Meet Maverick! Maverick is a 1 year old German Shepherd from Upland, CA who has joined us for our 2 week board & train program. Maverick comes to us with issues such as jumping on people when excited, holding his obedience, and lunging towards dogs when they see him. Maverick also likes to play bite when asking for things so he's very mouthy at times trying to communicate. At times when Maverick is asked for his obedience he can hold it but eventually breaks his position, not completing obedience when the owner asks. Over the next fourteen days, we will be working on improving his obedience, confidence, and manners to set him on the right path to becoming a well-behaved pup. Stay tuned for his transformation!
Pupdate 8/4/2024
Today was my first day meeting Maverick after his owner dropped him off to me to start his board & train adventure. When I picked up Maverick he tried to be defensive and protect his owner but after getting his leash and making small movements to engage with him, he was ok with me. We stayed at the park for about twenty minutes before heading to another park close to my house to give Maverick more time to get some energy out.
When arriving at the park in Fullerton, we made some progress just by giving Maverick time to roam around again but with a longer leash. This is where I started to manage better leash pressure to keep him engaged with me. After some time of walking around and asking for his name I was able to ask for his sit obedience command which he was willing to do. I tried taking the time to ask for his other obedience commands but he wouldn't listen from being distracted with the environment and everything he was seeing. There was a small partying going on in the playground so most of his attention would go over there. After asking for some obedience I sat down on a bench and this is where Maverick decided to come closer to me to get petted. At times he was ok but he would flinch as well showing his fearfulness.
Once we made it to my house Maverick was fine going inside the house and even met Hunter through his crate. They took their time smelling each other at a distance but nothing more, so in this moment Maverick walked around my room adjusting to his new surroundings. When asking him to go into his crate he didn't want to at first so I took my time teaching him to go in and out immediately to work up to closing his crate door on him. Once I did Maverick stayed quiet and even took a nap.
Later on I took Maverick out to walk around the neighborhood for a potty break and introduced him to his e-collar to begin his e-collar training. Overall he seems to be doing well and hasn't vocalized out of stress or frustration while in the crate or training today! Continue to check out Maverick's training as the days go on as we visit new places to practice our obedience.
Pupdate 8/5/2024
Today Maverick and I headed to Whittier Narrows Park to be around some of the Offleash team to practice our obedience training. When we first arrived we had to wait a few minutes before our friends started to show up with their dogs. As soon as Maverick saw the other dogs approaching he started to overstimulate and bark towards the dogs. Redirecting him to the e-collar made it easier to maneuver him around the dogs and diminish his abrupt behavior the moment his eyes made contact with dogs.
In the video above we are working on engagement, having Maverick learn how to get on a place mat with the word place and his recall movement by coming to me or around me. We worked on this many time, having him perform his obedience in a consistent manner to stow away from laziness. I asked him to down which he was able to tolerate many times before having the moments of success we had today. If he couldn't perform his recall we would still follow up with the place obedience command to keep him engaged.
Later on we focused on fixing his heel, which is to walk next to me without pulling. When practicing our left turns Maverick would always bump into and try to lead in front of me. Walking in constant circles back and forth makes it easier to educate him on how to turn. When Maverick doesn't want to apply himself when turning I use the remote to communicate with him and it helps guide him back to allow me to turn fluently without having to push into him. Once he picks this up I keep verbalizing with the word "heel" to anticipate what's going to come. We practiced our right side heel and sit which Maverick was applying himself to. Once I end our practice, I ask Maverick to break which is his release word to do what he wants. Once he hears "break" he comes to me for affirmation and clarity after practicing. He can take some time coming to me or even give me space but will eventually come to me directly to get petted.
By the end of our visit Maverick was fine being around other dogs but would impulsively get up to walk around so these moments he needed to be redirected back into a sit or down when relaxing and lounging.
Pupdate 8/6/2024
This morning, Hunter, Maverick, and I went for a walk together. Maverick, unsure of what to do, stayed a few feet behind us. I allowed this to continue, giving him time to build confidence and eventually catch up to our pace. He also took moments to smell Hunter in a genuine manner without causing any negative reactions from Hunter.
Upon returning home, I gave Hunter a break and placed him in his crate while Maverick stayed with me in the kitchen as I cooked breakfast. Maverick had his leash and e-collar attached so that if he got up when I asked him to lie down, I could redirect him back into the down position. This took many tries because he's very impulsive and wants to smell everything in the kitchen, but we remained consistent in guiding him through his "leave it" command.
Later, Maverick and I went to Cerritos Mall for exposure and to practice his obedience training indoors. There was decent traffic, with many people and crowds passing by. Maverick showed interest but did not lean towards people or lunge. Each time he tried to pass me, I used the remote to correct him and keep him by my side. Maverick noticed that staying by my side resulted in less use of the remote, which made our walks more enjoyable, though still needing more practice. He was pretty good at keeping his down position even at a distance. However, when I asked him to sit, he would often slide into a down position, likely due to the smooth floor surface. I ended up asking for his down command most of the time and reserved the sit command for harder surfaces for better stability.
A group of people approached us, and Maverick seemed unsure about the situation. I kept the guests at a distance, and as long as he had his space, he was okay. I plan to practice his greeting manners in a controlled environment with people who can help Maverick feel more comfortable.
Pupdate 8/7/2024
Maverick's eating habits in the morning have been off at times. Yesterday he didn't want to eat in the morning and this morning he only ate 1/4 of his meal. He's been eating at night like normal but early in the morning after exercise and training he doesn't seem motivated and would rather sleep. I might add rice or pumpkin as a topping to see if this motivates him to eat in the morning.
Today Maverick and I headed over to Citadel Outlets for more exposure and to practice his obedience training in a busy environment. When arriving Maverick was ignoring all his obedience and just wanted to try and do what he wanted. As soon as I started using his remote and signaling him with his e-collar, he started to adjust to me asking for his obedience. We started to make our way around the outlet for Maverick to familiarize himself with everything going on and seeing all the people pass by in and out of stores.
In the video above we separated ourselves momentarily from our friends to focus on one on one training for better engagement with me. We focused on his down obedience command for better conditioning when people are around him. I practiced in an open area where he had enough space to be distant from people. If Maverick was to break his position by getting up, I simply redirect him back into his down and continue the practice as if nothing happened. He does this a few more times before ending our practice here. I went to another area where there are more people walking seen in the second video part where Maverick does better. He lets plenty of people pass by him and shows no interest towards anyone but if someone was to talk towards Maverick or call to him, his attention does go to his surroundings but asking for his "off" gets his attention back to me and he can adjust to relaxing again. Once I have Maverick finish his practice I ask for his break to come for me for his praise.
Our visit today went very even though Maverick was super excited in the beginning being adamant trying to continue his old habits. Using his e-collar at the very beginning of arriving to a new area helped him adjust but we had to micromanage walking down stairs, passing doors, and any small moments he tried to lead. His obedience isn't hard to ask for when working with the remote but walking in general he's still trying to push those limits when he can. I will continue to work on his heeling and find a successful and encouraging way to walk with Maverick so we can use less of his remote.
Pupdate 8/8/2024
After several days of visiting parks and shopping centers, we decided to dedicate time every few hours to home training in order to properly condition Maverick. This morning, we went for a walk without Hunter. Maverick seems to understand that he should stay by my side, but when we pass by grass or trees, his curiosity takes over. Whenever he tries to move onto the grass or mark a tree without my permission, I use the remote to redirect him back into heel position. We encountered a few barking dogs during our walk, but as long as I gave Maverick the "off" command—a universal signal for "no"—he was able to maintain his pace and ignore the distractions.Â
After we returned home, Maverick ate his breakfast and took a nap. Within an hour, he was awake and ready for more training. In the video above, we’re working on door manners with my brother as a distraction. Nick, my brother, walks in and out of the house while knocking, making sure not to make eye contact with Maverick. For some anxious or fearful dogs, eye contact can be enough to provoke them. Maverick broke his position once, and I immediately redirected him using his e-collar, asking him to sit and lie down. A key detail is that Nick waits for me to redirect Maverick before continuing to walk. Once Maverick is back in the down position, Nick walks past him without looking at him.Â
The second video clip shows us working on door manners in the backyard. When I place Maverick on the mat and try to open the gate, he initially attempts to run out. After a few minutes, he starts holding his position better. Repeatedly breaking him for praise and restarting the process helps him get on the mat more easily. At one point, I’m able to redirect him from a distance using just the remote, and he places himself back on the mat. When I break him for this, he becomes so excited that he rolls over for a belly rub. As I pet him, he tries to play-bite with a bit too much force, so I use the remote and give the "off" command the moment I feel his teeth, helping him to relax while on his back or side. What's interesting is that after this, I was able to place him without any leash tension, using only hand signals. I challenged Maverick by opening the gate and stepping aside to see if he understood not to pass through. He stayed in place, even when I walked through, and I returned to release him only after closing the gate. Our next challenge will involve leaving Maverick's sight while working on door manners at home.Â
In the last video clip, Maverick is training with my younger brother, Nick, who he’s gradually warmed up to over a few days. Initially, Maverick was hesitant to greet Nick, but now he’s fully engaged when Nick enters the room and says hello. Nick is familiar with e-collar training and wanted to take some time to walk Maverick while I supervised. Although Maverick occasionally focuses on me, Nick redirects him, asking for heel and leading him around in different directions. If Maverick tries to get ahead, Nick corrects him to ensure he remains fully focused. Nick ends the session by asking Maverick to sit, then lie down, praising him for following commands. During the session, Maverick seemed unsure of what was happening, but also intrigued, as it was something new for him.Â
We spent the rest of the day focusing on house manners and using my parents' arrival as another distraction.
Pupdate 8/9/2024
This morning Maverick ate his breakfast after going for his morning walk with Hunter. I had to leave my house after his walk momentarily which I haven't done most mornings and upon returning home Maverick was less vocal and was able to settle compared to everyday where he gets excited knowing I'm home. Everyday that I come back home from somewhere while Maverick is home I ignore him and show no eye contact until he's quiet and calm to let out his crate. I take just a few minutes training him to go inside and outside the crate with obedience which helps throughout the day but in the morning I have to manage every step to release him out of his crate since he can be explosive at times.
Later on, we headed over to Anaheim Pet & Feed Supply which is a pet friendly store to work on our obedience training. We focused on our recall, also known as come to sit, and our sit obedience command for duration. Walking through the aisles was the real challenge since Maverick wanted to investigate everything with his nose. I constantly had to redirect him each time his nose would make contact with something that had his attention. After staying for about twenty minutes, he started to settle with the smells and working on his obedience went well. We had one owner with a small out of control dog pass by us who lunged towards Maverick and this instigated his reactivity but with the use of his e-collar at a moderate setting his attention went back to me. One detail that seems very noticeable is when an undisciplined dog comes near Maverick this could be a moment to take more seriously since it's not him instigating that situation but can instigate his innate behavior towards these types of situations. Shortly after we walked through every aisle passing by people and Maverick didn't seem to care since no one gave him immediate attention.
We continued the rest of the day with more home training focusing on our recall and attempting to work on our leash dragging which will lead to offleash obedience.
Pupdate 8/10/2024
This morning Maverick went on another walk with Hunter which he was doing better with staying at a pace with us and not trying to lead. This seems more noticeable with Hunter around since he is mimicking Hunter's pace and position. When we are by ourselves Maverick can seem as if he wants to lead which there will be more use of his e-collar.
Today we headed over to Home Depot and most of our training went well but we had an issue trying to work on our recall, which is come to sit. There was a lot of noises going and people walking in and out of aisles that it make Maverick uncomfortable when attempting to perform this obedience command. There are few times throughout the video above he is able to do his recall but I use no leash tension to guide him properly around me which he rebels with. The higher I go in settings with he remote has helped him push through where if I help with leash tension and always apply it, he wont learn the difference. He performs his sit or down with ease because he's done this many times but his recall is our main priority now working through every area possible to make this efficient. At the end of the video his last two recalls were proper and I end the practice to walk throughout the store and focus on other obedience commands.
When ending our visit, we walked around the store with the leash dragging and he did well with this and each aisle he turned into with me he kept a pace. We had at least one moment I needed to grab the leash in case someone to pass a corner or something to make Maverick uneasy and easily redirect him into a sit or down to let whatever happen in front of us happen.
We spent our time at home training on recall again and at home he shows his capability of doing his obedience command but outside there are certain things that will catch his attention that we need to focus more time around.
Pupdate 8/11/2024
Today, we focused on obedience training at home, working on specific commands that Maverick needs more practice with. We began the session by allowing him to free roam off-leash in the backyard before introducing the e-collar for heel obedience.
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During our walk, I kept Maverick on my left side, using the remote to prevent him from crossing over. To maintain a proper heel, I tried to distract him by changing directions frequently and making multiple left turns. Whenever Maverick attempted to cross to my right side, I stopped, used the remote, and gave the heel command simultaneously to reinforce the behavior. At one point, Maverick decided to head toward the living room door, but I successfully called him back. He responded by returning to me, circling around to his heel position, and sitting at the 1:40 mark. I followed up with another recall, which he executed well, before moving on to the next practice. Â
Next, we worked on door manners, an area where Maverick has shown improvement. We’ve been addressing his tendency to rush through doors as soon as he approaches them. As we walked back together, I took the leash to guide him, especially since he can be pushy. I used the remote to maintain his pace as we passed through the gate. We practiced this multiple times, focusing on walking through the gate together. After detaching his leash, I continued to work on his door manners, breaking him with the door closed to reinforce proper off-leash obedience when I ask him to walk with me through any door.Â
In the final video clip, when I called for a recall, Maverick demonstrated his obedience but needed assistance when circling around me, as he sometimes overshot his position. After he moved behind me, I used the e-collar again to guide him back to my left side. I also used hand signals, throwing my right hand behind me and bringing my left hand forward to direct his attention to my left side. Additionally, I tapped my left leg to help him identify where he should be.Â
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We spent the rest of the day focusing on off-leash obedience throughout the house and backyard to help Maverick maintain patience and consistency, even when walking indoors.
Pupdate 8/12/2024
Today, we headed to the Citadel Outlet for some one-on-one time to work on Maverick's obedience. At the start of our visit, he did a better job of maintaining a steady pace without getting distracted by his surroundings. I made a lap around the shopping center to help Maverick get familiar with the area before we practiced leash dragging. While passing by groups of people, Maverick remained focused and didn’t pay attention to anyone. However, during the leash dragging practice, he became more determined to create distance from me, requiring occasional redirection with the remote. When he's on a leash, he's very manageable, but as soon as he realizes I'm not holding it, he tends to want to make his own decisions. We trained as much as possible before practicing other obedience commands like sit, down, and place. He performed these commands with ease, needing only occasional redirection. His confidence and obedience have improved since the first week, but we still need to focus on getting him to respond consistently on the first try.Â
Maverick has been slow to eat his kibble, often ignoring it in the morning or taking an hour or more to finish his food. When I hand-feed him, he still seems uninterested unless something extra is added to his meal. If I mix rice into his kibble, he eats at a normal pace. It’s difficult to determine whether he simply doesn’t enjoy his kibble, but adding something to make his meal more appetizing seems to solve the problem.
Pupdate 8/13/2024
This morning, Hunter and Maverick went on a walk together, which went well. Unlike before, when Maverick tried to lead at a consistent pace, today he only tried to kiss Hunter a few times. He didn’t attempt to lead as much, and we were able to walk most of the way home without needing to redirect him. When we got home, I gave the dogs time to eat, but Maverick seemed uninterested again. So, I waited for the local pet store to open to buy more canned pumpkin to motivate him.
Later, we headed back to Cerritos Mall to work on leash-dragging obedience, building up to off-leash training. When we first arrived, I made a lap around the entire mall, including the food court. Maverick did really well on most of the walk, even better than our walks with Hunter. I then took him to an open area to work on leash-dragging to see how he responded when I dropped the leash. In the video above, I brought him near a MAC store, where I had him heel back and forth before asking him to perform some of his other obedience commands. When I asked for his recall, he slid a bit due to the smooth surface and because he was tired. Even in moments like this, redirecting Maverick back into a sit is ideal for reinforcing his recall conditioning. After the recall, I followed up with a down command, knowing that he was tired and that the smooth surface would be easier on his paw pads than a harder one, where he might struggle to hold his sit.
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Later, two older women saw Maverick and wanted to say hi, but his body language showed that he was uncomfortable and became more alert. I had the women stay at a distance, and we talked for about 10 minutes. Maverick was fine after spending some time with them, but he still seems unpredictable when it comes to engaging with strangers. There’s a neighbor who met Maverick, but he still barked at her at one point, even after spending time together. At home, he has improved with my family members since he sees them daily, but with strangers, he might need more than just ten minutes to warm up.Â
Upon returning home, we practiced more off-leash obedience in the backyard, focusing on the "place" command. Maverick will put himself on the platform when I ask, and this isn’t particularly difficult for him. However, after releasing him, when I ask him to heel, he tends to ignore me. I use the remote to signal him several times, asking him to come until he finally makes his way back to me so we can walk together. Each time I ask him to place and he decides to lay down instead, I increase the levels on his remote until I find the right setting to prompt him to follow through with his obedience. After a few repetitions, he performed the final "place" with ease, and I ended our practice there, planning to work with him again later in the day.
The last video clip shows Maverick eating his kibble with canned pumpkin. As soon as I mixed it into his food, he became very interested and went straight for his bowl the moment I put it on the ground.
Pupdate 8/14/2024
Today we had an early morning walk without Hunter and Maverick did fairly well letting the leash drag and being able to come to me after going potty. We went for a thirty minute walk and using the remote came with ease today when asking Maverick to heel if needed. Maverick seemed to apply himself more today so when we headed home we focused on some training before having some breakfast.
Once Maverick had his first nap of the day we headed to the backyard to work on our offleash obedience. We started with his place obedience command to see if he's fully aware of this obedience command and he is but when he jumps off he drifts off in any direction so remind him of his recall is crucial for his conditioning so he can remember where to go when breaking for this obedience command. When going out to visit new places we will work on his place to see how he can perform.
In the second video clip we are working on offleash heeling through the gate door in the back since Maverick thinks he can run through the doors at home once they open. This is his typical behavior with doors at home but any door outside in public area's he can easily walk through. When asking Maverick to heel with me as I walk past the door I signal him to heel by tapping my left hand side and when he catches up I use the remote to keep him in obedience in case he passes me at any moment. I walk back and forth through the door multiple times to help educate Maverick knowing when passing a door there's no need to run passed it.
Our last video clip is our recall practice but without his leash for guidance. We focused only offleash to see if Maverick is aware of his obedience command. He managed himself pretty well but at times when he comes behind me he needs the reminder from his remote to place himself back on my left hand side. He seems to be able to work offleash now so we need to take some time going back out to busy places to keep up with his obedience around distractions.
Pupdate 8/15/2024
Today we headed over to Santa Monica Pier in LA, for exposure around people and to perform our obedience training. When we first arrived Maverick was interested in the new area where he was at, making him break his obedience. With his e-collar it was easy to set him up for success redirecting all his old habits out here in Los Angeles. Regardless of where Maverick goes his obedience helps situate him anywhere he goes.
We made our way onto the pier and using the thin walkway to get their, Maverick did well letting people pass by him. When practicing at first at the pier Maverick was nervous so I took my time with him easing him into his obedience if I was to ask for a sit, down or place. We made two trips throughout the pier walking back and forth and at this point Maverick seemed to adjust being able to perform when I ask for his obedience.
In the video above is our obedience throughout the Pier. Since Maverick can react when I'm being approached still, keeping him on leash is safe for him and everyone around us. Throughout the video I had the leash loose for him when heeling, asking for his place and recall to give him the ability to do his obedience without my assistance. He performed all of his obedience commands in one walkthrough which is a major improvement since we started practicing our training. We spent the remainder of our visit letting Maverick lay down and enjoy the scenery and become accustomed to environments such as a Pier.
We are about 11 - 12 days in Maverick is more consistent with his obedience giving him the ability to do everything that we needed to do today. Mavericks confidence has been going well but when it comes to strangers who momentarily come near Maverick, this is where his patience can be tested and would rather have his space. What helped out as well for the benefit of Maverick, no one came up to say hi so for him it seemed like a normal visit there and back home. With every opportunity we have practiced when it comes approaching Mavrerick he has reacted or shown shyness. Since Maverick has seen my parents and I've spent much time with him around them he is compassionate and doesn't overstimulate when seeing them or when they enter the room now. If a person wanted to truly meet Maverick it would have to take part of the day or a whole day for Maverick to understand that person who is always around his owner/handler is ok to be with.
Pupdate 8/16/2024
This morning I brought one of our neighborhood friends dog, Destiny, with us for our walk this morning. We made our way around the neighborhood and Maverick seemed to have interest in smelling Destiny but I would redirect these moments to keep Maverick engaged. When walking to an open area of grass where the dogs can roam around, Maverick got to smell Destiny but quickly started to mount her so I redirected him for this. When returning home I put the dogs into their crate to return Destiny home to practice some training with Maverick, We practiced offleash training at home to have him conditioned before heading out to Citadel Outlets.
When arriving at Citadel Outlets we met up with our friends and made our routine of walking around the shopping center to have Maverick and the other dogs familiarize the area. When practicing all his obedience commands with a very loose leash he managed himself very well, holding all of his obedience with ease. When working offleash Maverick's insecurity with his obedience started to show when asking for sit, down, and place. Heeling him offleash was easy and manageable but he showed his insecurity to hold his position around people at random moments. We took some time to just relax and let Maverick settle to the environment and more people showing up to shop.
In the video above is our attempt to train offleash in a lower area of distraction. We had to restart our practice's when Maverick would break his extended down position but eventually we were able to get a clip of his obedience. He performs his recall and we walk to the open area I placed him into his extended down. He is able to hold it for about two minutes or so before giving him his break. After the video ends we founds two areas of surfaces Maverick could place on but would last about one minutes before intentionally breaking position. I took my time to conditioning his place with both surfaces but would get off.
Maverick shows how to compartmentalize each of his obedience commands with the leash attached in many areas but offleash we are still focusing on how to improve that for a dog like Maverick. Although he's able to do his obedience, in areas that are small and crowded Maverick does feel uncomfortable so being on top of his surroundings and space with people is ideal to help his confidence.
Pupdate 8/17/2024
Today is Maverick's last day of hjs board & train so we started our morning off with Hunter and Maverick walking together which they did well with. I have given them plenty of time to be around each other but have never played together since Maverick can't contain himself from mounting and shows no signs of playing when it comes to Hunter. They have roamed around each other inside the house and in the backyard but that's about it, which is ok.
We headed out to a park to give Maverick time to roam around and practice his offleash obedience on grass. In the video above we first headed to a fence to work on keeping Maverick in a proper heel and touching up on his sit obedience command since he steps behind when performing it. When using a fence/wall as a structure, this helps navigate Maverick in a proper sit since he can't physically push himself into the fence, also with enough space for him to sit between me and the fence he does it with ease. When heeling with him I keep a pace fast enough that he can keep up with when turning in both directions. Each time I turn with him I say heel and he's able to contribute himself to each turn.
Our second clip we are walking around the grass giving Maverick his opportunity to do as he pleases. When Maverick seems to drift off too far I call his name and if he doesn't listen I'll follow up asking his name again with the e-collar. I'll ask for his obedience throughout the video and one detail to make Maverick's experience fun is being playful and joyful with him when asking for his obedience. He seems to acknowledge most of his commands every time I talk to him and keeps himself in close distance.Â
Our last video clip is our door manners with the front door of my house. I keep him on leash just in case but he's able to acknowledge his down and hold his obedience as I do what I want throughout the house. I walk in and out of the house as he remains in his down obedience command and before leaving the house I'll say heel to ask him to walk to me which he will. We spent the remainder of the day working on his offleash obedience training in and out of the house touching up on all obedience commands for last day improvements.
Maverick's board & train has come to an end and it's been an experience working with a dog like Maverick to help build his confidence. He went from nearly lunging at me the first day I met him, to being able to roam around busy environments with my help and performing obedience commands he's never done in different area's while outside. His ability to learn has shown but depending on certain situations he can become cautious. Greeting strangers isn't ideal in most cases but people who come over to his home or are willing to spend plenty time around him, he can show a generosity but this shouldn't be for everyone who doesn't have confidence to be around a dog like Maverick. At home he showed his change in behavior with family seeing them everyday and consistently is a way for Maverick to find comfort. Maverick has made our days easier to get by with the help of his obedience and can tolerate his new experience with a better attitude. I will miss helping Maverick with his obedience when we have gone out to expose ourselves to train and practice in every setting we've gone to. Maverick has completed his 2 week board & train and is ready to go back home to his family!
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