Oreo | Maltipoo | Los Angeles, CA | In-Training
- meganoffleashsocal
- Sep 1, 2024
- 27 min read
Updated: Sep 14, 2024
Meet Oreo, a two-year-old Maltipoo from Los Angeles, California! He's here with us for our Two Week Board and Train Program, where we will be working to improve his obedience and manners. This fluffy and playful pup has some knowledge of a few basic commands, but he is easily distracted by his surroundings and struggles to listen when asked to do something. Oreo has some bad habits, such as pulling on the leash, jumping on people, and nipping when he is overly excited. While he is generally a very sweet pup, he tends to display reactive behaviors such as barking, growling, and chasing. This can be caused by a variety of triggers including other dogs, specific types of clothing, skateboards, and other stimuli. Over the next fourteen days, we will be working to improve his obedience, confidence, and manners, as well as improve his reactivity issues to set him on the right track to becoming a well-behaved pup both on and off leash! Stay tuned for his transformation!
Pupdate 9/1/2024
Today Oreo and I spent the day bonding and getting to know each other at the park after he was dropped off with me. We focused on developing a positive relationship, as trust will be an important foundation for his training going forward. He was definitely a bit anxious when he realized his owner was departing, though he quickly warmed up to me and seemed to relax as time went on. We explored around the park together, and brought him around various distractions to gauge his responses to them. He was pretty distracted overall and was often trying to investigate things by sniffing and staring at them, however no notable reactions were observed towards anything today.
While at the park, I also tested his current knowledge of commands to get an idea of where his starting point is and what areas may need some extra focus going forward. He would sometimes Come to me when called, but it often took several asks before he responded, and once he got to me he was usually quick to wander back off again. When asked to Heel, he didn't seem to recognize the command and was almost always at the end of the leash pulling or wandering around. He seemed to understand Sit, however he was very inconsistent about following through with it. If he did Sit, he would always stand back up and start walking away after a second or two. He wasn't able to perform Down on command, but he did seem to enjoy relaxing in the shade on his own accord. I also asked him to Place on some low, easy to reach objects, but he didn't seem to understand what was being asked of him. He would sometimes put his two front paws up on the object, but seemed to lack the confidence to jump all the way up, even with plenty of encouragement.
After our time at the park, it was time to head home and get him settled into my home. He wasn't able to jump into the car on his own, but was comfortable with being picked up and placed into the car. He also didn't have any issue with going into the kennel within the car, and happily went inside with some gentle guidance and settled in for the ride home, which is a good display of early Car Manners. Anytime Oreo is to ride in a car with me, he will be secured in a kennel for his utmost safety. He will also be in a kennel at home during nighttime or any other time he is unsupervised. When we arrived home he spent some time checking out the new environment, and seemed to settle in pretty quickly! Later, we went out for a walk around my neighborhood. We will be taking walks around the neighborhood on a daily basis going forward, so getting him familiar with the area will be beneficial. When exiting the house to start our walk, Oreo kept trying to run out the door as soon as it was opened, so we will be working to improve his Door Manners to make sure he can respect the boundary a doorway creates as this will help keep him safe. When I offered him some food for his dinner, he jumped on me a few times and was a bit impatient for his food, so we will definitely be working on improving his Food Manners as well. Overall he seems to be settling in nicely, and we are so excited to begin this training journey together!
Pupdate 9/2/2024
Oreo and I visited a park today, where we met up with some other OffLeash SoCal trainers and their pups! This was a great opportunity to work with Oreo around other dogs in a controlled environment. While he was slightly skeptical and had some hesitations about his new surroundings at first, we began training at a pace he was comfortable with, and he was able to relax over time. He did not have any reactions such as barking, growling, or trying to chase after any distractions today, and overall was very well behaved! He was even able to work around and peacefully co-exist within a rather close proximity to many other dogs without issue. Most of the other dogs were busy with their own training and were not paying him any attention, which also may have helped him feel more at ease today. When near the other dogs, a close eye was kept on Oreo's body language to ensure he was feeling comfortable and relaxed, which is an important factor in reducing the likelihood of a reaction occurring. As his handler, it's also important to set a good example of structure and confident leadership, as being tense or inconsistent could be a possible factor behind the reactive behaviors previously observed with Oreo.
Today we focused on introducing Oreo to the e-collar and the Come to Sit command. Pressure is a fundamental tool used in teaching basic obedience commands. The idea is that whenever leash pressure is applied, be it from a leash or e-collar, it is paired with a command. The pressure then remains present until Oreo follows the pressure and performs the behavior or command being asked of him. The moment he follows through, the pressure immediately turns off and a reward is given. We spent some time training with leash pressure first before introducing the e-collar to ensure he understood how this concept works, as leash pressure is the most simple form of pressure due to the clear directional guidance it provides. Once it was clear that he understood leash pressure, we began adding in a new form of pressure from the e-collar. By pairing these two forms of pressure simultaneously, he will come to understand that each pressure has the same meaning. With time and practice, the goal is for this to allow the leash and e-collar to be used interchangeably, and eventually create the opportunity to begin training with the e-collar only, without the need for a leash! For his first day, he did a great job and seems to be catching onto it quickly. Be sure to check out today's video for an in-depth e-collar tutorial.
Come to Sit is an important command to begin practicing early on in Oreo's training journey, as having a solid recall is important for any pup's safety and obedience training, and will be especially crucial for his safety if he is to be allowed off-leash. The goal for Come to Sit is for Oreo to come when called, approach my right side, circle around my back, and finish with a Sit facing forward on the left side. He is asked to hold this Sit until released with "Break", or given a new command. This ensures he not only comes when called, but also that he remains stationary until told otherwise. The Come to Sit maneuver when completed in its entirety also sets him up to be in the perfect position to begin walking in a Heel, which we will cover in tomorrow's pupdate. We introduced the Come to Sit command today by combining the verbal command "Come" with guidance from the leash and stimulation from the e-collar to grab his attention and guide him towards me. Once he came over to me, he was then guided around and to my left side where he was asked to perform a Sit. With each successful repetition, I made sure to give him lots of praise and rewards to build up a positive association with the command and the action of coming to me when called. He'll need some more work with this command before he is consistent with it, though for his first day with this command, he did a good job!
Pupdate 9/3/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a local park, where we focused on two commands, Off and Heel. We introduced these commands in the morning while walking around the neighborhood, where the distractions were a bit lower. This helped him to have an easier time relaxing and focusing on learning. In the evening, we walked over to the park to continue practicing his commands around slightly more distractions. The park was not super busy today, but there were still common distractions around such as people, dogs, children, and lots of small animals. Oreo did become pretty distracted at times, however he did not display any reactive behavior towards anything we encountered. The distraction he struggled with the most today was squirrels, as there were lots of them running around the park. He never tried to chase or bark at any, though he did tend to stare at them, which sometimes impeded his ability to focus.
Oreo is often easily distracted, as he tends to focus on his surroundings even when asked to perform commands. Moments like this are a great opportunity to implement the Off command. The goal for the Off command is for Oreo to stop whatever he is doing, and focus on his handler. This is a very versatile command, similar to "no" or "leave it", and can be used in various situations, such as to interrupt fixation on distractions, barking, jumping on people, eating or sniffing things he's not supposed to, or any other behaviors that are undesirable or inappropriate at that time. The verbal Off command when paired with leash pressure and the e-collar allows us to interrupt the behavior and help him to refocus so that he is in a better mindset to listen for upcoming instructions. Once the Off command is given, it's beneficial to immediately follow it with another command such as Sit, Come, Heel, etc. Once he stops whatever behavior he was doing, asking him to set his focus on a task will help keep his attention away from what initially distracted him or caused the undesirable behavior. Oreo has shown good progress in understanding the Off command so far, and with each repetition, he seemed to be quicker to respond and refocus when prompted. However, more work will need to be done in various situations before he is fully reliable with the command.
Heel is another important concept for Oreo to begin developing early on in his training. The goal for the Heel command is for Oreo to be able to follow directly alongside me on my left side, and maintain that position while walking unless released or given a new command. This precise positioning takes a lot of practice to master, but it will effectively eliminate pulling on the leash or veering off in different directions, and allow his handler to take the lead on walks instead of him trying to pull them around wherever he pleases. To introduce this command, I kept the leash short but loose, and ensured he stayed on my left side in roughly the Heel position as we walked. If he began to veer off, pull ahead, fall behind, or otherwise create tension on the leash, he was given some guidance with the leash, stimulation from the e-collar, and the verbal command "Heel" command was given until he returned to the desired position. During Heel, his sole focus should be following his handler's lead, and as such he needs to remain neutral to and ignore his environment, which will definitely take some practice to accomplish. His biggest mistake today seemed to be a tendency to lag behind instead of walking beside me, so this was something we focused on correcting. When walking in the proper Heel position, the leash was loose, no pressure was applied, and lots of praise and rewards were given to create value in this position. We practiced making lots of turns as well, which helped to keep Oreo engaged and focused on his positioning. As he gets better with this command, he will have an easier time staying in the Heel position without as much guidance needed, and will need to be given reminders less frequently. Overall he did a good job today and seemed to catch on pretty quickly, though more work will need to be done before he can Heel reliably, especially around distractions.
Pupdate 9/4/2024
Today Oreo and I began our training session at home, where we focused on two commands, Place and Down. Once he made some progress with these commands at home, we visited a Petco to train around more distractions present. We encountered distractions such as dogs, people, shopping carts, and other types of distractions. He experienced no reactive behavior today, even when in close proximity to other dogs. We also continued working on each command he has learned thus far. Overall he did a good job with his training today, and is making good progress with his commands. He is also doing well with the e-collar, and seems to be understanding the communication it provides.
The goal for the Place command is for Oreo to jump or climb onto a designated object, such as a bench, a bed, or another object with defined borders, and hold a stationary command while remaining on the Place object until released or given a new command. We introduced this command at home using a familiar object, a dog cot. He is comfortable climbing onto and relaxing on the cot in his own time, so this was a good object to use and help set him up for success. We used some leash pressure to guide him onto the cot while giving the verbal Place cue, which he quickly picked up on. Once he seemed to understand the behavior, we began pairing leash pressure with e-collar stimulation as additional reinforcement and communication when needed. After a few repetitions, he quickly picked up on what was being asked of him and was able to Place with minimal to no leash pressure. We later practiced Place with a variety of objects we found at Petco, such as platforms, step stools, and dog beds, all of which he was able to Place on with little to no issues. He was sometimes a bit hesitant at first, but with a bit of guidance he was able to follow through. We will continue practicing this command with different objects in a variety of environments to improve Oreo’s confidence and overall skills with this command!
The other command introduced to Oreo today is the Down command. The goal for the Down command is for Oreo to lay down completely when asked, and remain in that position until released or given a new command. To begin working on this command, we used leash pressure and physical guidance to guide Oreo into the Down position while the verbal command was given. After some practice, he seemed to catch on to the concept and we began adding in the e-collar stimulation as reinforcement when needed. We practiced Down on different surfaces and objects, including on the floor at home and at Petco, on grass, and on place objects. We kept the duration for this command pretty short at first with lots of breaks and praise, as this helps make the training fun and rewarding. As we continue to practice this we will continue increasing the duration gradually so he can learn to remain in this position for extended periods of time. We will also continue adding in more distractions so he can be reliable with the command in any situation or environment. At home he was pretty good with the Down command, but at Petco he tended to be a bit more hesitant and needed some extra guidance and reinforcement for him to follow through.
Pupdate 9/5/2034
Today Oreo and I visited an indoor mall, where we practiced all of his commands around distractions while staying cool during this heatwave! The mall had some good distractions, including plenty of people, other dogs, food, and music. Overall Oreo did a good job staying focused. He was a bit nervous at times due to the busy surroundings, but after spending some time there he began to feel more relaxed.
Oreo did good with his Heel overall, and seems to be understanding where he needs to be when this command is given. At first he would tend to lag behind and try to walk behind me instead of beside me, though he was able to correct himself after more practice and became less prone to this mistake. His Come to Sit was okay today, though there were some occasions when he needed to be asked a few times before he came to me when called, particularly if he was feeling nervous or if he was relaxing somewhere comfortable and didn’t want to get up. His positioning was sometimes a bit off, though with guidance and practice this did improve over time.
Oreo’s stationary commands were all pretty good today! He was able to perform Place with good reliability, and was consistent with holding his positions while on Place. He sometimes needed a small introduction to new objects, but after an attempt or two he was able to jump up without any help. He was able to perform Sit with ease anywhere around the mall, though sometimes he would break command before released after around thirty seconds had passed. He was much better at holding his Down overall, though to perform it he occasionally needed a bit of guidance to help him into position.
Pupdate 9/6/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a park, where we met with some other OffLeash SoCal trainers and their pups to continue working on his commands around distractions. There were many other dogs at the park aside from the OffLeash SoCal pups, as well as lots of people, bicyclers, skateboarders, and strollers. Oreo did not experience any reactions towards anything today, and generally was pretty calm throughout our visit. He seemed quite uninterested in the other dogs, even when they were close by or within his personal space. If they were too close for his comfort, he would simply move away or come closer to me for reassurance. He didn't fixate on any distractions in particular, and generally was happy to mind his own business and focus on his training. He was a bit interested in sniffing around in the grass when we first arrived, but by using Off while actively training, he quickly understood to save this behavior for while he was on breaks only so that he could stay focused on training.
Oreo did okay with his Heel overall, though he did seem to struggle with matching my pace and would tend to want to follow along behind me, regardless of how fast I was moving. We tried practicing Heel at different speeds, but regardless of my pace he persistently was falling behind and often would leave my side to move behind me unless assisted with guidance from the leash. However while in a Heel he didn't seem to become too distracted by anything, and was able to ignore our surroundings with very few reminders needed. His Come to Sit was good overall, and he was reliable about always coming when called even with distractions around. He sometimes needed light leash pressure to guide him, but he is starting to show promising ability to perform it without guidance needed, as he is focusing more on my hand signals and leg positioning. Oreo's stationary positions were his strongest commands today, and he was able to perform Sit, Down, and Place anywhere asked of him. The only command he occasionally struggled with was holding his Sit for extended periods, as he would sometimes break it to lie down after having held the Sit for a while. This seemed to be more due to him being tired and wanting to relax rather than intentional disobedience. When this happened, I would ask him to return to the Sit position momentarily, and once he followed through he would then be asked to Down. This upholds the consistency of our training and the implied stay, while being mindful of his needs and giving him the opportunity to rest when needed. While in a stationary command, he was generally very focused on holding his position, and did not become distracted by anything around us. He was able to hold his Sit for over a minute today pretty consistently, and he happily held his Downs for well over two minutes without any noticeable temptation to break the command once he entered it.
Pupdate 9/7/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a shopping strip, where we practiced all of his commands around distractions. This location had a variety of distracting surroundings present, such as noisy street traffic, groups of people, other dogs, birds, strollers, skateboards, and bicycles. He seemed a bit unsure of everything at first, though as we walked around together he quickly seemed to settle down and adjust to the new environment. He was able to maintain great focus today, even in the presence of major distractions such as dogs barking at him, fire truck sirens, and skateboarders zooming past us. During today's session, we focused on practicing each of Oreo's commands with as minimal leash pressure as possible. Doing this will help with the transition to performing these commands while off leash, as we want him to rely less and less on the leash so that the e-collar becomes the main form of reinforcement. By saving leash pressure only for when he truly needs it, we can encourage him to problem solve and use his knowledge of the command asked of him to perform the desired behavior, rather than needing to be physically guided through it. We used a prong collar temporarily in today's session to see if it would help reduce the frequency of leash pressure needed, and this seemed to do the trick! We quickly worked to fade this tool back out however as we don't want him to rely on it, and after about half an hour of training with it he no longer needed it and was responding much better to flat collar pressure whenever it was used.
Oreo did exceptional with his Heel today, and didn't seem to struggle much with falling behind as he usually has been in previous days. He was able to stick right beside me, with very minimal to no leash pressure needed at all, even when distractions were increased. When small adjustments needed to be made to his positioning, he was usually able to correct himself with just the use of the verbal cue, hand signal, and e-collar. Oreo's Come to Sit was a bit less reliable with the absence of leash pressure however, and when none was used to guide him he often made mistakes such as sitting in front of or behind me, or approaching the wrong side. When this happened, he was given a few chances to correct himself without leash pressure, and if after several asks he couldn't figure it out, leash pressure was briefly applied to help guide him. We will spend some more time focusing on this command to help him transition to performing it without the leash. Oreo's stationary commands were all excellent today, and he was able to perform Sit, Down, and Place all without any leash pressure or physical guidance needed. He showed lots of confidence with Place today especially, and was able to jump onto a variety of objects without hesitation which was great to see!
Pupdate 9/8/2024
Today Oreo and I visited an outdoor mall, where we practiced all of his commands around distractions with minimal to no leash pressure. The mall was decently busy when we first arrived, with lots of people, other dogs, and other kinds of distractions. Oreo quickly adapted to the new and busy environment, and wasn't having any trouble staying focused! As the evening rolled in and the sun began to set the mall did quiet down a bit, which provided a great opportunity to begin working on leash dragging with Oreo. While the mall was still busy during the late afternoon, we focused on practicing each of his commands around the various distractions while keeping the leash usage to a minimum. Overall he did a fantastic job, and was able to follow commands with good reliability and consistency. He was able to Heel very well with no leash pressure and minimal reminders needed. His stationary commands were all great as well, and he was able to Sit, Down, and Place without any guidance as well as hold them for around two minutes each even with distractions around us. Using the long leash, we were also able to work on creating more distance between us as he holds his stationary commands, which he did great with and did not seem tempted to break command even while I moved around at a distance from him. He was able to perform Come to Sit without leash pressure much of the time, but did tend to make some mistakes. When he began to struggle, some leash pressure was used for a few repetitions before returning back to using no leash pressure practice, which did seem to help him achieve better results. Having the leash drag along during training without it being used to guide him is a great way to simulate how he might behave while off leash, while still having it readily available should it be needed for any reason. By this point in the session Oreo did begin to tire out a bit and tended to lag behind slightly during his Heel, and the weight of the leash behind him also seemed to distract him a bit but overall he did great! He never tried to leave my side, even with the physical ability to do so. He was able to perform each of his stationary commands without any issue. While he did experience some struggles with his Come to Sit positioning, his recall was always solid which is the most important aspect of this command!
Pupdate 9/9/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a Home Depot, where we continued working on all of his commands around distractions, as well as practiced leash dragging when possible. This location was another busy spot, with lots of people, loud noises, machinery, shopping carts, and some other dogs. Despite all the hustle and bustle around us, Oreo did a fantastic job staying focused and performing each of his commands! He was even such a brave boy around all the spooky Halloween decorations, and didn't seem to have a care in the world about them or any other distractions we encountered. When in high traffic areas of the store we kept hold of the leash to prevent the dragging leash causing a tripping hazard, though we continued working on his commands with no leash pressure at all. He ended up doing great with this, so for much of the time I was able to just keep his leash tucked into my pocket allowing for a hands free experience. When there weren't any people or potential hazards around, we dropped the leash to continue putting his abilities to the test. Oreo did an excellent job with each of his commands today, and didn't appear to have any major issues with any of them. He made a few minor mistakes with Come to Sit, though they were easily corrected when they occurred and became less frequent as we practiced more. His Heel was consistent today, and he stuck beside me as we walked around the store and past various distractions with no leash needed to keep him in position. He would sometimes lag behind ever so slightly, though with a verbal reminder and low level stimulation from the e-collar he was always able to correct himself. He was able to Place, Sit, and Down effortlessly, and happily held his positions for extended periods of time even while I was at a distance from him.
Pupdate 9/10/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a park, where we practiced all of his commands off leash around distractions! The park was decently busy, with lots of people, other dogs, and children running around. Many of the dogs were running around playing fetch and other games with their owners, which contributed to the distraction level they created. We also saw many squirrels and birds around the park, and one family was having what looked to be a birthday party at a nearby picnic bench, so we had the added bonus of some music and smells of food to test his focus around. Overall Oreo was pretty focused, despite the numerous distractions we encountered. Every now and then something would catch his attention momentarily, though he understood to promptly refocus when asked and not let it distract him too much from his training.
When we first arrived, we spent some time warming up with the leash on, then quickly transitioned to leash dragging with a small, light leash. He was doing an awesome job, and at no point did I need to pick up the leash to provide guidance for any of his commands. At this point, it was clear Oreo was ready to begin working off leash, so we took off his leash and continued working as we normally would. He didn't seem to notice or mind the absence of the leash, and despite having total physical freedom, he understood to always pay attention to commands and never tried to leave my side.
He made some small mistakes with his commands here and there, but overall he did a fantastic job! His Heel was pretty consistent, and he never strayed too far out of position. Towards the end of the session he did begin to lag behind slightly, though with some reinforcement from the e-collar and some extra verbal motivation and excitement, he was able to catch back up and position himself properly again. His Come to Sit was good overall as well, with his most common mistake being trying to stop in front of or behind me for his sit, which was easily corrected by repeating the command and encouraging him to reposition until he found the proper spot. His stationary commands were good overall, and he was typically able to perform Sit, Down, and Place without any issues. At one point he had noticed an ant trail crawling on the pathway we were working on, and the tiny bugs seemed to make him nervous, causing him to not want to lay down on the pathway even when we had moved away from where they were. He ended up needing a few repetitions with a tiny amount of physical guidance via a light tap on his shoulders while asking for the command, and after some practice with that he seemed to get over his hesitations and was able to Down normally again.
Pupdate 9/11/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a busy shopping strip, where we continued to work on each of his commands both on and off leash! On the walk there our route took us along a street with lots of fast moving traffic, so to stay on the side of caution we used the leash during this portion of our walk until we were in a safer area to work off leash. At the shopping strip, there were lots of people and other dogs walking along the sidewalks and coming in and out of the various shops and restaurants. Oreo didn't let anything distract him from his training today, and did a great job staying focused and performing his commands, regardless if he was on or off leash.
Oreo did great with his Heel, and impressed lots of passersby with his off leash walking skills! He always stuck close to me, and never tried to veer off or leave my side. Whenever small adjustments were needed he was always able to correct himself when prompted without any physical assistance. His Come to Sit was solid and reliable today, and he always came right to me when called. He did a good job with his positioning too, and more often than not was able to position himself properly beside me without needing to be asked to correct it.
Oreo's stationary commands were excellent also, and he was able to perform Sit, Down, and Place anywhere asked of him without any issues. The only notable blip was if I sat next to Oreo while he was on a Place object, he would sometimes break the command and scooch over to me to lay on my lap. While it's adorable that he enjoys cuddles with me, we spent some time teaching him to hold his position even if I sit next to him. Once given the break cue and invited onto my lap, he was then free to get all the cuddles and affection that he desired, which was a great way to reward him for a job well done! Oreo and I also visited a restaurant patio together towards the end of our session, and he happily and calmly laid down by my feet under my table while I ate. I could see his little nose working to take in all the yummy smells of food around, though he didn't let this distraction break his focus away from his position, and he was able to hold his Down for well over ten minutes without seeming tempted to break it.
Pupdate 9/12/2024
Today Oreo and I visited the Santa Monica Promenade, where we practiced all of his commands off leash around distractions. This was a busy location, with crowds of people, many other dogs, loud music, and a variety of other distractions. Overall Oreo was a bit excited and overstimulated when we first arrived, but quickly settled into a focused mindset and did a great job with his commands overall! We also were able to capture some great footage of him performing all of his commands that will be used in putting together his final video, so be sure to check out today's video for a sneak peek! Oreo did great with his Heel, and always followed along in the proper position as we walked, even when passing by numerous distractions. His Come to Sit was reliable as well, and he was able to be recalled into the correct position each time we practiced. His stationary commands were also fantastic, and he had no trouble performing Sit, Down, and Place anywhere asked of him as well as for any duration. There were lots of people who were impressed with Oreo's obedience skills, and wanted to come say hello to him, which was a good opportunity to work some more on Oreo's Greeting Manners. The goal for Greeting Manners is for Oreo to remain calm, collected, and polite while greeting people, whether it's by someone he knows or if it's someone new. Before allowing someone to approach him, we first ask Oreo to focus on holding a stationary command, such as Sit or Down, which helps to prevent over-excitement, jumping, or other impolite behaviors from occurring, as his focus is instead directed to holding the position. If he breaks position or begins behaving impolitely, he is immediately asked to refocus and return to the position asked of him. Before the greeting takes place, it's important to inform the person or people that Oreo is in training, and that they can help him learn by only petting him when he is listening, stationary, and calm. By ensuring all praise and affection are reserved strictly for when he is holding the position asked of him and behaving calmly, we can work to encourage good behavior. Oreo has been doing great with this practice during his stay with me, and his great behavior today earned him lots of affection from all the nice people, which he loved!
Pupdate 9/13/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a park, where we practiced all of his commands off leash around distractions. The park was pretty busy during the Friday evening, with lots of people, children, and other dogs. There were also lots of squirrels and birds around, which added to the distracting environment. Oreo was quick to adjust to the environment and settle into a focused mindset, allowing him to easily perform commands whenever asked! He was able to Heel with me wonderfully as we walked around the park, and even with all of his off leash freedom he always chose to stick close to me. Even when distraction levels were high, such as walking past an area with dogs running around playing fetch or small children zooming past on scooters and bikes, he never seemed tempted to break his position beside me to approach anything or anyone. While on breaks I encouraged him to go sniff around and explore nearby, and when asked to recall from large distances he didn't seem to have any trouble quickly responding by locating and coming right back to me when called.
His stationary commands were excellent today as well, and he had no troubles performing and holding any position for as long as was asked of him. He never broke any stationary commands, regardless of what was going on around him, which was fantastic to see! He also got to say hello to lots of people today as his cute looks and impressive skills earned him lots of admirers! He was as usual great with his Greeting Manners and thoroughly enjoyed all the attention.
Pupdate 9/14/2024
Today Oreo and I visited a park where we put all of his learned skills to use to have a great last day together! He did fantastic work today, and was very enthusiastic about his training! The park was full of all kinds of distractions, but Oreo was unbothered and performed all of his commands excellently even while off leash. He also of course had lots of fun playing, relaxing, and exploring around the park with me. One of his favorite activities was cuddling up on my lap and watching the world go by around us. Oreo is not only excelling with his skills and manners while out in public, but he has also made huge transformations in his behavior inside the home as well! House manners are something we have been working on little by little each day since day one. Even seemingly mundane day-to-day tasks can provide excellent opportunities for training. These manners include areas such as Food Manners, Door Manners, and Car Manners.
The goal for Food Manners is for Oreo to be able to hold a stationary command while his food is prepared and set in front of him. He is then asked to remain in that position until he is released before he can get up and eat his food. Oreo tends to get excited about his food, and in the early stages of his training, he was prone to jumping on me or counters when anticipating food, and rushing to the food bowl the moment it was set down. As he progressed in his overall obedience and impulse control, he quickly replaced his bad habits and learned to be polite and patient even when faced with very tempting distractions such as food directly in front of him!
Another area of manners we have been working on is Oreo's Door Manners. The goal of Door Manners is for Oreo to hold a stationary position while near a door and remain there until released or given a new command, such as Come or Heel. He is asked to hold the position at the location asked of him, and not break the command even if the door is left open, if someone is knocking on it, or if people walk in or out of it. This practice teaches important boundaries, and prevents impolite and possibly dangerous behaviors such as trying to escape through open doors, shoving past people when walking through doors, or rushing over to jump on people who enter through the door. With daily practice, Oreo has made great progress with his manners related to doors, and understands to follow instructions no matter what distractions the door may create. After Oreo has been asked for a stationary command, a door can be left wide open, and he understands to not walk through the doorway unless given permission to, and when invited he can walk nicely through the doorway without shoving through or trying to rush out. I can even leave his sight completely and walk outside without him feeling the need to get up and follow me. Having proper Door Manners is also a great way to set Oreo up for success with in-home Greeting Manners as well, as he is prompted to hold the position asked of him and is discouraged from jumping on or barking at people.
Having good Car manners makes transporting Oreo easy, safe, and as hassle-free as possible. The goal for Car Manners is for Oreo to be confident and able to jump into the car when prompted without needing any physical assistance. Once in the car, the goal is for him to willingly enter a kennel when asked, without needing to be physically guided or lured inside. In the early stages of training Oreo lacked the confidence and skill to jump into my car, but now he is able to effortlessly hop up using only a small boost from a place cot! He also enters right into the kennel when prompted, and has no issues settling in and relaxing once inside.
Oreo has made such an amazing transformation in these past two weeks, and the differences in him are truly night and day! Before the program, he had a tendency to immediately become overexcited, overwhelmed, and overstimulated by everything around him, causing him to struggle to pay attention or follow commands. He has since learned to stay calm, focused, and neutral to his surroundings even in the most busy of places. His acquired skills and good behavior now allow him to safely enjoy the freedom and fun that comes with being off leash, which opens the door for training and fun times without the hassle of a leash! While he never displayed any reactivity issues while in my care, the skills he has learned will set him up for success in the future and discourage this kind of behavior from occurring even after he returns home to his family. While he may seem like a whole new dog, he is still the same silly, loving, and playful pup he always has been, and with his new obedience skills he is even more of a joy to be around and take with on all sorts of adventures! Oreo has been such a pleasure to train and share my home with, and I am forever grateful to have had the opportunity to help this good boy become the best version of himself! The sky is the limit for this pup, and I know he has a very bright future ahead in his continued training journey with his family!
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