without being told.
Pupdate 10-30-2022
Today Kona and I went to a local home depot by my house in San Dimas Ca to get some more training in with a lot of people and distractions. During our session we focused on the “under” command to really make sure she has a solid understanding of what I’m asking of her. We also worked on her duration for her down around people, and she did absolutely great! Even with other dogs barking at her she tends to be interested for the first couple seconds then I give her the “off” command to break fixation and then she relaxes! Overall Kona did a great job today!
Pupdate 10-31-2022
Today Kona and I met up at a park in Covina Ca with one of the other off leash members as well to get some training in! Today I had my coworker work with Kona because she needs to get used to working with different handlers as well as not just me. The things she did well on were holding her positions and recalls. The things that she needed to work on occasionally is her “down” command. At times when given the “sit” command she would sit sideways as well. Overall Kona did a great job working with my coworker, except when the leash got stuck on her big foot! I also noticed today that Kona got a little minor cut on her back left foot, I think she had gotten it when she was jumping up and down from the wooden benches at the park. When I got home I immediately cleaned and washed the cut, overall it’s not affecting her at all and I will be keeping an eye on it.
Pupdate 11-01-2022
Today Kona and I met up with some of the offleash members at a local outlet to get some training in! Today we focused on the “under” command along with off leash “heel” command around people. Kona did a great job being composed and following commands around people in a public setting. This week we will be focusing on in home manners along with greeting manners as well! Overall Kona is doing a fantastic job following commands around other dogs and people. Kona’s little cut on her back left foot does not bother her at all or affect her training at all, it’s beginning to scab up and not get any bigger.
Pupdate 11-2-2022
Today Kona and I worked on car manners! Teaching Kona how to properly enter a car and properly exiting the kennel in the car as well! When I had first gotten Kona she was very excited to enter and exit the kennel in the car, she would bolt out and have no control. Now she understands to properly wait for me to give her the “kennel” command for her to jump up in the kennel. For her to exit the kennel, I simply open and give her the “come” command for her to jump out and come to my left side and wait! Always practice commands at home first in a less distracting environment to set up Kona for success then move on to different environments and parks! Overall Kona is doing a great job working today with me! Update on her cut, it’s pretty much a scab now.
Pupdate 11-3-2022
Today Kona and I worked on her door manners! It doesn’t matter which door it is, Kona always has to wait for you the handler to walk in first or to give her a command “break” to come in. Every time I walk in the front door with Kona, I always wait for her to be in a “sit” command first before letting her into the house. Overall Kona is doing great and is picking up the new routine really well!
Pupdate 11-4-2022
Today Kona and I will be demonstrating food manners! At first, when I first got Kona she had zero food manners whatsoever, every time she saw food she would automatically think it was time to eat. Now with time, Kona started to understand that she needs to wait to eat in a timely manner and not whenever she sees she eats. Kona knows to hold her position on the place cot u til I give her the “break” command to eat. Please practice this with her every meal of the day to keep her training consistent!
Pupdate 11-5-2022
Today Kona and I took a field trip to our local Home Depot in San Dimas ca! We focused on putting all of her commands to the test! When we were there I noticed that their was a lot of people and kids walking around and I knew it was the perfect opportunity! We worked on her holding her positions and recalls to come and sit on my left side. When though their were lots of people Kona still executed all of her commands with ease! Kona all ready to head home!
