Ollie | Doodle Mix | Venice, CA. | In Training.
Updated: Aug 24
This handsome 7-month-old Doodle mix from Venice, CA, has just joined us for our Two Week Community Board and Train Program!
Ollie has been described as quite the energetic young fellow who brings plenty of enthusiasm wherever he goes! When greeting people, his excitement can sometimes get the best of him, leading to some enthusiastic jumping to say hello. He’s also known to be quite the talker and can have plenty to say with his barking! And if there’s a delicious snack within reach,
Ollie has been known to do a little counter surfing in hopes of finding himself a tasty treat.
With all that excitement, listening can sometimes find itself pushed to the back burner. It’s safe to say this sweet boy is ready for a little guidance and structure to help him learn how to better manage all that puppy enthusiasm!
Over the next two weeks, we’ll be working closely with Ollie on off-leash obedience, basic commands, impulse control, and house manners. Our goal is to give Ollie the tools and understanding he needs to make better choices, manage his excitement, and become a more confident and well-mannered companion as he continues discovering what this big world around him is all about!
Stay tuned as we follow along with Ollie’s journey and watch this energetic little man’s transformation unfold!
8/11/2026
Today Ollie and I kicked off his Two Week Community Board and Train Program with a walk in the park! This gave us a great opportunity to get better acquainted with one another while also allowing me to assess what he may already know and where we have some room to grow. And for our first day together, I’d say this smart boy gave me plenty to work with!
I quickly discovered that Ollie does know his sit command … he just likes to decide when he feels like offering it! As for walking on leash, he actually did a pretty good job of staying by my side for the most part, but whenever something caught his attention, he would wander off to investigate. So, we got right to work on building a stronger understanding of his heelwhile also introducing his come to sit command.
For his heel, I simply used a light pop of the leash whenever Ollie attempted to wander away from me. The goal is to teach him that tuning into his handler and staying connected with them is the best policy. We also had a few moments where Ollie decided the grass looked particularly interesting and tried to forage along the way. This gave us a perfect opportunity to introduce his off command, paired with another leash correction. It didn’t take too long for him to figure out what I was asking of him, and before long, Ollie was walking much more smoothly with me without trying to stop and forage at every opportunity.
For his sit, I applied gentle upward leash pressure until
Ollie made the choice to sit. This helps teach him that when a command is given, following through isn’t simply optional, while also beginning to teach him how to turn pressure off by making the correct choice. This foundation will be especially helpful as we begin incorporating the e-collar into his training tomorrow. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Ollie to become more prompt about offering his sit, and every time he made the right choice, I made sure to give him plenty of praise to reinforce that good decision!
We also began introducing his come to sit, which asks Ollie to come when called, walk around my right side, and finish sitting neatly on my left side. I used leash guidance to help him learn the motion and mechanics of the command, and so far, he is responding very well to that guidance! With some more time and repetition, I’m confident he’ll get the hang of this command. He’s a very smart boy, after all!
Once our training session was complete, we headed back to the car so Ollie could check out his home away from home for the next two weeks. Getting him to hop into his travel crate took a little bit of encouragement, but ultimately he climbed right in. He whined for a bit during the beginning of the ride, but after realizing that the situation wasn’t changing, he eventually settled down and remained quiet for the rest of the trip.
Once we arrived at my house, I gave Ollie some time to explore both inside and outside so he could familiarize himself with his new surroundings. He didn’t seem to have too many complaints until it was time to introduce him to his crate… and boy, did he have plenty to say about that!
However, Ollie quickly learned that throwing a fit wasn’t going to get him what he wanted. I waited for him to settle and quiet down before allowing him back out. This helps teach him that calm behavior gets him what he wants, while also giving him an opportunity to begin learning how to self-soothe and settle independently. We’ll continue working on this throughout his stay so that, hopefully, Ollie learns that his crate really isn’t the end of the world!
All in all, it was a very productive first day filled with introductions, new expectations, and lots of learning. For the most part, Ollie handled everything very well, and I’m already seeing glimpses of the smart, capable pup underneath some of those teenage decisions! I’m excited to see what these next couple of weeks have in store for him and look forward to watching him continue to grow, learn, and build confidence!
8/12/2026
Today, Ollie and I decided to work around my neighborhood as we continued our introductions to new commands and the e-collar while building on some of the progress we made yesterday. This gave us the opportunity to slow things down and really focus on the work at hand without too many distractions, while still having some of those typical neighborhood distractions happening around us—people walking their pups, cars passing by, and all the other sights and sounds that come with a neighborhood outing.
We started with a walk where we worked on his heelcommand while introducing the e-collar. Anytime I needed to correct his walking position, I used a combination of gentle leash pops and stimulation from the e-collar. This helps Ollie begin associating the e-collar with the leash correction, so eventually we can phase out those physical leash corrections and allow the e-collar to become another form of communication between us. Ollie handled this well for the most part, although he did give me a few side glances when we first got started. That’s completely normal and all part of the learning process!
With his heel command, Ollie was definitely feeling a bit more comfortable today and even tried to dictate where we were headed a few times. With a few reminders, however, he was able to figure out that walking nicely at my side was the better choice. We also saw some improvement with his sit command, as he was much more prompt about offering it when asked. That’s definitely a step in the right direction!
His come to sit is also coming along nicely. Ollie is already making some good progress with this command, although sometimes he likes to get creative and take a different route to finish. That’s okay! He’s still learning what works and what doesn’t, and I’m confident he’ll get the hang of it very soon.
Today we also introduced his place and down commands. For his down, I applied gentle downward pressure through the leash and held it until Ollie followed through and laid down, then gave him plenty of praise for making the right choice. He wasn’t exactly thrilled about it at first, but once he started to understand what I was asking, he began offering the behavior without needing the leash pressure. That was wonderful to see!
For place, I used a cot and asked Ollie to hop up and lay down. This one was a breeze for him! He had no trouble getting onto the cot and was more than willing to lay down and stay put, allowing us to begin working on his extended place command as well.
We also added some distance and duration to his sit and down commands. His down was no trouble at all, and he did a great job staying put as I stepped away. His sit was a little more tempting, as Ollie wanted to follow me as soon as I took a step back. When that happened, I simply guided him back to his original spot, asked him to sit again, and started over. After a few attempts, he began to understand exactly what I was asking of him. Smart guy!
All in all, Ollie had a very productive day of training! He’s already beginning to make some great progress, and I’m proud of him for working through all of these new things he’s learning—even if he has to be a little stubborn about it at first. He’s a smart pup, and I’m excited to see what we can accomplish together as he continues to put the pieces together! 🐶💪
8/13/2026
Today, Ollie and I headed out to a local park to continue building on his progress with his commands, and this little guy did a fantastic job! Already, Ollie is beginning to show a great understanding of what’s being asked of him, and it’s been wonderful watching everything start to click.
With his heel command, Ollie is doing very well sticking by my side. Even better, he’s already beginning to regularly check in with me as we walk, making sure he’s following my lead. That little bit of engagement is exactly what I want to see!
His come to sit is another command he seems to be picking up quickly. Every now and then, he gets a little confused about which side he should come to or exactly where he should finish, but with a little guidance, he’s able to figure it out quickly and get himself into position.
For his extended sit, Ollie is doing really well. There was only one time today where he tried to pop up, but as I stepped forward, he recognized the expectation and corrected himself. That was a great little moment of learning and showed me that he’s already beginning to understand that his command means staying put until he’s told otherwise.
His extended down is coming along nicely as well. Sometimes Ollie needs a little encouragement to fully commit to laying down, but once he does, he’s able to hold the command well. His place command is also progressing nicely. He occasionally tries to break his position, but for the most part, he’s doing a great job staying put and understanding what’s expected of him.
On another note, Ollie’s crate training is going well too! He has started settling in nicely once he’s inside. At first, this little guy definitely had a few opinions about being in there 😂, but it seems he’s quickly learning that being quiet and settling down is much more likely to earn him his freedom than barking out his demands. We’ll continue reinforcing that calm behavior so he understands that patience pays off!
All in all, Ollie is already making wonderful progress. I’m sure that once he feels a little more comfortable and settled into his routine, we may see some of that famous puppy boundary pushing come out! 😂 But for now, he is doing absolutely fantastic, and I’m so proud of him for how quickly he is learning and adapting. Keep up the great work, Ollie! 🐾
8/14/2026
Today Ollie and I headed out to Home Depot to continue building on his progress with his commands around distractions, and this fluffy guy did very well! He faced today’s adventure with a sense of curiosity and just a dash of nervousness. Considering this was a brand-new environment for him—and a noisy one at that—his response was completely understandable. If you’ve ever been to Home Depot, you know exactly what I’m talking about! Between the carts, people, machinery, and all the different sounds, there was plenty for Ollie to take in.
We started out nice and simple with his heel command, navigating around the store and giving him a chance to take everything in while continuing to focus on his work. Once he became a little more comfortable with his surroundings, we began working on his extended sit and down commands. At first, Ollie had a bit of trouble understanding that he was expected to stay put. As soon as I stepped away, he wanted to follow me. In those moments, I simply directed him back into his original position and we started again. It didn’t take too many repetitions before he caught on and was patiently waiting for his cue to be released. Smart guy!
His come to sit is still coming along wonderfully as well, and I was very happy to see that he was able to perform the command even in this new and distracting environment. He is really beginning to understand what is being asked of him, which is fantastic to see!
For his place command, I decided to get Ollie a little outside of his comfort zone by asking him to hop onto a step ladder that had a platform large enough for him to lay on. Those three little steps definitely threw him for a loop, and Ollie was certainly trying to tell me, “No thank you!” 😂 But we patiently encouraged him to give it a try. After a few attempts, Ollie found his bravery and was able to climb all the way up and settle into a down on the platform!
We practiced this a few times, and each time he became just a little quicker and more confident about getting up there. Every time he successfully made it onto the platform, I made sure to celebrate with him and let him know what a great job he had done. These little victories are wonderful confidence-building moments, and Ollie did a fantastic job working through something that initially made him unsure.
All in all, Ollie continues to make wonderful progresswith his training! He is picking everything up incredibly quickly, and it’s been so much fun watching his confidence and understanding grow with each outing. I’m so proud of his efforts today. Keep it up, big fluff! 🐾❤️
8/15/2026
Today Ollie and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park to continue working on his commands around distractions, and this guy did very well! In fact, he did so well that I decided it was time to start easing him into leash dragging! I still kept the end of the long line in my hand just in case, but Ollie did a fantastic job sticking with me.
Leash dragging is an important next step toward OffLeash work because it begins teaching Ollie that he needs to maintain his commands and stay connected with me even when I’m not actively holding onto the leash. It gives him a little more freedom while still allowing us to maintain a safety line and reinforce his expectations when needed. Today was a great first step, and Ollie showed that he’s ready to start building that independence!
During our heel, Ollie only needed one or two reminders about where he should be positioned, especially as we passed other pups. He really wanted to go over and say hello, but with a quick reminder of what we were working on, he was able to refocus and stay right there with me.
His extended commands also looked great today! He only broke his extended down once when he became a little nervous as I stepped away and tried to follow after me. We simply reset and worked through it, and he was able to settle back into the exercise.
For his place command, Ollie was an absolute champ! He confidently hopped up onto whatever surface I asked him to, showing some great bravery and willingness to try new things. And his come to sit? He’s got it down! 🙌 This is one of the more challenging commands for many pups to learn, so seeing Ollie understand what I’m asking of him this early on is incredibly impressive. He does occasionally get a little confused about exactly where he needs to go, but that’s okay—we work it out together each time.
While Ollie may not be completely convinced that this whole training thing is his favorite activity just yet, he is picking everything up incredibly quickly. His progress has been so much fun to watch, and I’m very proud of the effort he’s putting in. Keep it up, Ollie! 🐶
8/16/2026
Today Ollie and I headed out to the Westfield mall to continue working on his commands in a brand-new environment, and despite some initial nerves, Ollie did a great job!
To start, we simply practiced his heel as we navigated through the mall, giving him some time to take in his surroundings and process everything happening around him. And there was certainly a LOT to take in considering how busy it was! Once Ollie was able to settle in and focus a little better, we got to work on his commands.
Ollie continues to show a wonderful understanding of his work. At first, his extended commands were a bit of a challenge, as he tried to follow after me when I moved away. With a quick reset, however, he quickly learned that the expectation remains the same no matter where we are or what is happening around us. Once he understood that, he did a great job holding his position!
His come to sit remains pretty solid, and his heelcontinues to look very nice. He does still have his moments where something catches his interest and he wants to go investigate, but with a quick reminder, he does a great job redirecting his attention back to me and falling right back into a lovely heel.
We also tested out a few new surfaces for his placecommand, and Ollie was very brave about following my guidance and giving each one a try. These little challenges are great for helping him build confidence while also teaching him that his commands apply no matter what environment or surface we encounter.
All in all, today was a fantastic day for exposure and progress! Ollie handled a very busy environment, worked through his initial nerves, and continued to show that he understands what is expected of him. I’m so proud of how well he handled today’s adventure! 🌟🐶
8/17/2026
After a long day at the mall yesterday, Ollie and I decided to take things a bit easier today and work on his commands around my neighborhood. And I’m glad we did! I had originally planned to continue easing Ollie into his off-leash work, but it quickly became clear that responsibility was a little too great for him today when he immediately tried to take off. Thankfully, I was able to get him back to me quickly, but that told me it was probably best to go back to the basics and fine-tune his commands on leash before continuing to add more freedom.
We started with his heel, and by the end of our session it was looking lovely! I was even able to drop the leash for a bit and have Ollie continue walking nicely with me. That was a great reminder that when he is focused and understands the expectations, he is absolutely capable of doing the work.
With his other commands, however, some of that boundary testing I’ve been expecting from this young pup decided to make an appearance. 😂 With his come to sit, Ollie started either stopping completely behind me or following through a little too far and ending up sitting directly in front of me instead of coming neatly to my side. With some focused practice and a few repetitions, we were able to iron that out and get him back to performing the command correctly.
The same could be said for his extended commands. Staying put was definitely questioned today! But after a few repetitions and some accountability, Ollie started doing much better and settled back into the expectations.
Days like this are completely normal with young pups. Sometimes they would much rather do what they want than what they’re told, especially when they’ve already had a big day of stimulation and new experiences. What’s important is that we work through those moments rather than letting them become habits. By staying consistent and holding Ollie accountable, we can make sure those boundaries remain clear.
This certainly won’t be the last time Ollie decides to test his handler, but that’s part of the learning process! As long as we remain consistent and continue reinforcing the expectations, he should come out on top each time.
All in all, today was a great day of progress. I’m proud of Ollie for working through his challenges, getting himself refocused, and most importantly, ending the day on a positive note! 🐾
8/18/2026
Today, Ollie and I headed out to a local park to continue working on his progress, and he did such a wonderful job that we were able to get right back on track with his leash dragging! 🐾
Ollie did a great job with his heel, only needing a reminder or two about where his position should be as we walked together. His come to sit was fantastic today as well, and I was especially impressed with his patience when holding his extended commands. He showed great focus and understanding, even when asked to remain in position for longer periods of time.
When it came to place, Ollie was a very brave boy! He did a wonderful job following my direction and confidently hopping onto whatever surface was asked of him. Seeing him trust my guidance and work through new surfaces is a great sign of the confidence he is continuing to build. 👏
After yesterday’s minor setback, it was so nice to see Ollie get back into his groove and simply do his thing—and do it well! It’s safe to say that a little much-needed rest yesterday really paid off. Sometimes taking a step back and allowing a dog to decompress is exactly what they need to come back stronger and more focused.
All in all, I’m incredibly proud of Ollie’s work today and the progress we were able to make together. He continues to show us just how much he is capable of when he settles in and trusts the process.
Great work, big fluff! Keep it up, Ollie! 🐶❤️👏
8/19/2026
Today Ollie and I headed out for a training walk around my neighborhood, where we focused on a very exciting next step in his training: off-leash work! I wanted to start his off-leash work here in my neighborhood specifically so we could keep things as low-stress as possible while introducing him to this new level of freedom. Rather than immediately adding a busy environment with tons of distractions, this gave Ollie the opportunity to focus on me and his training while we worked through this new responsibility together.
Ollie did a great job sticking by my side throughout our walk. You may notice in the video that he hung behind me just a little bit at times, and that was because my selfie stick made him a bit nervous. And I can’t blame him! If I didn’t know what that strange stick above my head was, I’d probably be a little cautious too! 😂 Nonetheless, Ollie did the best he could, and that’s what’s important. He was able to work through that uncertainty and continue following along with me.
When it came to his extended commands, Ollie performed them promptly and did a fantastic job patiently holding his position. Each come-to-sit looked great as well! He didn’t need any additional guidance to return right back to my side and sit nicely in position, showing that he is really beginning to understand what is expected of him even with the added freedom of off-leash work.
Ollie was also a very good boy when it came to our neighborhood crossings. On multiple occasions, I asked him to sit with me so we could look both ways before crossing the street, and he was happy to humor me and wait patiently. These everyday moments are an important part of his training because they help reinforce that his commands and patience matter even when we aren’t standing in a formal training area.
All in all, for his first day of off-leash work, Ollie really impressed me! He showed a great understanding of his work and did an excellent job staying connected to me throughout our training walk. Starting in a familiar, low-stress environment allowed him to ease into this new stage of training successfully, and I can’t wait to see how he continues to progress as we gradually introduce busier environments and more distractions in the days to come. He’s really showing that all of his hard work is paying off! Great job, Ollie! 🐶💙
8/20/2026
Today Ollie and I headed out to Lake Balboa Park to continue building on his off-leash work, and this big fluff did a fantastic job! When we first arrived, Ollie was feeling a little nervous about everything happening around him, so we started out on leash and gave him some time to take everything in. Once he was able to settle and feel a little more comfortable in his environment, we took the leash off and got to work.
Lake Balboa is a great environment for practicing off-leash work because there is no shortage of distractions. We had other dogs, small critters, geese, people enjoying the park, and plenty of open space to work with. Ollie did a great job of navigating the majority of these distractions without letting them pull his attention away from me.
There was one particularly useful moment when another trainer who joined us today and their dog passed by. Since I already know Ollie is very intrigued by other pups, this was a great controlled opportunity to work on exactly that. I wanted him to learn that just because another dog is nearby doesn’t mean we suddenly lose all sense of reason! 😂 We can notice them, observe them, and still listen to our handler.
Ollie did briefly break command when they passed, but after a quick redirect back into position, he seemed to understand what I was asking. Smart boy!
His heel was another area where I saw some really nice progress. At the beginning of our walk, Ollie was a little overwhelmed by his surroundings and tended to hang back behind me rather than confidently walking at my side. With some encouragement and reassurance, however, he gradually found his confidence. By the time we made our way around the lake, he was proudly walking right alongside me like he had been doing it all along!
His extended commands were also looking great. Aside from the one distraction I mentioned, Ollie did an excellent job holding his positions and staying committed to his commands. For place, he was especially impressive, willingly hopping onto whatever surface I asked him to use. Whether it was familiar or something new, he was happy to climb up and settle in.
His come to sit had one little hiccup when he overthought himself and tried to come around to the wrong side. Instead of immediately stepping in and doing the work for him, I simply stepped backward and gave him a moment to process what he was doing. He was able to think it through, correct himself, and finish the command on the proper side. Way to go, buddy!
One of the things I’m especially proud of with Ollie is the way he is learning that making a mistake and receiving a correction doesn’t mean the world is ending. He’s becoming more confident in working through those moments, making adjustments, and trying again rather than getting overwhelmed by them. That is such an important part of his progress, especially as we continue introducing more freedom and distractions into his off-leash work.
All in all, Ollie continues to make wonderful progress. He started today’s session a little unsure of himself, but by the end he was confidently walking at my side, listening around distractions, and showing me just how much he’s growing. I’m incredibly proud of his effort today. Way to go, big fluff! ❤️
8/21/2026
Today Ollie and I continued working on his off-leash skills and, more importantly, his everyday manners. We started our morning with a training-focused walk around my neighborhood, using the opportunity to practice his off-leash responsibilities in a familiar environment. Ollie did a great job staying connected with me and showing that he can handle having more freedom while still listening and making good choices.
Once we finished our walk, we shifted our focus to his house manners, which have been a big part of his daily routine. These are the little things that make such a difference in everyday life, and Ollie has been doing a wonderful job learning that good manners don’t stop just because we’re back at the house.
For door manners, Ollie is learning that an open door doesn’t automatically mean it’s time to go flying through it. Instead, he needs to wait patiently for his release before heading outside. We’ve also practiced this coming back inside, teaching him that he needs to wait rather than trying to squeeze past me the moment the door opens. For an energetic young guy like Ollie, this can definitely take some self-control! 😂 But he’s getting much better at slowing himself down and waiting for direction.
We’ve also been working on car manners. Ollie is learning that the opening of the car doesn’t mean he needs to immediately make a beeline for it. He needs to wait patiently until he’s invited to load up, keeping himself under control even when he knows that getting in the car usually means we’re headed somewhere fun. He’s beginning to understand that excitement is okay, but it still needs to come with some manners!
And then we have food manners, where Ollie is learning perhaps one of the hardest lessons for a young dog: just because the food is there doesn’t mean it’s time to eat yet! 😂 He has been practicing waiting patiently while his food is prepared and placed down, then holding himself back until he receives his release cue. This is helping him build that same patience and impulse control that we’re working on in other areas of his life.
What I really love about Ollie’s progress is that he’s starting to understand that these manners aren’t just individual exercises. They’re becoming part of how he approaches everyday situations. He’s learning to pause, think, and wait for direction instead of immediately acting on whatever has caught his attention.
And that is especially important as we continue giving him more freedom through his off-leash work. The goal isn’t simply to have a dog who can follow commands without a leash; it’s to have a dog who can make good choices and maintain his manners even when he has the freedom to do otherwise.
Ollie is doing such a fantastic job learning all of these new responsibilities, and I’m incredibly proud of how much he continues to grow. He’s becoming a more confident, patient, and thoughtful young guy every day. Way to go, big fluff! ❤️🐾
8/22/2026
Today Ollie and I headed back out to Lake Balboa Park to continue building on his off-leash work around distractions, and this smart boy did a great job!
Of course, at the beginning of our session, Ollie had to do what puppies do best and push the boundaries a little to see if I really meant what I said. Most of his boundary testing came with his place command and his extended sit and down commands. “Do I really have to hop up onto place?” “Do I really have to stay put?” Apparently, Ollie had some very important questions that needed answering. 😂 After a little bit of working through those questions, Ollie eventually decided that I was, in fact, standing on business and he needed to get with the program! From there, our session became much smoother.
His heel is also continuing to improve. Instead of looking like I’m holding him hostage while we walk, Ollie was carrying his head a little higher and checking in with me much more often. I’m happy to report that he looked less like a tiny prisoner being escorted somewhere against his will and more like a dog who actually understood that we were working together. 😂 That engagement is exactly what I want to see from him as we continue building his confidence and understanding of our work together.
One thing we are still working on is helping Ollie understand that receiving a correction for a command does not mean the world is ending. He was noticeably better about this today, and I’m confident that with more time, consistency, and repetition, he’ll continue to improve in this area. Sometimes Ollie’s reaction seems to say, “Excuse me, I have never experienced adversity before.” 😂 But he is learning that a correction simply means, “Try that again,” and then we move forward.
As for the boundary testing, this is completely normal puppy behavior. And honestly, even adult dogs will occasionally test whether an expectation is still the expectation. The important thing in these moments is that we don’t give in when they tell us “no” simply because they don’t want to do something. If we let them out of an expectation once, they can quickly learn, “Well, you didn’t make me do it last time, so why should I now?” It all comes down to consistency and accountability. We work through the moment until we receive the desired result, and in doing so, we help build a much clearer understanding between a pup and their handler.
All in all, while we had a little turbulence at the beginning of our outing, Ollie and I were able to work through it together and finish on a fantastic note. By the end of our session, he was performing his commands like a pro — apparently after deciding that negotiating with management was not going to work. 😂
Ollie is such a smart boy, and I’m really proud of him for working through those challenges with me today. He may have started the day with a few objections, but he finished by showing us exactly what he’s capable of. Way to go, Ollie! 🐾
8/23/2026
Today Ollie and I headed out to the park to continue his progress with his off-leash work around distractions, and this big fluff absolutely crushed it! 🐾
One of the biggest moments of the day came when a poodle passed us. Now, Ollie really does love to go say hello to every passing dog, so he was definitely tempted! But instead of giving in to that temptation, he made the right choice and stayed right by my side the entire time. That kind of self-control is a huge improvement and was so impressive to see!
With the rest of his commands, Ollie showed wonderful understanding and listening skills, offering me exactly what I asked for and nothing more. This is another great improvement because he has occasionally been known to get a little creative and offer me a down when I asked for a sit. Today, however, he was all business! 😆
He also showed fantastic patience with his extended commands, staying put exactly as asked. And his come to sits were on point every single time!
We also spent some time working on Ollie’s greeting manners. His job is to sit nicely at my side and let the love come to him rather than jumping up and trying to collect it himself. When a gentleman stopped to give him some attention, Ollie exercised wonderful self-control and patiently accepted the affection like the gentleman he’s learning to be. ❤️
All in all, I am SO proud of this big fluff for the progress he showed today. The amount of self-control, understanding, and maturity he demonstrated was incredibly impressive. I truly couldn’t have asked for a better day at the park!
8/24/2026
Today, Ollie and I headed out to a local park with a slightly different goal—not so much to work on commands, but to let Ollie have a little fun, roam around, and simply be a puppy! This also gave me the perfect opportunity to make sure his recall was on point even when he had the freedom to let loose and explore.
And Ollie did great! He had an absolute blast running around, checking everything out, and taking in all the sights and smells. He was also a very good boy about staying relatively close to me, which honestly isn’t too surprising considering Ollie has a bit of a tendency to be a Velcro dog. 😂 While that’s certainly not the worst quality to have out in public, we still used the opportunity to encourage him to be comfortable exploring independently.
Every so often, I would call Ollie back to me, give him plenty of love and praise for being a good boy, and then release him right back out to go explore. This allowed him to learn that coming back to me doesn’t mean the fun is over—it simply means checking in before getting the green light to go have some more fun!
We did sneak in a little command work as well, and Ollie did a fantastic job. At one point, I had him holding a sit when a blind dog happened to wander over our way and got fairly close to Ollie. With my direction, Ollie remained right where he was and held his position beautifully. That was a particularly impressive moment because he had every reason to be curious about what was happening, yet he was able to listen and maintain his composure.
All in all, Ollie has made some spectacular progressover these past two weeks. He has gone from being a very strongly opinionated pup who would much rather be left to his own devices to a young man who is far more open to suggestion, responsive to direction, and wonderfully well-mannered. Watching that transformation happen in such a short amount of time has been incredibly rewarding, and I’m so proud of this big fluff’s efforts! ❤️
Lastly, I want to sincerely thank you for trusting me with your boy and allowing me to be a part of his journey in obedience. It has been such a pleasure getting to know Ollie and watching him grow throughout these two weeks. My hope is that the work we’ve accomplished together provides you both with the tools and foundation to go forward and enjoy many wonderful adventures together.
Ollie, you’ve come a long way, buddy—and I couldn’t be more proud of you! 🐾❤️
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