Meet Major! He's a three month old Finnish Spitz from Sherman Oaks, California, here for our Three-Week Puppy Board and Train program! Major is very friendly and sweet. He has some issues with demand barking, barking at people and other dogs, play biting, and following basic commands. He also needs some potty training! Over the next twenty one days, Major is going to learn how to limit his barking, and how to behave on leash. Stay tuned for Major's three week transformation!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/15/2022
After picking up Major, we headed to Don Knabe park to get to know each other! While riding in the car, Major barked quite a bit, and was relieved when we arrived. We walked around and played in the park, which Major seemed to enjoy! He was very interested in all the geese around the park. After the park, we went home and I let Major sniff around my house to get him settled in. He was much quieter on the way home. I think he got a lot of exercise at the park and he's ready for a nap!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/16/2022
Major and I went to Citadel Outlets today for training! We started working on his Heel command and his Sit command. He seems to know how to sit fairly well, however I'd like him to be able to sit immediately when asked and hold the sit. For Heel, I want Major to walk politely at my left side without pulling forward or veering off. He is starting to get the hang of this! He still likes to sniff around and pull, but he made some really good progress today! Major had a potty accident on the way home today, but other than that he's been pretty good at going potty in grassy areas which is great for his potty training!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/17/2022
Major and I went to Cheviot Hills Park today for training! He had fun playing around in the grass! We kept working on his Heel, and introduced the Come To Sit command. For this command, I want Major to come to my right side, walk around my legs and sit at my left side with his ears at my knee. He is starting to get the motion down! He barked a little bit on his car rides, but he was very well behaved while we were working! He has been barking for a few minutes when I first put him in his kennel at bed time, but he usually stops fairly quickly until he needs to be let out to potty. No potty accidents so far today!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/18/2022
Major went to Almansor Park today for training! We continued working on his Heel and Come To Sit commands. As you can see in the above video, he's starting to respond to these commands relatively quickly and with very little leash pressure. Major started barking this morning, but I think it was to tell me he needed to potty. Once we started moving, playing and working, he quieted down and has remained fairly quiet for the rest of the day so far! No potty accidents today!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/19/2022
Major and I went to Boyson Park today for training! He did an excellent job today. He had no potty accidents and he refrained from barking too much all day! He was very well behaved. For training, we worked on his Place command. For Place, I want Major to hop up onto a raised object, such as a bench, and hold his position there. Major is sometimes hesitant to make the jump, but practicing this command should help with his confidence! Major was around several other dogs today, and seemed to take some interest in them, but he never got so distracted that he wouldn't perform his commands. Excellent work, Major!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/20/2022
Major and I went to Pan Pacific Park today for training! He whined and barked a little on the drive there, but once we started working, he was cool and collected for the most part! We worked on all of his commands, including his Down command. It seems while we're out and about, Major doesn't like Down, because he'd rather be more active. When at home, however, he responds to the Down command quite well. No potty accidents yet today!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/21/2022
Last night Major and I went to Home Depot for some extra training! It wasn't very busy but there were still some loud noises to use as distractions. He did a great job there. Today we went to Citadel Outlets. It was very busy with shoppers and other dogs, but Major still did a great job for the majority of the day! There was one point where Major didn't want to perform his Place command, but after a few practice attempts, he started to get it. Major is starting to get better with his durations. He's starting to be able to hold his positions for longer periods of time, even when surrounded by distractions. Every once in a while he'll break a command due to distractions, but he's getting better every day!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/22/2022
Major and I went back to Citadel Outlets today for training! He did even better than yesterday! He was very responsive and attentive when asked to perform his commands. Several strangers wanted to pet him, and Major did a great job of not jumping or play biting while being approached! He was very calm and well behaved.
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/23/2022
Major and I went to the Santa Monica Pier today for training! He seemed a little bit nervous in this new area at first, but it only took a few minutes for him to adjust. The command Major has been having the toughest time with is Place, but today he performed his Place command very reliably and enthusiastically! In addition to that, Major has been well behaved all day with no potty accidents.
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/24/2022
Major and I went to Pan Pacific Park today for training! He was a little bit too interested in some of the other dogs, but he responded to his commands very well! His potty training is going well, and his barking seems more in control with each passing day. Great job with everything, Major!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/25/2022
Major and I wish you happy holidays! We worked and played at Almansor Park today! Major mostly had an easy day, but that doesn't mean we didn't get a lot of work done! He did a great job at the park! The park was very busy with parties, but Major mostly stayed focused. No potty accidents so far today!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/26/2022
Major and I went to El Camino Real Park today for training! One of the commands he's been struggling the most with is Place, so today we set up a line for Major to jump over! This will help him learn to use his back legs to jump, and also build his confidence! He did a great job. There were a few times Major hesitated and didn't want to jump, but he quickly got the hang of it!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/27/2022
Major had a great day at Almansor Park today! There were tons of geese around the park, which Major was interested in. We worked around the geese and Major ended up doing a great job! Whenever he got distracted by the geese, I would use the Off command. Off is our basic "do not do" command, and Major has been doing a good job learning it!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/28/2022
Major and I went to Maple Park today for training! He did a great job all day! He did a really good job of ignoring distractions and staying on task today. After Maple Park, we went to a park near my house for some play time and extra exercise! It seems to me that Major's barking is directly related to his exercise each day. If he ends the day with a lot of pent up energy, he's much more likely to bark at bed time.
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/29/2022
Major and I went to Citadel Outlets today for training! He got lots of compliments and plenty of people wanted to pet him! Major did a great job of staying relaxed around all the strangers. He's also doing much better with his Place command! Great job, Major!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/30/2022
Major and I went to Citadel Outlets this morning for training! He did a really good job there, with no major mistakes or inappropriate behavior. The rest of our day was spent at home working on his household manners! In the above video, I demonstrate Major's door manners. For door manners, I want to be able to open and close the door without Major trying to push past me or run out in front of me. He should be able to sit patiently until I'm ready for him to walk in or out! As you can see, Major is getting pretty good with this! Major is still doing well with his potty training, and he didn't have any accidents today! Major has been able to consistently hold going potty overnight for around six to eight hours. I usually take him outside to go potty at around eleven at night before bed, and walk him in the morning at around six to seven. This has been working well for us!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 12/31/2022
Major and I went to Montebello Mall today to avoid the rain! He was a bit more excited than usual. Major usually gets playtime and gets to run around with me at the park by my house in the morning, but today we went straight to the mall. This reinforces my thoughts about Major being the most well behaved when he's getting plenty of exercise! That being said, he still performed all of his commands, and walked politely, he just had a bit of an attitude while doing so!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 1/1/2023
Major and I went to Valley Village Park today for training! It drizzled a little bit but we stayed under cover until it stopped. Major wanted to play in some mud puddles so he might need a bath tonight! Other than that, Major had an easy day with no complications. He was well behaved all day!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 1/2/2023
Major and I went to El Dorado Park today for training! He got to see a lot of his friends who are also in training! He was very chipper and engaged today! He got plenty of work in as well as some exercise and playtime.
______________________________________
Pupdate: 1/3/2023
Major and I went to Citadel Outlets today! For his pupdate video today, we went through all of his commands in succession, and tested how well he can ignore distractions. He did a great job all the way through. He did well with each command, and he managed to hold his positions with people walking around him without breaking and getting up!
______________________________________
Pupdate: 1/4/2023
It was a rainy day at Bell Gardens Park today! Major didn't seem to mind the drizzles too much, and continued to do a great job with all of his commands. Major is going home tomorrow, and I'm going to miss him dearly! His spunky attitude has made working with him tons of fun!
Comments