Layla | Pitbull | View Park, CA | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 15 hours ago
Meet Layla! She's a five year old Pitbull from View Park, California, here for our Three-Week Reactive Board and Train Program! Layla is a complete sweetie pie, but she can be extremely nervous anytime she leaves the house, constantly pulling and trying to get home. So, over the next twenty one days, we will work with Layla on her confidence to try to reduce that anxiety in new places, help with her obedience skills, and help Layla become the best pup she can possibly be! Stay tuned for Layla's three week transformation!
3/29/2026
Layla’s first day went well overall, even though she was a bit nervous to start! After picking her up, we spent some time at the park getting to know each other. She was definitely unsure of the new environment and often tried to pull back toward the car, looking for that sense of safety. Once we did head back, she hopped right in without hesitation, which told me she was ready for a break from all the new stimulation.
When we got home, Layla took some time to explore her new surroundings, and I’m happy to say she started settling in pretty quickly. As she got more comfortable, her personality began to come out a bit more, and she seems to be warming up to me already. I think she’s starting to feel safe here, and she’s been doing a great job adjusting so far.
I’m looking forward to continuing to build her confidence and helping her feel more comfortable each day!
3/30/2026
Layla’s day started off strong! She greeted the morning with a wagging tail, happy energy, and even ate her breakfast right away. We spent some relaxed time together first thing, and she was giving off really positive vibes. She went out to potty without any issues and hopped into the car like a pro! Great start to the day!
Once we arrived at the park, she showed a bit more skepticism. Although she initially hopped out of the car easily, she quickly realized where she was and tried to jump right back in. After gently coaxing her out again, we made our way (slowly but surely!) about fifty feet to a quiet field where we could settle in. With anxious dogs like Layla, taking time to simply sit and observe the environment can make a huge difference in building confidence, so that’s exactly what we did.
We spent about an hour just relaxing at the edge of the park, letting her take everything in at her own pace. When we started working on walking, she understandably wanted to head straight back to the car. Instead of pushing too much, we focused on very small wins—walking short distances, turning away from the car, and sometimes even moving in little circles. Every time Layla made the choice to turn with me on her own, she got a big celebration! Over time, she began choosing to move with me about half the time, which is a great step forward for her.
Today we used a prong collar, but no e-collar. Right now, the focus is on showing Layla that engaging with me is safe, fun, and rewarding. Introducing more pressure at this stage wouldn’t be helpful, and I want to build her confidence the right way.
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