Meet Logan! Logan is a 2-year-old German Shepherd who has joined us for a one-week Board and Train program. While Logan has trained with us before, he needs some additional work on impulse control, excitement around children, and managing his separation anxiety. Although Logan typically has a stable routine, he has recently started exhibiting some unusual behaviors, which is why we're here to help him get back on track. Over the next eight days, I will review and reinforce all aspects of Logan's obedience, closely monitoring his behavior to identify any areas that may need further attention. Follow Logan's progress as I work with him to enhance his previous training.
Pupdate 1/13/2025
Today, I had the pleasure of meeting up with an old friend, Logan. After picking him up, we headed home to settle in and put away his belongings before heading to a park in Cerritos to meet the off-leash training team. Once we arrived, we set up our spot and prepared our dogs for training.
In the video above, you can see Logan was very obedient on leash while I focused on warming him up with e-collar training. He was clearly excited to work, but remained confident and composed, holding his position even as other dogs moved around him and I walked about freely. Logan maintained his position for almost two minutes before I released him to give him praise. After the video, we transitioned from leash work to off-leash obedience, where Logan continued to perform well. We also had some fun playing fetch with a ball while the other dogs trained nearby. Despite the time passing, Logan never seemed to tire, so we kept training and playing fetch before wrapping up.
Once we returned home, Logan drank some water and settled into his crate, immediately laying down to take a nap. I walked out of his sight and into another room to observe his response, and he remained calm, even as Hunter wandered near his crate without making a sound. Logan eventually fell asleep, and hours later, he woke up to continue the rest of his day with me.
Stay tuned for more updates on his daily progress and the training sessions we do throughout the week!
Pupdate 1/14/2025
Today, Logan and Hunter had an early morning walk that went smoothly, with both dogs behaving well and not attempting to play with each other during the walk. After returning home, I allowed them to play in the backyard, but their playtime only lasted about 10 minutes before they both became tired and settled down on the floor.
Once the dogs had rested, I put Hunter away and focused on training Logan, both inside and outside the house, to assess his house manners. Logan recalls his training well when asked to "place" and remains confident while waiting. However, he seems to become a bit impatient, though this appears to be more of an issue with restlessness rather than separation anxiety. He occasionally whines or vocalizes, but I ignore these behaviors and continue with the training as usual.
After finishing the indoor training, we moved to the backyard to work on door manners with the side gate, which went well. Logan was able to wait patiently, allowing me to move freely between the front and back yards as needed. As we continued practicing, it became clear that Logan needed more exercise to fully settle. Once playtime ended and the toys were put away, Logan would lie down and relax, although he occasionally got up to roam around. To manage this, I used his e-collar to redirect him back into a down position to help him stay calm. After some time, when he could remain in his down position and settle, he eventually began to rest or nap. At this point, I placed him back into his crate to ensure he got a good rest.
Later on when my brother returned from school I had him work with Logan for twenty minutes. Throughout their training session only in the beginning did Logan try to challenge Nick by acting on his impulses but was easily redirected with the use of his e-collar. We will continue to have them train together as a daily routine.
Pupdate 1/15/2025
Today, we went to Cerritos Mall in Cerritos, CA, to meet up with some friends from Offleash and continue Logan's training for the week. Logan did well walking through the mall, maintaining a good pace alongside me. During our obedience practice, I noticed that he would sometimes try to adjust his sit or down positions, so we focused on refining his obedience and making his movements more controlled. He was able to hold each positionāsit, down, and placeāfor at least two minutes, if not longer, when asked.
While working with another trainer, Logan began to show signs of separation anxiety. He vocalized and became overstimulated whenever I was out of his sight. To help him settle, my coworker took him for a walk and continued practicing obedience, which gradually calmed him down. After a short time with someone else, Logan was back to his usual self when I resumed handling him, and we continued our training, focusing on obedience and allowing people to pass by without distraction. Once we returned home, Logan had some time to rest while I ran errands. Later, my brother and I worked on training with both Logan and Nick. Today, Logan was much better with Nick compared to previous days, when he would often act impulsively by getting up from his sit or down positions. It seemed like there was a noticeable improvement between the two today.
The rest of the day was spent working on off-leash obedience training, both inside and outside the house, to further condition Logan. Despite being a very energetic young pup, his growing obedience is helping him stay focused and settled during all the exercises we've been working on.
Pupdate 1/16/2025
This morning, I took Hunter and Logan for an off-leash walk, which went very well. Our walk lasted about 30 minutes, after which we headed home and allowed the dogs some playtime in the backyard. Once the dogs had a chance to rest and settle, I put Hunter away and worked on some training inside the house, with my brother staying home today to assist.
In the video above, I had Logan stay by the kitchen door to teach him that heās not allowed to pass through it. When Logan tries to stretch his paws inside the door, it sometimes causes him to slowly crawl past. I redirect him each time this happens, guiding him back into position until he learns to stay without crawling. This helps to create a stronger foundation for handling distractions. I brought out a toy ball, which Logan loves and is usually eager to break obedience for. As I threw the ball in front of him, Logan stayed calm and obedient, though he did whine a little. Nick and I ignored his whininess and continued with the training. As we progressed, Logan eventually calmed completely, and I rewarded him by tossing the ball to my side of the house. This helps reinforce the idea that Logan doesnāt need to pass the kitchen door unless instructed to do so.
In the second video, we focused on his extended "down" command, with me walking around the yard. Logan performed the command with ease on his first try. Afterward, we worked on recall, which needed some minor adjustments in positioning, but Logan quickly corrected himself after being redirected. Nick spent additional time training Logan this morning, specifically working on his heel command to ensure Logan remains properly conditioned when walking with a teen. Nick is highly knowledgeable about leash and e-collar training, so his assistance makes it easier for Logan to understand how to obey commands from other children as well.
Throughout the day, we continued working on boundaries inside the house and reinforcing calm behavior during off-leash training. While Logan is confident and willing to train outside, he tends to want to roam around the house when inside. However, after some time, he eventually settles and can be asked to return to his crate. Once inside, he remains calm and doesnāt vocalize or complain.
Pupdate 1/17/2025
This morning, we woke up early to take Hunter on an off-leash walk around the neighborhood before heading to a park to meet a friend. A few hours later, we went to Hillcrest Park in Downtown Fullerton to meet my friend and get some exercise. Logan and I arrived early and waited in a designated area of the park before our friend Rosa arrived. When she got there, Logan was calm and friendly with her, even giving her kisses. He was able to stay composed while we chatted.
As we walked around the park, Logan tried to lead ahead of me a few times, but he was easily redirected and maintained a proper heel for the rest of our walk. Along the way, we worked on platforms we encountered, practicing commands like āplace,ā āsit,ā ādown,ā and ārecall.ā By the end of our visit, we had an open field to ourselves, so I allowed Logan to roam freely and explore, letting him enjoy the surroundings and be himself. He often returned to me for reassurance, and I would either let him continue roaming or have him chase me for a brief moment before heading home. We stopped at Starbucks on the way back, where I treated Logan to a pup cup, which he enjoyed at home.
Later, Logan and Nick continued their obedience training, both outside and inside the house. They worked on off-leash obedience, including playing fetch, which Logan excels at. He even dropped the ball for Nick when asked. We also continued with boundary training, reinforcing that Logan should stay in my side of the house and not enter my parents' side unless invited.
Pupdate 1/18/2025
This morning, we followed our usual routine, starting with an early walk with Hunter, followed by playtime once we returned home. Before taking Logan to La Mirada Park, I did some training with him and played tug of war with a tug toy to help desensitize him before we headed out.
Around 11:00 AM, we arrived at La Mirada Regional Park for some exercise and fun. We began with a game of fetch to help tire Logan out, as he tends to be very energetic at the start of our visits. He was obedient throughout the game, always bringing the ball back when asked, or dropping it on his own if needed. We continued playing fetch even after the video ended, and during that time, other dogs were roaming around, but Logan didnāt show any interest in them. After taking a break and having some water, we went for a walk around the park. Logan stayed close to my side and was noticeably calmer. We passed several ducks and geese around the pond, but Logan didnāt pay any attention to them.
Later, Nick spent some time training Logan in front of the house while off-leash. Logan responded well to Nickās commands, showing the same level of obedience that he does with me.
Pupdate 1/19/2025
This morning, we took our usual early walk with Hunter. I gave them some time to play in an open field of grass next to a church, which they really seemed to enjoy. However, we didnāt stay long as it appeared there was a funeral taking place, so we decided to head home. Back at the house, the dogs enjoyed some playtime in the backyard. After Hunter settled down, Logan was still full of energy and remained playful, so I put Hunter away to give Logan some focused one-on-one playtime.
The main focus of today was Loganās training session with Nick, which continued throughout the day. Inside the house, Logan behaves well with Nick, even during indoor games of fetch in the open area I have set up. In the video above, you can see Logan is focused on walking with Nick, showing less distraction from me. However, the water on the ground did catch his attention today, so Nick had to redirect him a few times. Nick was able to guide Logan up and down the sidewalk, with each walk lasting about two minutes before they returned inside. Before re-entering, Nick asks Logan to sit, and once theyāre inside, Logan heads straight to my side of the house. The final clips show Logan and I working on obedience training, including come to heel, recall, and door manners in the backyard, all of which went smoothly. Logan spent the rest of the day lounging inside with Hunter, chewing on a toy and resting at his own pace.
Logan has now completed his board and train program, and it has been a pleasure working with him. He has consistently demonstrated good behavior, and his training has remained strong since the last time we worked together. While he is more energetic now than when he first arrived, playing and training sessions help him settle down, much like any dog that enjoys having a job. Throughout the week, we continued to refine his impulse control, and even a single redirection is enough for him to regain focus and calm down. Logan will certainly be missed in my home, as he has been a well-mannered and wonderful companion to my family.
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