Meet Malinky! She is a six month old Australian/ German Shepherd mix who has joined us for our Three Week Board and Train Program. Malinky is here for basic obedience, leash pulling, jumping to greet, and counter surfing. She also picks up and chews on items she finds on the floor. She is easily distracted by people and other dogs, and will not come when called. Over the next twenty one days, this smart girl will be working on her behavior and be set up for success, with the hopes of becoming a well mannered pup. Check in to see her progress!
Malinky and I spent the day getting to know each other. She was a little nervous around me initially which is normal, so we drove to a local park and went for a walk to establish a bond. During our walk, Malinky was very distracted by the grass smells, and was pulling heavily on her leash. She would also try and interact with any person passing us by. After a few laps around the park, she began to warm up to me and I introduced her to Heel. Heel is the behavior that consists of having Malinky walk next to me on my left side. To teach this technique, I would have Malinky walk towards the end of the leash as I make a u-turn and walk in the opposite direction. I would then guide her back towards me with leash tension and repeat the exercise until she began to understand what I was asking. We will continue to work on it by applying Heel on every walk we go on from here on out. She was a little anxious when I picked her up, and did get a little carsick. She threw up her kibble, but I cleaned her up and she is doing much better now. She did not want to eat her dinner, but I will leave it out for her in case she gets hungry. She is opening up to me more and I am looking forward to helping Malinky make progress these next three weeks.
Malinky and I have been working on her Heel and our evening and morning walks are helping her progress. She still tries to pull ahead at times but by continuing to make the u-turns and using leash tension, I am able to get Malinky back on track. She was also introduced to her recall which is known as Come to Sit. This technique consists of having Malinky come towards my right, going around behind me, and sitting on my left. To teach Malinky, I began with a short distance and guided her towards my right with her leash. This helped her from coming directly to my left as well as my front. Once she began to understand the concept, I would then take a step forward and begin guiding her to go around while behind me. Malinky caught on fairly quick and I would then ask her to Sit once she was at my left. She is doing well, but at times she does tend to Sit off to the side. I will work on that with Malinky by using walls as barriers to have her complete a much straighter Sit. She did very well sleeping in her crate overnight, and is eating throughout the day.
Malinky and I worked on Place today. This technique consists of having Malinky getting onto an elevated object and remaining there in a Sit or a Down. It can be very useful when guests are over or if there is a knock on your door. It is also a great use to build confidence in a pup. To teach Place, I begin by introducing the object to Malinky and assist her with leash tension to help her get onto the object. It does take a little time since some dogs are a little hesitant initially, so I work with them at their pace. You always want to make sure not to force them to fully get on the object the first time. Always remember to be patient and take it one step at a time. With Malinky, who happens to be quite the confident pup, it did not take long for her to learn the concept of Place. She was able to get onto the object with no hesitation, and was able to give me an automatic Sit during our session. After a few repetitions with consistency, I introduced the word “Place,” and began to reward her with praise when following through. As we continue to work on this behavior, I will gradually begin to increase the height of the object, as well as having her Place on objects with different texture and different surfaces.
Malinky and I have been working on Down. This behavior can be one of the most difficult to teach a dog, since it puts the pup in a submissive position, which can also make it feel vulnerable being down on all fours. It takes time and lots of patience practicing this behavior, so make sure to take breaks in between to avoid frustration. Working with Malinky, I used leash tension and her kibble to lure her towards the ground. I began by asking her to Sit, held the kibble in front of her nose, moved it down towards her chest area, and had her follow it down. Once her nose was close to the floor, I then moved the treat forward, and rewarded her once she completed her task. There were a few instances in which she tried to give me her paw since she is used to the “Shake” that you have taught her, but I am pointing my finger towards the ground to avoid confusion. We worked on it a little more at a local Home Depot today with minimal distractions and she did very well. I will continue to work on it with her and remain consistent as I introduce her to more distractions.
Malinky and I drove out to the pier today and worked on what she has learned so far in a highly distracting environment. She adjusted well to her surroundings as we took a lap around the area. She did very well around people, and was great around other dogs. We are now loose leash walking and she is not pulling like she used to. By continuing to work on her recall with barriers like I mentioned, Malinky is not sitting off to the side like she did initially. She also continues to build her confidence as we practice her Place on different objects. She was a little hesitant with her Down in the beginning of our session, but by working her through it, Malinky was able to follow through. She has learned most of her behaviors and in the coming days, I will be working on them with a fifteen foot long line, as we work on distance and duration.
Malinky and I are working on distance and duration. She is doing well with her Sit, but was having trouble with Place and Down. I have been practicing in increments of five seconds with Malinky. For every foot back, I have her hold her position for five seconds before releasing her with a “Break.” One foot is five seconds, two feet is ten seconds, three feet is fifteen, and so on. While she holds her Sit, I can distance myself about eight feet before releasing her. While working on her Place and Down, I was only able to distance myself about four feet before she came out of her position. Anytime that occurred, I went back to doing reps of three feet until I saw consistency in Malinky. After a few sessions, she began to follow through, and I am now able to distance myself about six feet. We continue to practice everyday, with hopes of reaching the end of the fifteen foot leash while she remains in her stationary positions.
Malinky and I worked on a new command known as Come to Heel. This technique consists of having Malinky walk into a Heel from a stationary position. To teach her, I asked her to Sit, took a step forward and used leash tension to have her Heel. After a few reps, I introduced the hand signal that consisted of tapping my left leg, and Malinky caught on pretty quick. She does anticipate the behavior at times, but I remind her to Sit and work her through it. Malinky has made great progress during her first week, and I am looming forward to making more progress with her in week two.
Malinky and I have been working on Under. It is the opposite of Place that consists of having Malinky go under an object rather than placing on top of it. To teach Malinky, I used leash tension and her kibble to guide her into position. I walked her to the object and lured her with her kibble and asked her to Down. As soon as she followed through, I immediately released her and rewarded her with praise. After a few repetitions and consistency, I then proceeded to have her hold her position for a few seconds before asking her to break. She is doing well and the more we work on it, I will be fading out her kibble and will only use praise as a reward. Teaching Malinky to be comfortable and calm under objects like tables, chairs, or benches can provide several benefits. It can create a safe and secure space for the her, help in managing her behavior in various environments, and offer Malinky a designated area to relax and feel secure.
Malinky and I met with other trainers and their pups today, and assisted us by serving as a distraction while we continue to practice Under and Down. She did very well with Under, as she was able to remain in position as another pup passed by. While working on Down, Malinky did come out of position which was due to me giving her some leash tension to keep her from scratching. Once she stood up, I reset her, asked her to Down again, and she followed through. Malinky was great walking alongside the other pups as we walked throughout the mall, and she does a very good job at adjusting to the environment around her.
Malinky and I worked on Send Away to Place. This technique consists of having Malinky Place on an object that I point to from a distance rather than walking her up to it. When working on this command, always make sure to still introduce the object you want her to Place on and have her become familiar with it. Once introduced and placing on a consistent basis, I then proceed to have her Sit about two feet from the object, then point and give her leash tension to assist her. Once she understands what I am asking and follows through, I reward her with praise and repeat the exercise. After about four or five reps without error in our session, I move back another foot and continue working on it to increase distance. If she is having trouble following through while stepping back, I go back to the previous distance and restart the session from there. Malinky still needs more practice, so I will continue to work on it with her.
Makinky and I worked on some leash dragging exercises today. It was the first time I have worked with Malinky without using any leash tension so I took my time and worked patiently with her. Given the dog distractions around her, and people passing by, Malinky did very well following through during our session. She did have a little trouble with Down, but I worked her through it with repetition. I will continue to focus on what she needs the most work on these next couple of days as we begin preparation for her off leash experience.
Malinky and I worked on her stationary positions with continuous exposure to different distractions. We worked around crowds of people and loud traffic noises, all while being around another pup as well. She did very well and was able to hold her position as I kept an eight to ten foot distance. What I did notice Malinky needing work on is her separation anxiety. When assisting another trainer with filming, Malinky was in the hands of our head trainer, and Malinky started to get whiny as I walked away. She does well around the house if I step away for a minute and does not whine at all. I will work on that with her when we meet with other trainers this coming week.
Malinky and I have been working on Send Away to Place and Under with the same object. She is learning how to distinguish both commands by making a different approach with them. For Send Away to Place, as we are approaching the object, I ask her to Sit from a distance as I step away from her, then proceed to point towards the surface and ask her to Place. When working on Under, I walk with Malinky directly towards the object, crouch, and ask her to go Under. It was a bit confusing initially as she anticipated Place most of the time, but with practice and repetition, Malinky is doing well distinguishing the difference. She is also learning not to jump on people when we are being approached as she remains in a calm relaxed state.
Malinky and I began working on her off leash conditioning. We practiced in my backyard and front yard since it is an enclosed area and she did pretty well. Her Come to Sit needed a little guidance as she sat a little behind me, but with a hand gesture and some verbal encouragement, Malinky followed through. She did great with her Send Away to Place and I love how confident she can be. As she enters her final week of training, it will consist of working off leash in different environments and exposure to different distractions as we begin preparation for her Final.
Malinky and I drove out to a local park and worked on some off leash exercises around people serving as distractions. Throughout our walk, she did very well remaining next to me as we practiced Heel. There were a few dogs in the area as we walked to our location, and although she was a little curious, Malinky did not make an approach and continued on her walk. While working on Down, a small dog did pass by her, and Malinky sat up as the small pup walks away. I then approached Malinky and asked her to go into a Down once again, and she worked through it. I will keep practicing with her and remain consistent to keep her on the right track.
Malinky and I went out for an off leash walk around the neighborhood, and I had my pup Thanos join us. This is the first time I had both of them interact with each other without any barriers in between them. I walked with one on each side initially, and after a while, I moved my dog to Malinky’s side and had them walk together. She did very well remaining in her Heel position, and she performed her Sit and Down just as well. I also practiced her stationary positions using Thanos as a distraction, and she was able to follow through. We ended our session with some supervised playtime which both pups enjoyed.
Malinky and I have been working on her Door Manners ever since her training began. Since bringing her home, anytime I approached the door I would ask her to Sit before opening it. As soon as I opened it, Malinky would sit up and try to be the first one inside. To keep her from doing so, I would close the door whenever she came out of her position and repeat the process as needed. With time and practice, Malinky understood the concept of what was being asked of her, and as she gained more knowledge with commands, I was able to have her Sit or Down by the door. She is following through and can now wait patiently for my cue to come in or out of a doorway.
Malinky and I have been working on her Greeting Manners. She is very friendly and gets overly excited when she is approached, that she will almost immediately begin to jump on someone wanting to say hello. Throughout her Program, I have been working on Malinky’s behavior by keeping her in a calm relaxed state when being approached, and by having her remain in a Sit when someone wants to greet her. If she sits up, I would ask the person to take a step back while I reset her back into a Sit, and repeat the process. She is doing really well following through, and as long as it remains consistent, Malinky will continue to thrive when being approached and greeted.
Malinky and I have been working on her Food Manners. Initially, when I would place her food down, Malinky would try to run towards her bowl and start eating. To change that behavior, I would simply pick up her bowl if she made an attempt to go for it as soon as I placed it down. Her leash came in very handy for this exercise as it assisted me in keeping Malinky in position. If she would sit up, I would use leash tension and reset her back into her position and continue with repetition. It is the same approach as teaching duration with her stationary positions with five second increments, but the difference is food being involved in this exercise. Overtime, she began to understand the concept, and she can now wait in a Sit or a Down for her food in a calm relaxed state.
Malinky has done a great job over the course of her Program building her confidence. When we are out training I try to find different placing objects she can get onto, and continue to build that confidence in her. We practice on objects with different surfaces and textures, which may make her uncomfortable at times, but after a few reps, Malinky places with no hesitation. She is very bright and can be capable of learning so much more, so remember to always remain consistent and patient, to have Malinky become the best pup that she can be.
Malinky has completed her Three Week Board and Train Program and is ready to come home. It was a pleasure having her with me these last twenty one days and I am going to miss her companionship. We became great friends and I am proud of how far she has come along. I want to thank you for trusting me with Malinky while she was under my care, and I am very grateful for having the opportunity in being her trainer. She is a great pup and I am looking forward to showing you what she can do. Her Final video will be up soon, but here is a sneak peek of Malinky showing what she has learned. Thank you Malinky!
