Luka | Australian Cattle Dog | Los Angeles, CA | In Training
- Tanner Strong
- Dec 21, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Jan 4
Meet Luka! He's a one year old Australian Cattle Dog from Los Angeles, California here for our Two-Week Board and Train Program! Luka can be reserved at first, but quickly becomes very friendly and loving! He's a smart boy, and has fun trying to trick his brothers into leaving toys so he can have them to himself and if he sees the door open, he often wants to try to sneak out. While he's familiar with some commands, he often has difficulty following through, especially around distractions. He loves other dogs especially, and wants to get their attention rather than focus on commands. Over the next fourteen days, we will work on Luka's obedience skills and his impulse control around distractions, work on his manners in and out of the house, and help him become the best pup he can possibly be! Stay tuned for Luka's two week transformation!
Pupdate: 12/21/2025
After picking up Luka, we spent some time at the park to start getting to know each other. From the beginning, he was pretty friendly and open, which was great to see. He did want to pull around a bit, mostly toward distractions in the environment, showing a lot of curiosity and interest in what was going on around him.
When working on his commands, Luka was responsive about half the time. He showed that he understands what’s being asked, but at this stage he wasn’t able to hold his positions for very long, which is very typical early on and something we’ll continue to build with repetition and structure.
Once we got home, we focused on getting settled in. Luka was eager to sniff around and explore his new surroundings, taking everything in. He’s settling in quite well so far and has continued to be friendly and pleasant, which is a great foundation to build on moving forward. Overall, a solid first day of getting acquainted and starting the transition into training.
Pupdate: 12/22/2025
Luka and I went to the park today and spent our session working on his commands. Overall, this went really well. He’s showing himself to be a fast learner and is already picking up on cues quickly, which is great to see.
As expected, the toughest part for Luka was handling the various distractions around the park. While they made things more challenging, they also gave us a good opportunity to see where he’ll need the most work moving forward. He’ll likely need the most time spent practicing around these distractions, with a strong focus on consistency in his commands and manners.
All in all, it was a productive day for Luka, and his ability to learn quickly gives us a great foundation to build on.
Pupdate: 12/23/2025
Today, Luka and I headed to Home Depot to avoid the rain and work in an indoor environment. He did pretty well overall, though he started out by pulling a bit at first, which is common when entering an exciting new space.
After spending a few minutes in the store, Luka began to settle in nicely. His pulling improved, and he found it easier and easier to focus as we continued working. Once he got past that initial excitement, his engagement and responsiveness were much stronger.
Overall, this was a productive session for Luka, and the improvement we saw as time went on is a great sign. Continued practice in environments like this will keep helping him build consistency and focus.
Pupdate: 12/24/2025
Luka and I headed back to Home Depot today to stay dry indoors once again. He had an easier time today sticking with me without feeling the need to get ahead, which was great to see. Overall, he was polite and fairly responsive throughout our time in the store. He did well in this environment, but I’m definitely looking forward to getting back outside soon, as I think that’s where distractions will be more interesting and challenging for him. Nice work today, Luka!
Pupdate: 12/25/2025
We took advantage of the breaks in the rain to get some time outside today! Luka was excited to be back at the park and clearly had a lot of fun, while also getting in some structured practice with his commands. For the most part, he did well and showed good engagement. There were a few moments where he wanted to get playful and hug my feet instead of focusing on work, but that’s totally okay and part of the learning process. We’ll keep working on building his focus and clarity during training sessions!
Pupdate: 12/26/2025
Today we worked around the rain and used the opportunity to begin focusing on Luka’s indoor manners. Luka is known for wanting to rush out the door, so today’s video highlights our work on his door manners.
The goal is for Luka to sit politely as I open the door, allow me to walk out first, and only follow when he’s asked. For the purpose of today’s video, he’s sitting right in front of the door, but long term the goal is for the door opening to be a complete nonevent—no matter where he is in the house.
We practice this a little bit every time we leave, and while Luka has had some difficulty staying polite about it in the past, he made a great deal of progress today. This is an important step toward better impulse control and safer, calmer exits.
Pupdate: 12/27/2025
We were able to get back outside today, and Luka was much happier without the rain! He was definitely extra excited to be back at the park and soaking it all in.
Despite that excitement, Luka still did well with his commands and was able to work through the session productively. As expected, his enthusiasm made things a little challenging at times, but he continued to show good effort and willingness to listen.
Overall, it was a positive day for Luka, and it was great to see him enjoying being back at the park while still making progress in his training!
Pupdate: 12/28/2025
Today we worked on giving Luka a bit more freedom by using a long line while practicing his commands. For the most part, he remained responsive and did a nice job checking back in with me, which is exactly what we want to see as we work toward more off-leash reliability.
There were a couple moments where Luka ran all the way to the end of the leash after making a beeline toward some very cute puppies nearby. Those puppies were barking their heads off at him, which made the situation more challenging than some of the other dogs we’ve worked past so far. Even so, Luka was able to come back, though it did take more effort in those moments.
This session was an important reminder that before the leash comes all the way off, I need to be fully confident I can trust Luka in higher-distraction situations like this. He’s making progress, but we’re still working on building that consistency and reliability when excitement levels are high.
Pupdate: 12/29/2025
Luka and I got some great off-leash work in at the park today! We started with a warm-up using the leash dragging to get him focused and tuned in, then progressed to taking his leash off entirely. This was a big step forward for Luka.
We worked in a wide open field with very minimal distractions at a distance, which set him up for success. Using a combination of his e-collar and treats, Luka did quite well staying engaged and responding to me. Overall, this was a really positive session and a solid milestone in his training as we continue building his confidence and reliability off leash.
Pupdate: 12/30/2025
Today we continued working on Luka’s off-leash commands, with most of our focus on Place and Come To Sit. He did a great job settling into a rhythm much more quickly than before, which made the session feel smoother and more productive overall.
Because he was able to stay mentally engaged, Luka earned some fun play breaks while still remaining much more reliable with his structured off-leash work. He showed better understanding of when it was time to work versus when it was okay to relax and have fun, which is an important skill for off-leash reliability.
Overall, Luka made nice progress today, showing improved consistency and balance between focus and freedom. We’ll keep building on this rhythm to strengthen his confidence and dependability off leash.
Pupdate: 12/31/2025
Once again, we found ourselves avoiding the rain and heading to Home Depot for some training. Luka did extremely well today and really showed off how far he’s come. He was very polite and responsive throughout our entire time in the store, staying focused on me and making great choices even with people and distractions all around.
He did a nice job walking with me without pulling ahead and resisted the urge to stop and sniff people as we passed by. Overall, this was a very smooth session, and I honestly didn’t have any issues with him today. Luka should be proud of himself—this was an excellent outing and a great example of his growing maturity and obedience.
Pupdate: 1/1/2026
It was raining on and off today, so Luka and I started our morning at Home Depot to stay dry. He did well walking around the store, handling the environment and distractions nicely while staying engaged with me.
Later in the afternoon, the rain held off for a bit, so we took advantage of the break and headed back outside to the park to get Luka some extra outdoor time. He was happy to be back out and did a nice job settling into the change of environment.
On a health note, Luka had some loose stool last night and again this morning, so I added a bit of pumpkin to his meals to help firm things up. I’ll continue to keep an eye on him and let you know how he’s doing.
Pupdate: 1/2/2026
We managed to get out to the park before the rain rolled in, and only got caught in it for a few minutes! Luka did some great work today, practicing off-leash while also being around other dogs. This was a big win for him.
Not long ago, Luka would try to take off when he spotted a puppy, but today he showed how much progress he’s made by staying engaged and making much better choices even with those distractions around. His focus and self-control have improved a lot in a short amount of time.
Great job today, Luka! Keep it up!
Pupdate: 1/3/2026
Luka and I made it out to the park this morning, then spent the rest of the day indoors staying dry and out of the rain. For today’s video, I’m highlighting some of the manners we’ve been practicing, and Luka did a great job showing off his progress.
We’ve worked on Door Manners before, but now we’re practicing them without the leash. Luka has been doing really well respecting the thresholds laid out for him, waiting patiently and making calm, thoughtful choices before moving through doorways.
For Food Refusal, the goal is for Luka to sit calmly even when food is placed right in front of him, without feeling the need to rush or gobble it up. This exercise is excellent for building impulse control and also serves as an important safety skill in case something drops on the floor that he shouldn’t eat. Luka has been doing very well with this and is showing good patience and understanding.
With Car Manners, I want Luka to remain seated when I open the car door, then hop in only when asked and walk straight into his crate. This keeps everything calm, organized, and safe during travel. We’ve been practicing this a little bit each day, and Luka continues to make steady progress.
Overall, Luka is showing a lot of maturity and is doing a great job with these everyday manners. I’m really proud of how well he’s been handling his training!
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