Meet Lexie! A 9 month old Bichon Frise from El Monte, CA has joined us for our Three Week Board and Train Program. Lexie has come to us because she has a tendency to run away whenever given the opportunity, only comes whenever she feels like it, pulls on the leash, and loves to jump whenever greeting new people. Over these next three weeks Lexie and I will be working on introducing her to boundaries, structure, and proper socialization to help build a solid foundation for her training. Stay tuned for her Three Week Transformation!
Pupdate 2/26/2023
Lexie and I spent the day getting familiar with each other as we strolled around the park together. After we walked around, we went home and got her settled in. She explored her new environment and appeared more comfortable as time passed. Once we worked on crate training, I applied leash pressure towards the kennel. At first she resisted but after some time, she stopped resisting and followed the path. I rewarded her once she got inside the kennel as I marked it with a Yes. We will begin to introduce her to some new commands tomorrow!
Pupdate 2/27/2023
Lexie and I started our day by introducing her to a few communication tools such as the slip lead and e collar. The slip lead is used to guide Lexie with directional changes of the leash. I apply leash pressure in the direction I want her to go and the second she follows the path created for her, I turn that pressure off. Any time I apply leash pressure, I apply stimulation from the e collar as well. Lexie at first resisted the leash pressure with a prong collar so I switched her to a slip lead which definitely helped her. Once I marked and rewarded the few steps she took in the direction I wanted her to go, she began to understand how to turn the pressure off. She was a very quick learner and was eager to please!
I introduced her to Come to Sit which is the action of Lexie coming around behind me to Sit on my left hand side ready to Heel. She was a natural at this and learned quickly that all of the good stuff came to her when she Sat on my left side. This is how I begin to build value with Lexie in a specific position. I Cued Lexie’s name frequently, rewarding her when she offered me her attention. This is called the name game and is a great game to practice around distractions to build engagement during training. A focused dog is a dog that is ready to work!
Pupdate 2/28/2023
Lexie and I ventured out to the park today where we worked on her engagement, Heel, Come to Sit, and Extended Sit near new distractions. There were plenty of ducks, squirrels, dogs, and kids riding bicycles as we Heeled around the park together. When we Heel together I cue Heel before moving forward from a stationary position and before I change direction to give her the heads up to turn with me. If I stop walking she is expected to Sit, which she has been offering more voluntarily as well!
After working on her Heel, we worked on adding duration to her Sit command. She Sits quickly yet struggled to hold her Sit for longer than about 5 seconds. I popped the leash whenever she released herself and reminded her to Sit. I then rewarded her in increments of 10 seconds to build duration for her Sit command as she held position. Lexie improved with her Sit and was able to hold it for about 30 seconds towards the end of our session! We will keep building duration for her Sit as we gradually add in more distance in new environments. Excellent job Lexie!
Pupdate 3/1/2023
Lexie and I took a trip to the park today as we worked on proofing her Extended Sit, Come to Sit, and Heel. We then introduced her to new commands as well. We worked on the action of Lexie jumping onto a specific surface, preferably elevated which helps boosts confidence! This cue is named place. Place is great to use to prevent unwanted behaviors and help Lexie enter a calm state of mind.
She didn’t need much help from me other than some encouragement! Eventually holding her Place for up to a minute. I then lured Lexie into the Down position which didn’t take her long to do. We will build duration now for her Place and Down command so she can hold her position for longer periods of time.
Pupdate 3/2/2023
Today Lexie and I went on a trip to the mall. After about 20 minutes of walking around the mall, she appeared more acclimated to her new environment. We are working on improving her Heel as sometimes she tries to cross ahead of me. When she does this I guide her with the leash back to my left side.
We then worked on proofing her Down with Place. Lexie loves to perform Place and has already began to voluntarily offer Down once in Place, which shows me she is feeling more and more relaxed when in Place which is the goal!
She has had a few accidents in her kennel, so we are working on finding the right routine for her feeding times, feeding her at an earlier time when possible to avoid accidents in the kennel. We are utilizing potty pads now that it has stopped raining. I set up her potty area with a few pads to walk her to with the leash on and cue “Go potty”. She went on top of it this morning which is a great start!
Pupdate 3/3/2023
Lexie had an eventful day of training while out at the mall today, working on her Heel, Place with Down while adding distance, Come to Sit, and Extended Sit. She did well with distractions near her as we worked on her fluency of commands with added distance away from each other. She did well with this, waiting for my cue to be released!
We then worked on her Heel with the leash dragging in less crowded areas of the mall, which Lexie has improved with, following my cues as we turn together frequently. Once we arrived at home she had some playtime with Petra my other board and train pup. Lexie can be a bit over bearing at first, and needs guidance to help know when to give Petra space. After a few Off cues from me to help Lexie read Petra’s social cues, she let Petra approach her when she was ready to play.
We did not have any accidents in the kennel last night which is great! Now we are looking for consistency to help determine if this is the right feeding schedule for her.
Pupdate 3/4/2023
Lexie and I took a trip to the Citadel Outlets where we exposed her to a very crowded environment. It took her some time to acclimate to her new busy environment as we Heeled around the outlets together. She did well with staying by my side, not crossing over my legs anymore.
Since she was a bit nervous, she had a habit of staying behind me. I guided her with the leash to help her come closer to my left hand side. We then worked on her Extended Sit command, as I gradually stepped further and further away from her. Lexie is learning to hold her Sit as there is 15 ft of distance between us and did well with holding that distance despite all the distractions around her. Good work Lexie!
Pupdate 3/5/2023
Lexie and I worked on all of her commands with the leash dragging today. She was able to Heel right by my left hand side without much leash pressure guidance. We have been adding distance away from each other during her commands which she is learning to be comfortable with, in a less distracting environment first. She is able to be sent away to Place from about 10 ft away which is an improvement!
She is a pup with a lot of energy! So everyday exercise is a must for her. When we got home she released a lot of her energy playing with Petra. We are working on her recall during playtime which she does need help with at times to follow through with the command. Her Off command is improving as well, as she can be a bit rough during playtime. Now she is learning to read social cues much quicker. Good work Lexie!
Pupdate 3/6/2023
Lexie and I went on a trip to the park where we worked on introducing her to a new command, Come to Heel. This command is the action of Lexie Coming to my left hand side to Heel from a distance. She caught on to this as I stimulated her as soon as she reached my left hand side to not pass me up. After a few repetitions she didn’t need much help from stimulation of the e collar.
We then emphasized our work on her recall, as I noticed she runs from the stimulation of the e collar at times. We are counter conditioning this by adding more leash pressure and rewarding a bit more frequently when she does follow the e collar stimulation so she has more of a positive association with it. Lexie has done great with potty training, not having any accidents in the kennel anymore.
Pupdate 3/7/2023
Lexie and I ventured out to the mall where we worked on proofing her commands some more while adding distance and duration to everything. She has improved with following the guidance of my visual cues more as I show her where she is expected to stay, on my left hand side. We focused our work on teaching her to check in with me more frequently. When she is overwhelmed with her environment, she lacks focus and is hyper fixated on her environment.
We played the name game, to help her focus more on me and less on her environment. She began to check in with me more as I marked her eye contact with a Yes and gave her lots of love. This seemed to counteract her anxiety, as she began to work more for affection and breaks.
After she appeared more relaxed and acclimated to her new surroundings, we began to work on her Come to Sit, and Send Away to Place with added distance today. Lexie loves to jump onto Place and often anticipates doing it before I cue her to jump. We worked on teaching her patience with her Extended Sit before sending her away to Place. After a few repetitions and corrections with low level stimulation, she understood to hold her Sit until I cued her to Place. She was able to be sent away to Place from about 10 ft away while the leash was dragging. Excellent motivation to work Lexie!
Pupdate 3/8/2023
Lexie and I began our Off Leash work today as well as introduced her to a new command, Under. Under is the action of Lexie performing a Down underneath a surface we point to. It is great to use when out and about in public settings.
Af first Lexie was unsure of the chair, not wanting to follow the leash pressure towards it. After many repetitions and feeding the leash through the other side to apply leash pressure, she eventually began to go Under the chair briefly. I then began to raise my expectations little by little. Once she was fluently going under the chair, I then added duration to her performing Under. She was able to hold her Under for up to 30 seconds today which is great! The next step is adding duration for her Under command while out in public, with different surfaces.
We then worked on her Off Leash skills at home first, where she was familiar with the environment. She was very attentive, and is learning to correct herself when she sits too far ahead of me, or passes me up during the Heel. She isn’t running from the stimulation much anymore, I just have to be very mindful of the levels she is working at. Lexie does best with very low level stimulation.
Pupdate 3/9/2023
Lexie and I worked on proofing her Under command today while out in a public setting. I guided her with a bit of leash pressure Underneath the chair and she did great with following my lead. Eventually I didn’t have to use any leash pressure at all! She was able to hold her Under for a whole minute. We then worked on her Extended Sit as she often tries to follow me when I create space between us. I gradually created more distance between us as she appeared more and more confident with being on her own and not right by my side.
Lexie’s potty training has remained consistent. She goes on a potty break first thing in the morning at 7 a.m, an hour after she eats breakfast and dinner, whenever we arrive somewhere new, and right before bed at 11 p.m. As long as there is routine for her feeding times and potty breaks she will remain consistent with her potty training routine. Dogs are creatures of routine after all!
Pupdate 3/10/2023
Lexie and I started our day with working on her Food Manners. She is expected to hold her Sit or Down while being fed. After the food bowl is placed on the floor, that is not her cue to get up. Her cue to eat is when I release her with the Cue Break. Although tempted, Lexie was able to hold her sit while I eventually went out of sight.
We then worked on her proper socialization with other pups. She had the chance to play with Petra, and another dog I have at home Chiquita. Lexie has done well with interacting with the pack. She responds to Off quickly without needing any stimulation, and Comes when called even during playtime. She is very energetic so playtime is a great outlet for her to release her energy.
Lexie goes inside the crate on cue, and often prefers to hang out there when the door is open for her. I recommend purchasing a kennel for Lexie to keep up with crate training, and prevent separation anxiety. Alone time in the kennel even while someone is home is important to help teach Lexie that being alone is not a bad thing. It also prepares her for time apart.
Crate training is also an important part of potty training, as often times potty accidents happen due to a dog having too much freedom before they have had a potty break. Sending Lexie in the crate after feeding times is important to prevent her from going all around the house after eating.
Pupdate 3/11/2023
Lexie and I went on a trip to the park today where we walked around the park together utilizing a 15 ft leash before working on her Off Leash obedience. After she demonstrated consistency, (especially around the ducks) as that was her biggest distraction, she did well with the distractions around her and was consistently Coming to Sit by my left hand side. We then worked on her Come to Heel from a distance of 15 ft or more. Lexie then performed Under for a minimum of a minute and a half, as other dogs passed by her. She is learning to focus more and offers me her attention more frequently when I cue her name.
Pupdate 3/12/2023
Lexie and I went on a trip to the park as we worked on all of her commands that she has learned so far. We utilized the 15ft leash at first as she became acclimated to her new surroundings. After a few laps we then worked on her Off Leash work! We worked on the duration of her commands, especially Under which we have emphasized our work on. She is improving with her impulse control around distractions, not going after the ducks as she did before! Now we will keep working on proofing her commands while out about in uncontrolled environments.
Pupdate 3/13/2023
Lexie and I went on a trip to the park where we had the opportunity to work on all of her commands Off Leash. She remained consistent with holding her Extended Sit, Down, and Place after we Heeled together near other dogs. She is fluently performing Under, Send Away to Place from 15 ft away or more, and Come to Sit from quite a distance. Lexie is an energetic pup so it is important to meet her exercise needs with playtime, walks, and training. Good work Lexie!
Pupdate 3/14/2023
Lexie and I ventured out to Petco today! We walked around the store as we exposed her to her new environment. There were all kinds of new smells for her to soak in as we Heeled near the hamsters, iguanas, and Guinea pigs squeaking around. Lexie was very interested in this initially. We took some time to desensitize her to this as we worked on her Extended Sit and Down. As she became more acclimated to her environment, she checked in with me quite frequently.
Lexie performs best when given frequent breaks, which is what we have been incorporating more in her training sessions to help her focus. A break can also be used as a reward after she performs her behaviors fluently!
Pupdate 3/15/2023
Lexie and I venture out to the mall where we began to film content for her Final Video! She has improved significantly with her Heel, not straying too far away from my left side as she did before. She does love the attention so we have been working on proofing her Sit while being pet. It is important to communicate to whoever she is greeting, to only pet her if all four paws are on the floor. Promoting calm energy to Lexie is best when interacting with her. Since she can be an excitable, energetic pup, promoting calmness and rewarding it will only benefit her along the way!
Potty training has gone well with Lexie, not having any accidents since the first few days she was with me. We make it a routine to go on potty breaks first thing in the morning, an hour after eating or drinking, and right before bed as well! She only gets freedom to roam around if she has already gone potty.
Pupdate 3/16/2023
Lexie and I went to The Block of Orange today as we worked some more on proofing her Off Leash skills while near plenty of distractions. She has become very fluent with her commands, waiting for my release with the cue Break to sniff around and do as she pleases.
We have been emphasizing our work on calling her to Come away from distractions while on Break. Ironically, the more fluent she is with everything requested of her, the more freedom she has! Lexie has done great with consistently Coming when Called as well as Coming to Heel by my left hand side from a distance. Excellent work Lexie!
Pupdate 3/17/2023
Lexie and I took a trip to The Outlets today where we worked on all of her commands that she has learned within these past three weeks. She has remained consistent with her Heel, staying by my left hand side as we walk around new environments together. She holds her position as I create distance between us of 15 ft or more, checking in with me frequently waiting for the next request.
She does well with all of the other pups, helping bring them out of their shell when socializing. She used to be very pushy when interacting when other pups, but is now learning to play a bit more gently, responding to Off more quickly than before.
Pupdate 3/18/2023
Lexie and I spent our day together working on all of her commands as we strolled around the neighborhood. We passed by a few reactive dogs and Lexie did great with Heeling by my side, not bothered by the other pups next to us. We have been utilizing her crate training to help with separation anxiety, and potty training. I recommend keeping up with this back at home with Lexie, as often times accidents happen at home when too much freedom is given to a dog before they have been taken out on a potty break. I know potty pads have been the primary focus to have Lexie pee on, but I do recommend utilizing a fake grass potty pad instead, as Lexie’s preference is to go on grass. Implementing a solid routine as to when she eats and has her potty breaks, helps set her up for success back at home. As of now Lexie sleeps overnight in her kennel, and goes on a potty break first thing in the morning. She is walked over to the potty pads on a leash (using multiple pads is recommended), and cued to go potty. If unable to walk her over to the potty pad, I recommend setting up a section of the house that is isolated with a pet gate and several pads inside of it. Once it is evident that she has gone potty, she may get freedom to roam around. She is then fed at 7 or 8 a.m and taken out on a potty break an hour after every breakfast and an hour after lunch which is at about five p.m. Potty breaks are recommended every three to four hours, and the food bowl should be removed about thirty minutes after feeding. If food and water is always available, it will be difficult to predict when she has to go.
Lexie has overall become more confident, can hold her Place and Extended Sit for a minimum of two minutes, and can Come to Sit from about 15 ft away. I recommended constantly taking Lexie to new environments. Desensitization to new places will only further improve her training. She is a loving girl who needs a lot of guidance, structure and leadership to thrive and follow instructions. She has come a long way and we can not wait to show you what she has learned. Thank you for trusting me with Lexie!
